Van Dam ("of the dam" or "of the water") is a

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

toponymic surname A toponymic surname or habitational surname or byname is a surname or byname derived from a place name,

van A van is a type of road vehicle used for transporting goods or people. There is some variation in the scope of the word across the different English-speaking countries. The smallest vans, microvans, are used for transporting either goods or ...

is akin to the German nobility

von The term () is used in German surnames either as a nobiliary particle indicating a noble patrilineality, or as a simple preposition used by commoners that means or . Nobility directories like the often abbreviate the noble term to ''v.'' ...

and English House of, while Dam derives its name from the

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aqua ...

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

' capital and most populated city. In some cases, especially when processed by English speaking people, the name developed into the derivative, "VanDam."

Places

' capital and most populated city, founded c. 1275 *

Dam Square Dam Square or the Dam () is a town square in Amsterdam, the capital and most populated city of the Netherlands. Its notable buildings and frequent events make it one of the best-known and most important locations in the city and the country. ...

, dam and town square in the

, founded c. 1275 * The

New Netherlander New Netherlanders were residents of New Netherland, the seventeenth-century colonial outpost of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the northeastern coast of North America, centered around New York Harbor, the Hudson Valley, and ...

s founded

New Amsterdam New Amsterdam (, ) was a 17th-century Dutch Empire, Dutch settlement established at the southern tip of Manhattan Island that served as the seat of the colonial government in New Netherland. The initial trading ''Factory (trading post), fac ...

and

New Netherland New Netherland () was a colony of the Dutch Republic located on the East Coast of what is now the United States. The claimed territories extended from the Delmarva Peninsula to Cape Cod. Settlements were established in what became the states ...

in 1609, via the ''

Halve Maen ''Halve Maen'' (; ) was a Dutch East India Company ''jacht'' (similar to a carrack) that sailed into what is now New York Harbor in September 1609. She had a length of 21 metres and was commissioned by the VOC Chamber of Amsterdam in the Dutch ...

'' (English: "Half Moon") ship to modern-day

New York Bay New York Bay is the large tidal body of water in the New York–New Jersey Harbor Estuary where the Hudson River, Raritan River, and Arthur Kill empty into the Atlantic Ocean between Sandy Hook, New Jersey, Sandy Hook and Rockaway Point. Geogr ...

, which preceded the Pilgrims sailing attempt before reaching

Cape Cod Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer months. The ...

, Massachusetts in 1620 (page 20). and English colonizers renaming the land to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

in 1665. *

Fort Amsterdam Fort Amsterdam, (later, Fort George among other names) was a fortification on the southern tip of Manhattan Island at the confluence of the Hudson River, Hudson and East River, East rivers in what is now New York City. The fort and the island ...

, the center of trade and administrative headquarters for the Dutch on the southern tip of Manhattan Island at the confluence of the Hudson and East rivers, established 1625 * The historic Vandam Street in the Charlton-King-Vandam Historic District in Greenwich Village, New York City, dedicated in 1966. * Vandam, a village in

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...

People

Andries van Dam Andries "Andy" van Dam (born December 8, 1938) is a Dutch-American professor of computer science and former vice-president for research at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Together with Ted Nelson he contributed to the first hypert ...

(b. 1930), Dutch-born American computer scientist *

Carlo van Dam Carlo van Dam (born 27 February 1986 in Vlaardingen) is a Dutch racing driver. He is currently a factory driver for Subaru and he is the reserve and tear driver for R&D Sport in the Super GT Series while driving for Subaru Tecnica Internationa ...

(b. 1986), Dutch racing driver * Cornelis Van Dam (b. 1946), Canadian Old Testament scholar * Cornelis P. G. van Dam (b. 1954), Professor of Mechanical & Aerospace Engr., University of California, Davis * Danielle van Dam (1994–2002), American murder victim * Dave Van Dam, American voice impressionist * (1827–1898), Dutch naturalist, explorer and museum curator * Gwen Van Dam (1928–2024), American actress * (1670–1746), Dutch mathematician and astronomer *

Johannes van Dam Johannes van Dam (Amsterdam 9 October 1946 - Amsterdam 18 September 2013) was a Dutch journalist and the country's best-known writer on food. Van Dam wrote a regular column on food for the national daily ''Het Parool'' for almost 25 years. Van Dam ...

(1946–2013), Dutch journalist and food writer * John Van Dam (born 1984), American football player and coach *

José van Dam Joseph, Baron Van Damme (born 25 August 1940 in Brussels), known as José van Dam, is a Belgian bass-baritone, described as having "a magnificent resonant and expressive voice" and being "an excellent actor". Life and career At the age of 17, h ...

