Dutch surnames: van, de, van der — capital or not?

Van, de, van der, ter: the little words in Dutch surnames, when they take a capital (Van Gogh, but Vincent van Gogh), how they are sorted, and how Belgium does it differently.

Updated November 3, 2026 · 2 min read

The Binnenhof in The Hague, seat of the Dutch government, across the Hofvijver — Photo: Michielverbeek, CC BY-SA 4.0, resized.

Many Dutch surnames start with a small word — a tussenvoegsel: van, de, van der, van den, ter, ten, in ’t. They usually mean of, from or the: Van Dijk — from the dyke; De Vries — the Frisian.

Capital or not? The Dutch rule

Written	Rule
Vincent van Gogh	first name or initial before it → small letter
Van Gogh	surname alone → capital
meneer Van Gogh	after meneer, mevrouw → capital
V. van Gogh	initials count as a first name → small

The Taalunie’s spelling advice (Taaladvies) gives this rule for names from the Netherlands. In alphabetical lists in the Netherlands, van Gogh is usually sorted under G.

Belgium

In Belgium the tussenvoegsel is part of the name as registered, usually with a capital whatever comes before: Jan Van Damme, sorted under V. Write a Belgian name the way its owner does.

Saying and asking names

Hoe is uw achternaam? — Van der Berg, met een kleine v.

Literally: What is your surname? — Van der Berg, with a small v.

Meaning: useful at every counter — see at the gemeente

de voornaam — first name; de achternaam — surname
de roepnaam — the name you go by
Hoe spel je dat? — How do you spell that?
Hoe heet je? — What’s your name? (nice to meet you)

Names, numbers and forms

16Word’s inburgering path starts with personal information — the words of every form you will fill in. Free to start.

Keep learning

At the gemeente
Spelling rules
Nice to meet you
The languages of Belgium
Verb tables: zijn, hebben, gaan, komen, kunnen, moeten, willen, mogen, zullen, worden, wonen, werken, leren, lezen, schrijven, spreken, luisteren, begrijpen, zeggen, vragen, maken, doen, geven, nemen, zien, kijken, denken, vinden, weten, kennen

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Frequently asked questions

Is it van Gogh or Van Gogh?

In the Netherlands: Vincent van Gogh (small v after a first name or initial), but Van Gogh when the surname stands alone.

What is a tussenvoegsel?

The small word at the start of many Dutch surnames: van, de, van der, ter, ten.

How are Dutch surnames with van sorted?

In the Netherlands usually under the main part: van Gogh under G. Belgian names with Van are usually sorted under V.