Van Der horst History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe name Van Der horst comes from the German region of Westphalia. The tradition of adopting hereditary surnames came to Germany after the 12th century, and the names of places where people lived were a primary source. Many local names carry the prefix "von", meaning "of" or "from". It originally indicated land ownership, and is sometimes a mark of nobility. The Van Der horst family originally lived near or in a hurst, which is a wood or thicket. Thus, Van Der horst is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Early Origins of the Van Der horst familyThe surname Van Der horst was first found in Westphalia, where the name Horst contributed greatly to the development of an emerging nation. The name appears in chronicles of 1292, which place Berthold von der Horst, a knight, at the family seat in the county of Recklingshausen. They eventually formed three main lines of descent: the von der Horst zu Horst, von der Horst zum Hauss und zu Milsen, and von der Horst zu Mudlinghoven und Hellenbruch. The names of these lines come from the intermarriage with the Hauss family, or from the name of the estates in their possession. Early History of the Van Der horst familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Van Der horst research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1664 and 1741 are included under the topic Early Van Der horst History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Van Der horst Spelling VariationsIn the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Van Der horst include Horst, Horste, Horsst, Horsste, Horest, Horeste, Horstt and many more. Early Notables of the Van Der horst familyMore information is included under the topic Early Van Der horst Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Van Der horst RankingIn Netherlands, the name Van Der horst is the 93rd most popular surname with an estimated 10,642 people with that name. 1
For many Germans, emigration to North America was an inviting alternative to the trials of life in the old country. From the mid-17th into the present century, thousands of Germans migrated across the Atlantic. They capitalized on the chance to escape poverty and persecution, and to own their own land. After 1650, Germans settled throughout the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many also landed in Canada, settling in Ontario or father west on the rich land of the prairies. Among them: Van Der horst Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Van Der horst Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
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