Van Sickle
A Dutch-style surname built from the prefix Van plus an older place name, likely meaning “from Sickel” or a similar locality.
The #5,781 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 51,509 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is best understood as Dutch in form, with van meaning “from” or “of.” The second element is usually taken to come from a place name or older local designation, though the exact source behind Sickle is not securely established from the excerpt alone. In English-speaking countries, the name was often respelled as a single unit, VanSickle or Vansickle.
History
The name is found among Dutch and Dutch-American surname patterns, especially in North America, where many van names became hereditary family names. Over time, spelling was often standardized in several forms, including Van Sickle, Vansickle, and occasionally VanSickel. Because the underlying place-name source is not certain from the evidence here, the family history may reflect more than one early spelling tradition.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Many surnames beginning with van were originally descriptive of origin rather than fixed family names, so the first generations may have been identified simply as “from” a particular place.
From the historical record
“Van Rensselaer, 417. Vans, 369, 464. Vansickle, 322. Vansittart, 84. Vanstane, 453. Vanstone, 221. Vantassle, 184. Van Vliet, 453.”
— Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.)