Meaning & History
Etymology
Van der Wal is a toponymic Dutch surname meaning "from the wall". The name most likely refers to someone who lived near the Waal, a major Rhine branch in the Netherlands. Alternatively, the "wal" could denote a river embankment, quay, or rampart. Cognates in other languages include English Wall and Waller 2, Swedish Wallin, and Dutch variant Van de Walle (more common in Belgium).
History
The compound structure Van der (“of the”) plus a geographical feature is typical for Dutch toponymic surnames from the Middle Ages. By 2007, Van der Wal ranked as the 47th most common surname in the Netherlands with 15,646 bearers. Variants like Van de Wal, Vander Wal, and VanderWaal reflect dialectal an…
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Van der Wal