Surname Meinderts - Meaning and Origin

Meinderts: What does the surname Meinderts mean?

The Dutch surname Meinderts is of patronymic origin, derived from the personal name Meinard, which is derived from the German name Meinhard. The personal name is composed of the German elements magin, meaning ‘strength’ and hard, meaning ‘hardy’, or ‘brave’. As a surname, Meinderts is most common in the Netherlands, especially in the provinces of Noord-Holland, Friesland, and South Holland. It is also found in various other countries with a Dutch diaspora, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

The Meinderts family is an old Dutch family, with reference to the surname in records from as early as the 17th century. The family can trace their roots to the rural Dutch province of Gelderland. Religious records show numerous baptisms and burials of individuals with the Meinderts surname from this time period. The name was most often found in the towns of Schoonhoven, Zeven policymakers and Voorgenen.

Today, there are estimated to be several hundred children named Meinderts in the Netherlands, and the number continues to climb. Many of these people are descendants of those who bore the surname centuries ago. In 2015, Meinderts was ranked as the 868th most common surname in the Netherlands. The surname has spread throughout the Netherlands with other Dutch immigrants, providing the opportunity for individuals with the Meinderts surname to discover their ancestral roots and learn more about the rich history of the family.

Meinderts: Where does the name Meinderts come from?

The last name Meinderts is a Dutch name which is very common in the Netherlands. Today, there are around 16,000 people in the Netherlands who bear this surname, making it one of the top 200 surnames in the Netherlands.

This surname was probably brought to the Netherlands in the Middle Ages and derives from the given name "Meindert", a Germanic name meaning "strength and courage". The Dutch equivalent of this name is "Meindert", or "Minderhart" in some dialects.

The Meinderts family also has a long history in the Netherlands. The oldest known Meinderts was a sailor called Jan Meinderts, who was born in the Netherlands in 1572. Since then, the surname has spread throughout the Netherlands and today, it is common in cities such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and The Hague.

The name Meinderts is also carried by people all over the world today. It is not unusual to see this last name as far away as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This is a testament to the fact that the Netherlands has always been a country of immigrants and that its people have become scattered throughout the world over the centuries.

Despite its global presence, the Meinderts family still retains its Dutch heritage and identity. The name continues to be a symbol of pride for the many people who carry it and its presence in the Netherlands is evidence of its centuries-long history.

Variations of the surname Meinderts

The surname Meinderts is a patronymic surname derived from the given name Meindert. The prefix "Mein" or "Meijn" (equivalent of "Mijn", meaning "my") and suffix "-derts" (son of) is common to patronymic surnames in the Netherlands. Variants of the name Meinderts can be spelled as Meinders, Meindertsz, de Meinders, Meynders, Meindersma, Meijnertsma, and Mijnerts.

Common patronymic surnames in the Netherlands will sometimes have regional spelling variations. This is true for the surname Meinderts, whose variants include Meinderts, Minderts, and Maindrids. Additionally, the final -s of the surname is often dropped in some regions, resulting in the names Meindert, Minder, and Maindrids.

The majority of Meinders families reside in the northern and western regions of the Netherlands. Common surnames of the same origin are found in both the Netherlands and Germany (Meijnders, Meder, Mederst, and de Meder). Variants of the same origin were also found in Friesland, where the name is spelled as Meijnders or Meinderse.

In the United States, the spelling of the Meinderts surname is most commonly seen as Meinders. This spelling can be found in the records of several U.S. states, including Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

In summary, the surname Meinderts has a variety of spelling variations and regional surname variants, including Meinders, Meindertsz, de Meinders, Meynders, Meindersma, Meijnertsma, Mijnerts, Meinderts, Minderts, Maindrids, Meindert, Minder, Meijnders, Meinderse, Meder, Mederst, and de Meder.

Famous people with the name Meinderts

• Geert Meinderts: Dutch author who wrote books for young adults and children. He was known for his detective stories and mystery novels.
• Pieter Meinderts: Dutch surgeon and medical scientist in the 18th century.
• Meindert Neuhaus: Dutch theologian who was active in the late 19th and early 20th century.
• Rik Meinderts: Dutch business executive, who served as the CEO of the Jumbo Retail Group from 2013 to 2020.
• Jan Meinderts: Dutch painter in the 18th century, known for his realism and attention to detail in his works.
• Coen Meinderts: Dutch professor of Classics in the 16th century, who was active in the universities of Leiden and Utrecht.
• Pieter Meinderts de Bordes: Dutch merchant and trader in the 19th century, who traded with products from Java and Ceylon (now known as Sri Lanka).
• Derk Meinderts: Dutch shipbuilder in the 17th-18th century, who constructed a number of vessels for the Dutch East India Company.
• Klaas Meinderts: Dutch painter in the 19th century, who specialized in landscapes and village scenes.
• Geertje Meinderts: Dutch potter and artist in the 17th century, known for her ceramic works of rural scenes and animals.

Other surnames

MeindersMeindertsma