Explore the Family Name Van Dijk
The meaning of Van Dijk
Dutch: either a topographic name for someone who lived by one of the many thousands of dikes in the Netherlands (Middle Dutch dike ‘dike’), or more usually a habitational name from any of the many places in Belgium and the Netherlands called Dijk, Dijke, or Dyck, or which incorporate dike in their name. This is one of the most common surnames in the Netherlands. In the US, it is mostly spelled Van Dyke. Compare Van Dyck and Van Dyk, and also Dijk. History: Jan Thomassen van Dijk, the first mayor of New Utrecht, Long Island (now part of Brooklyn, NY), came from Amsterdam in the Netherlands to North America in 1652. The surname, usually respelled as Van Dyke, was brought to North America independently by many other bearers. Some characteristic forenames: Dutch Cornelis, Gerrit, Hendrik, Jacobus, Derk, Dirk, Frans, Michiel, Pieter, Willem. German Hans, Johannes, Jurgen.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Van Dijk in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Van Dijk has seen an increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 63,297th and by 2010 had moved up to the 58,182nd rank, a positive change of 8.08%. The count of people with this surname also rose from 295 to 349 over the same period, reflecting an increase of 18.31%. This means that for every 100,000 people in the U.S., approximately 0.12 had the surname Van Dijk in 2010, compared to 0.11 in 2000, indicating a 9.09% growth.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #63,297 | #58,182 | 8.08% |
| Count | 295 | 349 | 18.31% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.11 | 0.12 | 9.09% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Van Dijk
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census shows some variations within the group of individuals bearing the surname Van Dijk between 2000 and 2010. The majority identified as White, constituting 91.86% in 2000 and 90.26% in 2010, experiencing a slight decrease of 1.74%. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander were non-existent in 2000 but made up 1.72% in 2010. Similarly, there were no Hispanic identifiers in 2000, but they represented 3.44% in 2010. The percentage of those claiming two or more races dropped by 40.28% during the decade, while the proportions of Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native remained unchanged at 0%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 91.86% | 90.26% | -1.74% |
| Two or More Races | 5.76% | 3.44% | -40.28% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 3.44% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 1.72% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |