Where does “van” come from?
van (Middle Dutch) comes from Old Dutch fān, from Old Saxon fāhan, from Proto-Germanic fanhaną, from Proto-Indo-European peh₂ḱ- — to join, to attach; agreement, settlement.
van (Middle Dutch): of; from; out of
Ancestry of “van”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Dutch | fān | — |
| 2 | Old Saxon | fāhan | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | fanhaną | to take, to seize; to capture, to catch |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₂ḱ- | to join, to attach; agreement, settlement |