Steketee

This very interesting surname is of Dutch origins. It is almost certainly locational and probably from Steketen in Zeeland. If so the name may mean 'muddy place' from pre 7th century 'stec or sticc - muddy or sticky, and -ten or -ton, a place. Zeeland is the region from which all surviving pre 1790 recordings are to be found. The surname is known to have been recorded in the USA in the first quarter of the 19th century, which suggests that as that as the prime period for Dutch emigration was well before that date, other recordings may remain to be discovered. The Dutch were early settlers in North America, but the clear winners in the land grabs of the 17th century were the British, with the French generally second. Whilst the surname is well recorded in Zeeland, these only commence from 1760. Historically fixed spelling surnames had been in use and recorded for at least three centuries before then, suggesting that as happened in so many places (France, Italy, Ireland, and Russia being particularly good or - bad examples), registers were often deliberately destroyed in times of war and revolution. In the Netherlands registers are known to have gone missing both during the Napoleonic Period 1795 - 1815, and the German Occupation of 1940 - 45. The Dutch language is a form of Low German, and is also related to Anglo-Saxon and Old English. Recordings include Jacobus Steketee, the son of Andris and Janna Steketee, who was baptised at Saint Maartensijk, Zeeland, on May 18th 1760, and Pieternella Steketee baptised at Borsele, Zeeland, on July 3rd 1837.