Surname Cornelis - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'C'
Cornelis: What does the surname Cornelis mean?
The last name Cornelis is of Dutch origin, and it is a patronymic or derivation of the personal name Cornelius. This name is derived from the Latin "cornu" and the Greek "kornelos", both meaning "horn". It can also be seen as a shortened form of the name Cornelianus, meaning "like a horn".
In the Middle Ages, the Dutch adopted the Catholic faith and, as a result, patronymic surnames such as Cornelis became more popular. This is evident from the many different variations of the name, all of which have the same meaning: Cornelissen, Cornelisse, and Cornelissen.
Cornelis is popular in the Netherlands, where it is the 62nd most common surname. In the US, Cornelius is the 1135th most common last name. The popularity of the name can be attributed to the importance of its meaning. Horns are symbols of strength and power, as well as fertility and virility, and they were used to ward off evil spirits in the Middle Ages. They were also believed to bring good luck.
Today, the name Cornelis is still regarded as a symbol of good luck and is bestowed upon many boys at birth. It is a source of pride for those who bear it and a reminder of their family’s Dutch heritage.
Order DNA origin analysisCornelis: Where does the name Cornelis come from?
The last name Cornelis is most common in the Netherlands and Belgium, particularly in the areas of Flanders and Holland. This last name is a very old Dutch given name that goes back to the medieval period.
The most famous bearer of the name Cornelis is probably Cornelis van der Sluys, who was a 17th century Dutch pirate and privateer who was active in the Far East.
Another famous Dutch person named Cornelis is Cornelis Vantongerloo, an artist from the early 20th century, known for his surrealist paintings.
There is also Cornelis Jol, a 17th century Dutch engineer and hydraulic engineer, and Cornelis de Houtman, a Dutch explorer who was the first to discover a sea route to the 'spice island' of Java (in Indonesia).
Today, the name Cornelis is still very much in use in the Netherlands and Belgium, among the Dutch speaking population. It is estimated that over 40,000 people in the Netherlands and Belgium alone carry this name, and due to these countries' colonial history, it is likely that there are people bearing the surname Cornelis in the former Dutch colonies too.
Variations of the surname Cornelis
The surname Cornelis is derived from the Latin name Cornelius, which is derived from the Latin term "cornu" meaning "horn". The variants, spellings and surnames of Cornelis include Cornelius, Cornelia, Cornelio, Corneliusz, Korneli, Kornelius, Sneijers, Sneijder, Sneijders, and Cornelisz.
Cornelia is often used in reference to a female version of Cornelius, while Corneliusz is a popular variation used in countries such as Poland.
The Dutch surname Cornelis is generally spelled as Kornelis, Kornelisz, or Korneli in the Netherlands. The surname Sneijers is commonly found among the Dutch population, and is derived from the Dutch profession Snoijer, meaning “snayer” or “slaughterer”. The derivatives Sneijder and Sneijders are now commonly used in The Netherlands to refer to the English surname Smith. Sneijder can also be written as Sneider, Sneijdermans, or Sneiderman.
In Portugal, the Cornelis surname is generally spelled as Cornelio or Kornelio.
Overall, Cornelis is a widely used surname, and its various spellings and surnames make it easier to identify people with this surname in different cultures.
Famous people with the name Cornelis
- Cornelis Vreeswijk: Singer-songwriter and actor from the Netherlands.
- Joost Cornelisz Droochsloot: Dutch painter and draftsman who specialized in village scenes.
- Cornelis de Graeff: Dutch politician who played an important role during political and economic decline of the Dutch Republic in the 17th century.
- Cornelis de Witt: Dutch statesman and soldier in the service of the Dutch Republic who played a leading role in the Dutch struggle for independence from Spain.
- Cornelis van der Aa: Dutch print publisher and bookseller who was active in 18th-century Amsterdam.
- Cornelis Drebbel: Dutch engineer who developed an early submarine.
- Cornelis Boon: Dutch Golden Age architect who designed many of the buildings in the city of Amsterdam.
- Gerald Cornelis: Belgian politician and entrepreneur who was a former mayor of the City of Brussels.
- Simon Cornelisz Vlieger: Dutch marine painter, draughtsman and etcher from the Dutch Golden Age.
- Cornelis van der Kruit: Dutch painter and engraver of the Dutch Golden Age.