Van der Ham explained

Van der Ham or Van den Ham is a Dutch toponymic surname meaning "from the ham". The Dutch word ham (as well as hem) only survives in place names and used to refer to alluvial land in a curve of a river.^{[1] [2]} Several places exist with the name Ham or Den Ham so that the surname, especially in the form Van Ham, could refer to a specific location. Notable people with the surname include:

Van der Ham

• Boris van der Ham (born 1973), Dutch actor and politician
• Joanna Vanderham (born 1991), Scottish actress
• Katarina Van Derham (born 1975), Slovak-American model, actress, and publisher
• Michael van der Ham (born 1985), Dutch womenswear designer

Van den Ham

• Marieke van den Ham (born 1983), Dutch water polo player
• Michael van den Ham (born 1992), Canadian cyclo-cross cyclist

Van Ham

• Herman van Ham (1931–2012), Dutch head chef
• Meindert van Ham (also Meindert van den Hamm; c.1470– aft.1545), military commander from Hamm

Notes and References

1. http://www.cbgfamilienamen.nl/nfb/detail_naam.php?gba_naam=van+der+Ham&nfd_naam=Ham%2C+van+den+%2F+der&info=documentatie&operator=eq&taal= Ham, van den/ der
2. http://www.etymologiebank.nl/trefwoord/ham2 Ham