Explore the Family Name Van Dam
The meaning of Van Dam
Dutch and Flemish: habitational name for someone from any of numerous places called Dam (for example Dam, short for Appingedam in the province of Groningen, and Dam in Gennep, Limburg, both in the Netherlands) or Ten Damme (for example in Overijssel in the Netherlands), or from other places in the Netherlands and Belgium called for a dam ‘dike’. History: Claes Ripse van Dam came to Fort Orange in New Netherland (now Albany, NY) before 1658. His son, Rip Van Dam, was a prominent merchant and politican during the colonial era. Some characteristic forenames: Dutch Andries, Adrianus, Gerrit, Dirk, Harmen, Hendrick, Hendrik, Machiel, Marinus, Neeltje. French Jacques, Henri, Luc, Marcel.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Van Dam in the United States?
Based on information from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Van Dam has experienced a slight increase in popularity between the years 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the name was ranked as the 13,696th most popular surname, but by 2010 it had risen to the 13,376th spot, marking a change of 2.34%. The number of people with this surname also increased during this period, from 2031 to 2277, representing a growth of 12.11%. Consequently, the proportion of individuals named Van Dam per 100,000 people also climbed slightly from 0.75 to 0.77.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,696 | #13,376 | 2.34% |
| Count | 2,031 | 2,277 | 12.11% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.75 | 0.77 | 2.67% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Van Dam
Examining the ethnic identity of those bearing the surname Van Dam, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data, reveals some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The majority of individuals identified as White, although the percentage decreased slightly from 95.03% to 93.32%. Perhaps more notably, there were significant increases in the percentages of people identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (from 0.49% to 1.05%) and Hispanic (from 1.97% to 2.85%). Those identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native also saw rises, albeit smaller, while the percentage of people claiming two or more races fell marginally from 1.87% to 1.76%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.03% | 93.32% | -1.8% |
| Hispanic | 1.97% | 2.85% | 44.67% |
| Two or More Races | 1.87% | 1.76% | -5.88% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.49% | 1.05% | 114.29% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.34% | 0.57% | 67.65% |
| Black | 0.3% | 0.44% | 46.67% |