Van Rensselaer (surname)

This article is about the surname "Van Rensselaer". For other uses, see Van Rensselaer (family) and Rensselaer.
De Renselaar, Gelderland

Van Rensselaer is a toponymic surname of Dutch origin. It derives from the farmstead of De Renselaar, situated near Putten in Gelderland.[1] Van is a preposition meaning "from" and is a common prefix in Dutch-language surnames. In Dutch, "van" is written with a lower-case "v"; in the United States it is usually capitalized, but individual usage should be followed.[2]

  1. ^ De Vries, W. (1949). "De Van Rensselaer's in Nederland" (PDF). De Nederlandsche Leeuw. 66. The Hague: Koninklijk Nederlandsch Genootschap voor Geslacht- en Wapenkunde: 153. De naam Van Rensselaer is ongetwijfeld een herkomstnaam, ontleend aan de thans nog bestaande kapitale hofstede 'de Renselaar' in de buurschap Hell onder Putten.
  2. ^ U.S. Government Printing Office Style Manual; Chapter 3 - Capitalization Rules; Rule 3.14: "In anglicized names such particles are usually capitalized...but individual usage...should be followed."