(b. 1940), Belgian bass-baritone * Joseph Van Dam (1901–1986), Belgian road cyclist * Lex van Dam (b. 1968), Dutch hedge fund manager *

Lloyd van Dams Lloyd Daniël van Dams (5 March 1972 – 29 December 2021), also known as The Tornado, was a Surinamese-born Dutch heavyweight kickboxer. He was a Dutch, European, and World Muay Thai champion. Known for his durability, Van Dams was never knocke ...

(b. 1972), Dutch–Surinamese kickboxer * (1920–1976), Dutch boxer * Marcel van Dam (b. 1938), Dutch sociologist, politician and television presenter *

Marinus van Dam Marinus van Dam (October 24, 1929 – January 6, 1997) was one of the first employees at The Herman Goelitz Candy Company. He is considered by some sources to have been the inventor of the jelly belly jelly bean. Marinus van Dam was born in ...

(1929–1997), Dutch-born American inventor of the

jelly belly Jelly Belly Candy Company, formerly known as Herman Goelitz Candy Company and Goelitz Confectionery Company, is an American company that manufactures Jelly Belly jelly beans and other candy. The company is based in Fairfield, California, with ...

bean and founder of Marich Confectionery''Baltimore Sun'' obituary for Dam
/ref> * Martijn van Dam (b. 1978), Dutch engineer and politician * Max van Dam (1910–1943), Dutch painter * Nicolette van Dam (b. 1984), Dutch actress * Nikolaos van Dam (b. 1945), Dutch diplomat and Middle East expert * Paul Van Dam (born 1937), Utah politician * (born 1952), Dutch politician *

Rip Van Dam Rip Van Dam ( – 10 June 1749) was an American merchant and colonial administrator who served as the acting governor of New York from 1731 to 1732. As one of the leaders of the republican liberal (or "country") party, Van Dam led confrontations ...

(c.1660-1749), New York Province politician *

Rob Van Dam Robert Szatkowski (born December 18, 1970) better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam (frequently abbreviated to RVD) is an American professional wrestler. Known for his unique ring style—which includes his variety of kicks, acrobatic movemen ...

(b. 1970), American professional wrestler * Stephan Van Dam (b. 1959), American cartographer, graphic designer, information architect, and owner of NYC map publisher, vanDam.com which publishes the patented pop-up maps (or unfolds) and HistoryMapped * Thijs van Dam (b, 1997), Dutch field hockey player * Tonie van Dam (b. 1960), American geophysicist and geodesist

Derivatives

The forms VanDam, Vandam, Vandamm, and Vandamme are often indicative of a family of Dutch or Flemish origin which had lived for generations in a non-Dutch speaking environment, for example: *

Albert Dresden Vandam Albert Dresden Vandam (1843–1903) was an English journalist and writer. Life Born in London in March 1843, the son of Mark Vandam, his background was Dutch-Jewish descent. Before he was 13 he was sent to Paris, where he was privately educated, a ...

(1843–1903), English journalist and writer * Jerry Vandam (b. 1988), Ghanaian-French footballer *

Kevin VanDam Kevin VanDam (born October 14, 1967), often called simply "KVD," is a professional bass fisherman from Otsego, Michigan. He is the all-time money winner in professional bass fishing, having earned $7,089,388 through August 2022 according to Majo ...

(b. 1967), American fisherman * ''Major William Vandam'', fictional British officer in

Ken Follett Kenneth Martin Follett (born 5 June 1949) is a Welsh author of thrillers and historical novels who has sold more than 198 million copies of his works. His books have been sold in over 80 countries. Follett's commercial breakthrough came with ...

's ''

The Key to Rebecca ''The Key to Rebecca'' is a novel by the British author Ken Follett. Published in 1980 by Pan Books (), it was a best-seller that achieved popularity in the United Kingdom and worldwide. The code mentioned in the title is an intended throwback f ...

'' * ''Phillip Vandamm'', fictional spy in

Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...

's ''

North by Northwest ''North by Northwest'' is a 1959 American spy thriller film produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, and James Mason. The original screenplay written by Ernest Lehman was intended to be the basis for ...

Animals

* Van Dam's vanga, a bird named after Douwe Casparus van Dam

References

{{surname Dutch-language surnames Surnames of Dutch origin

Places

People

Derivatives

Animals

See also

References