Where does “Berkelaar” come from?

Berkelaar (Dutch) comes from Dutch berk, from Middle Dutch berke, from Old Dutch *berca, from Proto-West Germanic berku, from Proto-Germanic berkō, from Proto-Indo-European bʰerHǵós — birch.

Ancestry of “Berkelaar”, step by step

Berkelaar traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Dutch berk

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchberkbirch, tree of the genus "Betula"
2Middle Dutchberkebirch
3Old Dutch*berca—
4Proto-West GermanicberkuAlternative form of *birkijā; birch
5Proto-Germanicberkōbirch
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanbʰerHǵósbirch

via Dutch laar

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchlaarempty; open space in a forest
2Middle Dutchlaer—
3Old Dutchlāri—
4Proto-Germanic*lāʀi—
5Proto-Germaniclēzizempty
6Proto-Indo-Europeanles-to gather, to collect
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰerHǵós →Every word from Proto-Germanic berkō →Every word from Proto-West Germanic berku →