Vandiver
A surname most likely of Dutch or Flemish origin, probably formed from a place-name or from the old particle van, meaning “from” or “of.”
The #5,551 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 49,297 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Vandiver is most likely an altered form of a Dutch or Flemish surname beginning with van, the common surname particle meaning “from” or “of.” In many cases, names of this type point to a place of origin, though the second element has been reshaped enough in English that the exact source name is not always clear. The ending -iver may reflect English spelling adaptation over time rather than a single transparent original word.
History
The surname appears in English-speaking records in forms that suggest gradual anglicization after immigration or regional spelling change. In the United States, the name is especially found in the South and in families whose forms were stabilized in the 19th century. Because the name is not neatly traceable to one universally accepted source form, it is best treated as a surname with Dutch/Flemish-type formation and an uncertain exact original place-name.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The initial element van is one of the most common clues to Dutch or Flemish surname origins, but in English records it often gets fused into a single surname shape like Vandiver.