Hoekstra
A Dutch and Frisian surname meaning “from the corner” or “corner place.”
The #9,203 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 87,118 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Hoekstra is built from Dutch/Frisian hoek, meaning “corner,” plus the Frisian surname suffix -stra, often found in names from the northern Netherlands. The literal sense is therefore “person from the corner” or “one from a corner place.” In older scholarship it has also been linked to a place-name or topographic feature rather than to a personal name.
History
The name is especially associated with Friesland and neighboring northern Dutch areas, where -stra surnames are common. Historical sources also note that bearers of such names appear in North Holland, often through migration from Friesland. Older writers treated Hoekstra as a Frisian family-name type alongside forms like Hoek and Hoekema.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older Dutch orthography, the spelling Hoeckstra was also used, with ck representing the same k sound.
From the historical record
“"stera," or "stra," I conceive to be a corruption of "stede," "staate" (pron. "stader," "starter"), a stead, estate, or jwsses- sion. (v. Dijkstra, Grustera, Hamerster, Heemstra, Hoekstra, Terpstra.) CAMUS, le {£.), the Flat nose. (v. Cameron and Cochran.) CANABER, le (^.), the Goldfinch, (v. Stieglitz.)”
— Surnames