"Vermeer" was not an uncommon name in the seventeenth-century Netherlands. "Vermeer" is a contraction of "Van der Meer" which is usually translated as, "from the sea" or "from the lake." "Both spellings fit into a long Dutch tradition of names that indicate where the name bearer comes from (the so-called origin names) or where they live (locative names). Apparently, the family preferred to associate themselves with the topographic word 'meer,' which traditionally could mean both a still inland water and the sea. They were not alone in making such a choice. From the Middle Ages onwards, diverse family groups in the Northern and Southern Netherlands called themselves Vermeer or Van der Meer. Although the exact origin of the name of the Delft Vermeers is not known, it is noteworthy that in 1625, Reynier’s brother Anthonij Jansz, a stonemason who had made a long round trip over the oceans to the East Indies as a sailor, was the first of the relatives to sign as Vermeer in the documents. Perhaps this name referred to his time at sea, and his family subsequently adopted it after his death during a second voyage to Asia."Pieter Roelofs, "Johannes Vermeer," in VERMEER, ed. Pieter Roelofs & Gregor Weber, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 2023, 28.
In Delft, where the artist lived, "there were other Vermeers and Van der Meers including a doctor, an apothecary, a school teacher, a tapestry-weaver and a beer-mixer. At least seven or eight Vermeers or van der Meers worked as painters in the United Provinces in the seventeenth century. There were several landscape painters in Haarlem called Jan van der Meer, two of whom were father and son, the elder being a talented artist. The last but most important namesake was Johannes van der Meer know as Jan or Jacques or Johan or Jacob, a genre, portrait, and history painter active in Utrecht." Bailey, Anthony. Vermeer: A View of Delft. (New York: Holt Paperbacks, 2001), 215.
Vermeer was born in 1632, the second child of Reynier Jansz. Vos (c. 1591–1652) and Digna Baltens (c. 1595–1670). The child's name Joannis was registered in Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Delft on October 31. At that time, Vermeer had a sister named Gertruy who was twelve years older.
Vermeer was likely named Joannis, a variant of Jan, after his grandfather Jan Reynierszoon, the tailor. Jan was the most common name given to the male heirs of Delft's good Calvinist folk. Joannis is a Latinized form of Jan that Roman Catholics and upper-middle class Protestants favored. Perhaps the baby was christened Joannis instead of the plain old Jan because his parents, who had improved their economic condition in those years, thought it to be more refined and in step with the times. "There was also a humanist flavor to the name. Jacob Taurinus, the pastor of the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) who probably christened the child, also called himself Joannis or Johannes. Vermeer himself never used the name Jan. Nonetheless, most Dutch scholars, in the century since his rediscovery, have dubbed him Jan, perhaps unconsciously to bring him closer to the mainstream of Calvinist culture."Montias, John Michael. Vermeer and His Milieu: A Web of Social History. (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1989), 65.
In the 17th century, Dutch naming practices reflected a pragmatic and descriptive approach to personal identification, shaped by traditions that had evolved over centuries. At the heart of this system was the widespread use of patronymics, a method of deriving a person’s surname from their father’s given name. This practice was especially common in rural areas and among the working class. A man named Jan, whose father was Pieter, would be known as Jan Pieterszoon (Jan, son of Pieter), while a woman named Maria, whose father was Claes, would be called Maria Claesdochter (Maria, daughter of Claes). The suffixes “-zoon” and “-dochter” were eventually shortened to forms like “-sz” or omitted altogether, particularly in written records, leading to names like Jan Pieters or Maria Claes. Patronymics, though functional and tied to a practical purpose, began to decline as fixed surnames gained traction later in the century and became the norm under Napoleonic reforms in the 19th century.
In addition to patronymics, geographical identifiers were a key feature of Dutch names, particularly in areas where multiple individuals might share the same given name and patronymic. These identifiers helped specify a person’s place of origin or residence. For example, someone from the city of Delft might adopt the name Van Delft, while someone from an area near a hill might take the name Van den Berg (“from the hill”), or a lake might give rise to Van der Meer (“from the lake”). These names not only served a practical purpose but also revealed the localized and highly connected nature of Dutch society at the time. The prevalence of trade and travel within the Netherlands made these distinctions essential in urban centers and along trade routes.
