Van Vuuren

This interesting name is of Dutch origin, and is a topographical name given in the first instance to someone who lived by a beacon or other source of light, such as a lighthouse. The derivation is from the Old Dutch "vuur, vu(u)ren", meaning, variously, fire, fire-place, beacon, light. Topographical surnames were among the earliest created in medieval Europe, since both natural and man-made features in the landscape provided easily recognisable distinguishing names in the small communities of the Middle Ages. In some cases, the surname Van Vuuren or Van Vuren may be locational in origin, from some place named with the same word. Among the recordings of the name in the Netherlands is that of the marriage of Cornelis Van Vuuren and Margje Van Bovenen, at Haastricht, South Holland, on May 22nd 1695. The name was also introduced to the African continent early on: one Johannes Van Vuuren married Catharina Maree in Cape Town, at the Cape of Good Hope, on October 29th 1713. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Bruijsten Van Vuuren, (christening), which was dated July 30th 1638, Gorinchem, South Holland, during the reign of Frederick Henry, Stadtholder and Prince of Orange, 1625 - 1647. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.