Vanwinkle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands

Etymology of Vanwinkle

What does the name Vanwinkle mean?

The surname Vanwinkle is derived from the Old High German word "winkil," which meant 'corner'. The name was a topographic name for someone who lived on a corner of land, or on a street corner. It was also in some cases an occupational name for someone who kept a store on a corner. The Dutch prefix "Van" means 'of' or 'one who lived at' and was often attached to location names to create a surname.

"Winkel", is derived originally from the Old High German "winchil", which was used in Middle Dutch to designate a number of features or structures, including a "workshop", "barn", "small room", "shop" and "corner".

Thus, the original bearer of the surname might have been one who lived near the point where a road or body of water curved, or might have been the proprietor of a commercial establishment.

Early Origins of the Vanwinkle family

The surname Vanwinkle was first found in Winkel, in the province of Noord Holland, and it is likely some of the original bearers of the surname Van Winkel hailed from this town.

"Rip Van Winkle" is a famous short story by the American author Washington Irving, first published in 1819. The story tells of a Dutch-American villager in colonial America who meets mysterious Dutchmen, drinks their strong liquor and falls deeply asleep in the Catskill Mountains. He awakes 20 years later to a very different world. Interestingly, Irving wrote the story while temporarily living in Birmingham, England.

Vanwinkle Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Winckel, VanWickelen, VanWinkle, Van de Winckele, Van Winckel, Van der Winckel, Winkelaar, Van Winkelaar, Van der Winkelaar, Winkler, Van Winkler, Van der Winkler, Winkelman, Van Winkelman, Van Winkelman and many more.

Vanwinkle Ranking

In the United States, the name Vanwinkle is the 4,082^nd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1

Vanwinkle migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Vanwinkle Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Jacob Wallingen VanWinkle, who landed in New York in 1633 2

Vanwinkle Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mary Vanwinkle, who arrived in Texas in 1835 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Vanwinkle (post 1700) +

Archie Van Winkle (1925-1986), American Marine awarded the Medal of Honor
Barrik Van Winkle, American linguistic and legal anthropologist
Isaac Homer Van Winkle (1870-1943), American attorney and Attorney General of Oregon
Marshall Van Winkle (1869-1957), American politician, U.S. Representative and grandnephew of Peter G. Van Winkle
Mina Van Winkle (1875-1933), American crusading social worker, suffragist and groundbreaking police lieutenant
Robert E. Lee Van Winkle (1862-1928), American politician, Mayor of Oklahoma City
Julian "Pappy" Van Winkle Sr., American founder of Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve, the flagship brand of bourbon whiskey in 1893
Winant Van Winkle, American politician, Member of New Jersey State Senate from Bergen County, 1935-40 3
William P. Van Winkle, American politician, Candidate for Circuit Judge in Michigan 35th Circuit, 1899, 1917 3
William Van Winkle, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Texas 6th District, 1964 3
... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Vanwinkle family +

USS Arizona

Mr. Edward L. VanWinkle, American Fireman Second Class working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he survived the sinking 4

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html