NameCensus.

UK surname

Vandersteen

A Dutch surname derived from the words "van der" (from the) and "steen" (stone), likely indicating a family originally residing near or dealing with stone.

In the 1881 census there were 17 people recorded with the Vandersteen surname, ranking it #31,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 102, ranked #30,722, up from #31,170 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Devon, Merton and Castle Point.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vandersteen is 125 in 2008. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 500.0%.

1881 census count

17

Ranked #31,170

Modern count

102

2016, ranked #30,722

Peak year

2008

125 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Vandersteen had 17 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,170 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016, ranked #30,722.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 65 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Vandersteen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Vandersteen surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Vandersteen 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 32 #27,570
1861 historical 20 #31,364
1881 historical 17 #31,170
1891 historical 15 #32,956
1901 historical 35 #30,194
1911 historical 65 #26,343
1997 modern 105 #26,188
1998 modern 121 #24,677
1999 modern 116 #25,487
2000 modern 110 #26,248
2001 modern 110 #25,900
2002 modern 111 #26,291
2003 modern 108 #26,486
2004 modern 110 #26,451
2005 modern 111 #26,260
2006 modern 116 #25,813
2007 modern 118 #25,913
2008 modern 125 #25,249
2009 modern 117 #26,927
2010 modern 116 #27,704
2011 modern 119 #27,063
2012 modern 119 #27,100
2013 modern 110 #29,028
2014 modern 108 #29,658
2015 modern 107 #29,708
2016 modern 102 #30,722

Geography

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Where Vandersteens 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 West Devon, Merton, Castle Point, South Lakeland and Waverley. 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 West Devon 003 West Devon
2 Merton 002 Merton
3 Castle Point 011 Castle Point
4 South Lakeland 010 South Lakeland
5 Waverley 013 Waverley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Vandersteen

These lists show first names that appear often with the Vandersteen 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 Vandersteen

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Vandersteen, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Vandersteen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Vandersteen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Vandersteen is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Vandersteen is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Vandersteen 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 Vandersteen is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Vandersteen

The surname VANDERSTEEN is of Dutch origin, originating in the Low Countries during the medieval period. It is derived from the Dutch words "van der" meaning "from the" and "steen" meaning "stone" or "rock". This suggests that the name was initially attributed to someone who lived near a prominent stone structure or a rocky area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the municipal archives of the city of Ghent, Belgium, dated back to the 14th century. The name is mentioned in a document from 1368, referring to a certain "Jan van der Steen", who was a local merchant.

The VANDERSTEEN surname is also known to have been present in the Netherlands during the same time period. In the Dutch province of Friesland, there are records of a family with the name "Van der Steen" residing in the town of Leeuwarden as early as the 15th century.

A notable individual with the surname VANDERSTEEN was Pieter van der Steen (1595-1667), a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his genre scenes and portraits. His works can be found in several museums across Europe, including the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

Another prominent figure was Jan Baptist van der Steen (1667-1727), a Flemish Baroque painter and engraver. He was born in Antwerp and is best known for his religious paintings and altarpieces that adorned churches throughout the Southern Netherlands.

In the 19th century, a Dutch politician named Jacob van der Steen (1811-1887) served as the Minister of Finance for the Netherlands from 1866 to 1868. He played a significant role in the country's economic policies during that period.

Moving to more recent history, Gijs van der Steen (1907-1988) was a Dutch actor and director who had a successful career in both theater and film. He is remembered for his performances in several classic Dutch movies from the mid-20th century.

Lastly, Jan van der Steen (1935-2015) was a renowned Dutch sculptor and artist known for his abstract metal sculptures and public art installations. His works can be found in various cities across the Netherlands and other parts of Europe.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Vandersteen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Vandersteen surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 17 Vandersteens recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.26x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 17 10.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bow London in Middlesex leads with 9 Vandersteens recorded in 1881 and an index of 426.54x.

Place Total Index
Bow London 9 426.54x
Bethnal Green London 4 55.56x
St Andrew Holborn 2 357.14x
St George In East 2 176.99x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Vandersteen surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Jane 1
Sophie 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Vandersteen surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 4
John 2
Joseph 2
Charles 1
Peter 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Vandersteen households.

FAQ

Vandersteen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Vandersteen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 17 people were recorded with the Vandersteen surname. That placed it at #31,170 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Vandersteen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016. That gives Vandersteen a modern rank of #30,722.

What does the Vandersteen surname mean?

A Dutch surname derived from the words "van der" (from the) and "steen" (stone), likely indicating a family originally residing near or dealing with stone.

What does the Vandersteen map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Vandersteen 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.