NameCensus.

UK surname

Vandermeer

A Dutch toponymic surname derived from the elements "van der" meaning "from the" and "meer" meaning "lake" or "pool".

In the 1881 census there were 3 people recorded with the Vandermeer surname, ranking it #33,498 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 126, ranked #26,686, up from #33,498 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rother, Newport and Haringey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vandermeer is 128 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 4100.0%.

1881 census count

3

Ranked #33,498

Modern count

126

2016, ranked #26,686

Peak year

2014

128 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Vandermeer had 3 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,498 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 126 in 2016, ranked #26,686.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Vandermeer surname distribution map

The map shows where the Vandermeer surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Vandermeer surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Vandermeer over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 2 #33,133
1861 historical 1 #34,435
1881 historical 3 #33,498
1891 historical 5 #33,939
1901 historical 2 #34,263
1911 historical 4 #33,595
1997 modern 73 #30,306
1998 modern 88 #29,131
1999 modern 92 #28,833
2000 modern 92 #28,832
2001 modern 91 #28,670
2002 modern 87 #29,644
2003 modern 86 #29,752
2004 modern 84 #30,244
2005 modern 85 #30,219
2006 modern 86 #30,425
2007 modern 87 #30,666
2008 modern 91 #30,431
2009 modern 86 #31,612
2010 modern 98 #30,540
2011 modern 108 #28,811
2012 modern 117 #27,394
2013 modern 125 #26,695
2014 modern 128 #26,490
2015 modern 128 #26,356
2016 modern 126 #26,686

Geography

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Where Vandermeers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rother, Newport, Haringey, Sefton and Slough. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rother 006 Rother
2 Newport 002 Newport
3 Haringey 022 Haringey
4 Sefton 009 Sefton
5 Slough 010 Slough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Vandermeer

These lists show first names that appear often with the Vandermeer surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Vandermeer

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Vandermeer, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Vandermeer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Vandermeer household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Vandermeer is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Vandermeer is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Vandermeer falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Vandermeer is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Vandermeer, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Vandermeer

The surname Vandermeer originated in the Low Countries, encompassing modern-day Netherlands, Belgium, and parts of northern France, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Dutch words "van der" meaning "from the" and "meer" meaning "lake" or "pond." The name likely referred to someone who lived near a body of water or had some association with a specific lake or pond.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in a 14th-century document from the city of Leiden, where a certain Jan Vandermeer is mentioned. The spelling variations at the time included "van der Meere," "van der Meer," and "van der Meren," reflecting the regional dialects and orthographic conventions of the era.

In the 15th century, the name appears in records from the Duchy of Brabant, where a family of landowners and merchants bearing the Vandermeer surname held significant influence. A notable figure from this lineage was Willem Vandermeer (c. 1430-1498), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Antwerp.

During the 16th century, as the Dutch Republic emerged from the Eighty Years' War against Spain, the Vandermeer name gained prominence in various parts of the Netherlands. One notable bearer was Pieter Vandermeer (1550-1622), a renowned painter from Delft whose works included portraiture and religious scenes.

In the 17th century, the Vandermeer family had branches in several Dutch cities, including Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Utrecht. A notable figure from this period was Jacobus Vandermeer (1635-1701), a respected jurist and professor of law at the University of Leiden.

As the Dutch colonial empire expanded in the 18th and 19th centuries, the Vandermeer surname spread to other parts of the world, particularly to the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia) and the Cape Colony in South Africa. One notable individual from this era was Pieter Vandermeer (1768-1842), a Dutch-born explorer and cartographer who contributed significantly to the mapping of the Indonesian archipelago.

Other notable individuals with the Vandermeer surname throughout history include Johannes Vandermeer (1845-1917), a Dutch-born botanist and plant collector who made significant contributions to the study of South African flora, and Dirk Vandermeer (1901-1978), a Dutch-American architect known for his Art Deco designs in New York City.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Vandermeer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Vandermeer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3 people were recorded with the Vandermeer surname. That placed it at #33,498 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Vandermeer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 126 in 2016. That gives Vandermeer a modern rank of #26,686.

What does the Vandermeer surname mean?

A Dutch toponymic surname derived from the elements "van der" meaning "from the" and "meer" meaning "lake" or "pool".

What does the Vandermeer map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Vandermeer bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.