Vanhook
A Dutch-origin surname meaning “from the corner” or “from the bend,” likely referring to a place-name or a topographic feature.
The #8,802 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 82,996 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Van Hook is most likely a Dutch surname built from van, meaning “from” or “of,” and hoek, meaning “corner,” “nook,” or “bend.” In surnames, this usually points to someone who came from a place called Hoek or from a settlement or landmark described as a corner or bend. The literal sense is therefore “from the corner/bend.”
History
Names of the Van + place-term type were carried to North America by Dutch-speaking settlers and later continued as an established family name in English-speaking communities. In American records, spellings often became simplified or fused, producing forms like Vanhook alongside the more visibly Dutch Van Hoek. The surname is now found chiefly in the United States, where it is relatively uncommon.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The element hoek is the same Dutch word that appears in many place-names and surnames, where it often means a literal corner or an area at a turn in a road or waterway.