100 Belgian Last Names With Meanings And History
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Belgium, a small European country, is full of great people and incredible places.
Even though the country shares numerous cultural and family elements with its neighbors France and the Netherlands, it’s still quite distinct. Belgians’ last names, too, are quite interesting, and in this article, we’ll take a close look at them.
While some family names of Belgian people are similar to those of the Italians and the Dutch, many of them carry all the hallmarks of strictly Belgian surnames. So, let’s take a look at 100 of the most common Belgium surnames.
For more family names, take a look at these Greek surnames and these Swedish surnames.
Belgium Last Names Of Dutch Origin
The Flemish region of Belgium consists of Belgians who speak the Flemish language, which has elements of both the Dutch and French languages. Here are some of the Flemish surnames of people living in this region. These names are all of Dutch origin but are included in this list due to their popularity in Belgium.
1. Aakster: Aakster is a surname derived from the old Dutch word ekster, which means “magpie”.
2. Aaldenberg: Aaldenberg is a Dutch word that means “old mountain”.
3. Aarden: Aarden is a Dutch word that means “clay”, “stone”, and “earth”.
4. Aarle: Aarle is a Dutch origin Belgian surname that signifies a person who hails from the place in Belgium called Arlon.
5. Achterberg: Achterberg is a surname that has its roots in both Dutch and German languages, and it means “behind the mountain”.
6. Achthoven: Achthoven is a surname that denotes people who hailed from the Dutch town called Achtoven.
7. Adrichem: Adrichem is a surname that has its roots in the castle and estate by the same name that used to exist in Northern Holland but was demolished in the early 19th century.
8. Baardwijk: Baardwijk is a surname to denote families that originated in places of the same name in the Netherlands.
9. Bakhuizen: Bakhuizen is a Dutch origin Belgian surname that means “bakery”.
10. Berg: Berg is a Dutch origin Belgian surname that means “mountain”.
11. Bezuindenhout: Bezuidenhout is a surname that refers to a region in The Hague that is “south of the forest”.
12. Bouwmeester: Bouwmeester is a surname that means “builder” and “architect”.
13. Bunschoten: Bunschoten is a surname that means “enclosed land” and “raised”.
14. Cruyssen: Cruyssen is a surname that has its roots in the Dutch word kruis that means “cross”.
15. Dam: Dam is a surname with roots in both the Netherlands and Denmark, and it means “pond”.
16. De Witte: De Witte is a Dutch origin Belgian surname that means “white haired person”.
17. Eikenboom: Eikenboom is a Belgian surname that means “oak tree” in the Flemish language.
18. Elzinga: Elzinga is a Dutch origin Belgian surname that means “alder tree”.
19. Geelen: Geelen is a Dutch origin Belgian surname that has its roots in Geel, an old Dutch surname.
20. Haak: Haak is a Belgian surname that means “peddler” in Flemish.
21. Haanraads: Haanraads is a Belgian surname for people whose families came to Belgium from a province in the Netherlands known as Limburg.
22. Hagen: Hagen is a surname that means “pasture” and “enclosure”.
23. Heeren: Heeren is a surname that indicates a person who acts like or works for a lord.
24. Hendrix: Hendrix is a Dutch origin Belgian name that is a version of the surname Hendrik.
25. Hoedemaker: Hoedemaker is a Belgian surname that means “hat maker”.
26. Holt: Holt is a Belgian surname that means “forest”.
27. Janssens: Janssens is a Belgian surname that means “son of Jan”.
28. Jonker: Jonker is a Belgian surname that means “young lord”.
29. Kappel: Kappel is a surname with its roots in Old Dutch and means “person who worked at a chapel” or “person who lived near a chapel”.
30. Klein: Klein is a Dutch origin Belgian surname that means “small” and “little”.
31. Kloet: Kloet is a Belgian surname that has its roots in Middle Dutch and means “ball”.
32. Koopman: Koopman is a surname that means “merchant” in Dutch.
33. Kuiper: Kuiper is a Belgian surname that means “barrel maker”.
34. Maes: Maes is a Belgian surname that’s common in the Flemish region and is a version of the Dutch surname Maas.
35. Mertens: Mertens is a version of the name Merten.
36. Offermans: Offermans is a Dutch origin Belgian surname with roots in the word offer that means “donation” and “offering”.
37. Peerenboom: Peerenboom is a Belgian surname that means “pear tree”.
38. Peeters: Peeters is a Dutch origin Belgian surname that means “son of Peter”.
39. Prinsen: Prinsen is a Dutch origin surname that means “son of the prince”.
40. Rademaker: Rademaker means “wheel maker” in Dutch.
41. Rietveld: Rietveld means “reed field” and is a surname that originated in the Netherlands’ western region.
42. Roggeveen: Roggeveen means “rye field” in Dutch.
43. Romeijnders: Romeijnders is a Dutch origin surname that means “person from Rome”.
44. Smet: Smet is a Dutch origin surname that means “blacksmith” and “metalworker”. De Smet is one of its variants.
45. Spijker: Spijker is a Belgian last name that means “nailsmith”.
46. Ter Avest: Ter Avest is a Belgian last name that means “eave” and “at the edge”.
47. Van Aalsburg: Van Aalsburg is a Belgian last name that means “from Aalsburg”.
48. Van Alphen: Van Alphen means “from Alphen” in Dutch (Alphen is a town in the Netherlands).
49. Van Assen: Van Assen means “from Assen” in Dutch. Assen means “ash trees”.
50. Van der Aart: Van der Aart means “from the earth” in Dutch.
Belgian Last Names Of French Origin
Apart from surnames with their roots in the Netherlands, numerous Belgian surnames originated in France as well. Many of these are Walloon surnames (from the people known as Walloons, living in parts of southern and southeastern Belgium and adjoining parts of France) Let’s take a look at them in this section.
