Meaning & History
Aarts is a Dutch patronymic surname meaning "son of Aart". The name Aart itself is a Dutch short form of Arnold, which derives from a Germanic name meaning "eagle power", composed of the elements arn (eagle) and walt (power, authority). Brought to England by the Normans, it replaced the Old English cognate Earnweald early in the Middle Ages. Patronymic surnames like Aarts became common in the Netherlands during the late Middle Ages as a way to identify individuals by their father's given name.
Distribution and Variants
The surname Aarts is most commonly found in the Netherlands, particularly in the southern provinces such as North Brabant and Limburg. Variants include Arts (an older form) and Artz (the Germanized spelling). Related patronymics in other languages include Aerts (Flemish) and Naldi (Italian, from Arnaldo). In Frisian, the form Aartsma attaches the suffix -ma meaning "son of".
Notable Bearers
Notable people named Aarts include Harry Aarts (1930–2020), a Dutch politician; Johannes Josephus Aarts (1871–1934), a Dutch artist; Kees Aarts (1941–2008), a Dutch footballer; and Kees Aarts (born 1959), a Dutch political scientist. Martha Stewart (born 1941) is not directly related.
- Meaning: "Son of Aart" (a short form of Arnold, meaning "eagle power")
- Origin: Dutch
- Type: Patronymic surname
- Usage regions: Netherlands, particularly North Brabant and Limburg
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Aarts