Van Horn
A Dutch-origin surname meaning “from Horn” or “of Horn,” referring to a place-name or local landmark.
The #2,554 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 21,818 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Van is the Dutch preposition meaning “from” or “of,” and Horn is the second element of the surname, most likely a place-name. In surnames, this structure usually points to someone who came from a town, district, or locality called Horn, or possibly from a place identified by a horn-shaped feature. The name is therefore a locational surname rather than a description of a person’s job or character.
History
The surname appears in Dutch and Dutch-American naming traditions, and it is one of several Van- surnames that became established in North America. English-language records often simplify the space or capitalization, which is why Van Horn and Vanhorn both occur. The excerpted 19th-century source lists Vanhorn among other Dutch-style surnames, supporting its recognition as a settled family name in American usage.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because van is a separate Dutch word, many records alternate between Van Horn, Vanhorn, and even all-caps forms depending on the clerk’s style.
From the historical record
“burgh, Vanderhoff, Vanderlip, Vanderslice, Van- dervoort, Vandusen, Vanduzee, Vanee, Vanevar and Vannevar, Van Heukelon, Vanhorn, Van Nostrand, Van Praag, Vanstane, Van Vliet, Van Wagner, Varenti, Varney, Varnum, Varrell, Vaught, Veagher; Veasey, Veazie, and Vesey; Veber, Vecary, Vegkle and Vigkle, Veid, Veitz…”
— Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.)