| ![Show Contents]() Vanhorst History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of VanhorstWhat does the name Vanhorst mean? Nestled between the Rhine and Wesser rivers is the ancient German region of Westphalia. Westphalia, the home of the name Vanhorst. Hereditary surnames were adopted in this region after the 12th century, and surnames were derived from localities were common. Local surnames originally denoted the proprietorship of the village or estate. When coupled with the German preposition von, which means from or of, local names can indicate that the initial bearer of the name was an aristocrat. The Vanhorst family originally lived near or in a hurst, which is a wood or thicket. Thus, Vanhorst 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 Vanhorst familyThe surname Vanhorst 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 Vanhorst familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Vanhorst research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1664 and 1741 are included under the topic Early Vanhorst History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Vanhorst Spelling VariationsOne can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Vanhorst include Horst, Horste, Horsst, Horsste, Horest, Horeste, Horstt and many more. Early Notables of the Vanhorst familyMore information is included under the topic Early Vanhorst Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Vanhorst familyMany Germans emigrated across the Atlantic to seek better lives in North America. This great migration began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century. Resettlement was particularly attractive to those from Westphalia as a means of escape from poverty and religious persecution. For many Westphalian farmers, the chance to own one's own land was also a major incentive. The process of the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlements centered around Ontario and the Prairie provinces. Among them were: Walter Horst, who sailed to London England in 1709; Wendel Horst, who sailed to Pennsylvania in 1743; Ludwig Horst, who sailed to Pennsylvania in 1750.
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