Skip to content
  • Start your family tree

Origins of the Van surname

A collage of historical images including two family portraits and a postcard of people boarding a ship

About the Vans

We have a total number of 76151 records for people with the last name Van.

Find out more about your family in our records

or try an advanced search

“

I’ve managed to trace back to the mid-1500s! I can’t believe it! Utterly engrossing and I have uncovered some quite moving and heartbreaking stories attached to various ancestors. You don’t need any qualifications to start - just time patience, and some information.

SS
Stuart
TrustPilot review
1 of 3

Start your family tree

Trace your family back in time. Make new discoveries and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Vans.

Sign up to get started

Delve deeper into the Van family's history

Where do most Vans live?

In 1921, most Vans lived in London.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Vans

How common is your surname?

You have a rare surname! It's not in the top 1000 UK surnames!

We have 16,300 records for the Van surname. The oldest one dates back to 1603.

Who were Vans most likely to marry?

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Vans.

What are the most common Van first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Maria

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Van family members

Common jobs for Vans

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common Female occupations for Vans in 1921
Living On Own Means

67

Dressmaker

56

None

46

Tailoress

35

Private Means

28

Common Male occupations for Vans in 1921
Semiskilled Chauffeurs And Drivers

786

Farm Hands

635

General Farmers

369

Tinsmiths

345

Clerks

244

An image of a census transcript and a picture of a dairy farmer holding two milk jugs

Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

We found over 1,600,000 family trees with the Van surname

Trace your family back in time and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Vans.

Search for a relative in our family trees

Share your discoveries

Start your family history journey

Start free trial

Start free trial