51. Archambault: Archambault is a version of the name Archibald, which means “bold” and “genuine”.
52. Beauchene: Beauchene is a French origin Belgian surname that means “beautiful fortress”.
53. Beaulieu: Beaulieu is a French origin Belgian surname that means “beautiful place”.
54. Bellamy: Bellamy is a surname with its roots in Old French, and it means “beautiful friend”.
55. Berger: Berger is a Belgian surname that means “shepherd”.
56. Blanc: Blanc is a French origin Belgian surname that means “white”.
57. Boivin: Boivin is a French origin Belgian surname that means “wine drinker”.
58. Borde: Borde is a Belgian surname that means “board” and “plank”.
59. Brisbois: Brisbois is a French origin surname that means “person who cleared land”.
60. Chaput: Chaput is a modern version of the Old French word 'chape', which means “hood” and “cloak”.
61. Chastain: Chastain is a modern version of the Old French word 'castan', which means “chestnut tree”.
62. Chevalier: Chevalier means “Knight” in French.
63. Cloutier: Cloutier is a French origin Belgian surname that means “person who makes nails” or “person who sells nails”.
64. Cousineau: Cousineau is a modern version of the Old French word 'cosin', which means “cousin”.
65. Deforest: Deforest is a surname that means “from the forest”.
66. Dubois: Dubois is a surname that means “from the forest”.
67. Dumont: Dumont is a French origin Belgian surname that means “from the mountain”.
68. Duval: Duval is a surname that means “from the valley”.
69. Fabre: Fabre is a French origin last name that means “blacksmith”.
70. Fontaine: Fontaine is a French origin last name meaning “fountain” and “well”.
71. Gagneux: Gagneux is a modern version of the Old French word 'gagnier' that means “to cultivate” and “to farm”.
72. Garcon: Garcon is a French origin last name that means “boy”.
73. Janvier: Janvier is the French word for the month of “January”.
74. Lachapelle: Lachapelle is a French origin surname that means “the chapel”.
75. Lamar: Lamar refers to a place by the same name in Normandy. It also means “the pool”.
76. Lane: Lane is a French origin last name that means “person who works in the wool business”.
77. Langlais: Langlais is a last name that means “the Englishman”.
78. Lavigne: Lavigne is a French origin last name that means “the vineyard”.
79. Lemaire: Lemaire is a French origin surname that means “the mayor”.
80. Leroux: Leroux means “the red” in French and is derived from the Old French word 'ros'.
81. Marchand: Marchand means “merchant” and is derived from the Latin word 'mercari'.
82. Monet: Monet is a French origin Belgian last name that is derived from the names ‘Edmond’ and ‘Hamon’.
83. Neuville: Neuville means “new town” in French.
84. Petit: Petit is a French origin last name that means “little” and “small”.
85. Plamondon: Plamondon means “flat mountain” and is a combination of the French words 'plat' (flat) and 'ont' (mountain).
86. Plourde: Plourde refers to a certain sort of shellfish and is derived from the word 'palourde'.
87. Poirier: Poirier is a French origin last name that means “pear tree”.
88. Poulin: Poulin means “foal” in French.
89. Proulx: Proulx means “brave” and “valiant” in French.
90. Royer: Royer means “wheel” and is derived from the French word 'roué'.
91. Savatier: Savatier means “shoemaker” in French.
92. Segal: Segal is a French origin surname that means “grower of rye” and “seller of rye”.
93. Tailler: Tailler is a surname that means ‘tailor’ and is derived from an Old French word, 'tailleur'.
94: Tasse: Tasse is a French origin last name that means “bag” and “purse”.
95. Travers: Travers is a French origin surname that means “to cross”.
96. Tremblay: Tremblay is a French origin last name that means “aspen”.
97. Tremble: Tremble is a last name that’s a variant of Tremble.
98. Victor: Victor is a last name that means “conqueror” and “winner”.
99. Villenueve: Villenueve is the French version of the Spanish name Villanueva meaning “a person who comes from a new town”.
100. Vincent: Vincent is a last name that means “to conquer”.
Kidadl has lots of great names articles to inspire you. If you liked our suggestions for Belgian last names then why not take a look at these Icelandic last names, or for something different take a look at these Southern surnames.
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Bachelor of Arts specializing in French with Film Studies, Bachelor of Arts (Year Abroad) specializing in Literature, History, Language, Media, and Art
Georgia StoneBachelor of Arts specializing in French with Film Studies, Bachelor of Arts (Year Abroad) specializing in Literature, History, Language, Media, and Art
Georgia is an experienced Content Manager with a degree in French and Film Studies from King's College London and Bachelors degree from Université Paris-Sorbonne. Her passion for exploring the world and experiencing different cultures was sparked during her childhood in Switzerland and her year abroad in Paris. In her spare time, Georgia enjoys using London's excellent travel connections to explore further afield.
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