Another significant element of Dutch naming conventions was the use of occupational surnames, which reflected the importance of trades and professions in the 17th century. Names like Bakker (baker), Smit (smith), and Timmerman (carpenter) were not uncommon. These names, tied directly to a person’s profession, were especially prevalent in towns and cities, where a wide array of specialized trades flourished. The rise of the Dutch Republic as a hub of global commerce and innovation gave further prominence to these occupational surnames, as they became markers of skill and status in an increasingly urbanized society.
Religion, too, played a central role in shaping naming practices during this period. The Dutch were predominantly Christian, and their names reflected this religious heritage. Biblical names such as Johannes, Jacobus, Maria, and Sara were especially popular, particularly among Calvinists, who emphasized the piety and moral character associated with these figures. Names of Old Testament patriarchs and matriarchs were favored among Protestant families, while Catholics in the southern provinces of the Netherlands tended to draw on saints’ names, reflecting their distinct religious traditions. This division highlights the regional variations in naming conventions tied to the broader religious landscape of the time.
Regional diversity was a hallmark of 17th-century Dutch names. In Friesland, for example, traditional Frisian names such as Tjalling, Fokke, and Sjoukje were common, reflecting the province’s unique linguistic and cultural identity. The cosmopolitan cities of Holland, such as Amsterdam and Rotterdam, exhibited even greater diversity in names due to the influx of immigrants and the wide-reaching influence of global trade. Names of Portuguese-Jewish origin, such as those borne by members of the Sephardic Jewish community, added to the cultural richness of Dutch urban centers.
The transition from traditional naming conventions to fixed surnames began gradually in the 17th century, particularly among wealthy families, merchants, and urban elites. These fixed surnames were often adopted to signify status, heritage, or property ownership, and their use became increasingly widespread as society modernized. For example, Constantijn Huygens (1596–1687), the influential poet and diplomat, bore a hereditary family name, reflecting his family’s established social standing. Similarly, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606–1669) offers an illustrative example of both patronymics (Harmenszoon, son of Harmen) and a geographical identifier (van Rijn, from the Rhine). These examples highlight how names could simultaneously reflect familial ties and geographical roots.
Even individuals without fixed surnames were often identified by additional descriptors that provided practical context. For instance, Vermeer would often be referred to as "Johannes of Delft" or "Jan Vermeer of Delft" in official documents, underscoring the connection between his name and his hometown. Such descriptors were indispensable in distinguishing individuals in a society where common names abounded.
Nonehteless, recent research suggests that even though "Montias argued that the painter himself never used the name 'Jan,' this statement relies only on Vermeer’s signature in official documents and on his paintings, in which he presented himself as ‘Johannis’ or ‘Joannes’. The American Vermeer expert here disregarded the above-mentioned notarial deed of 5 April.John Michael Montias, Vermeer and His Milieu: A Web of Social History (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1989), 64–65, 83. It is notable that Catharina Bolnes and Johannes Vermeer are described in this document as 'Trijntgen Reijniers' and 'Jan Reyniersz.' Both in their twenties, they were apparently called Trijntje and Jan by acquaintances in everyday interaction and used the formal names 'Catharina Bolnes' and 'Johannes Vermeer' on official occasions. In the seventeenth century, in districts where residents knew each other well, it was easier to speak of 'Jan of Reynier,' the father's son, than of 'Johannes Vermeer,'which was reserved for formalities or contacts with outsiders."Pieter Roelofs,"Johannes Vermeer,"in VERMEER, ed. Pieter Roelofs & Gregor Weber, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 2023, 31.
In several documents, Vermeer’s father Reynier is mostly referred to a Van der Minne, after his stepfather, or Vos (fox), as the animal also depicted on the signboard of his inn—The Flying Fox—possibly a nod to the medieval animal tale "Vanden vos Reynaerde" "Vanden vos Reynaerde," penned by the 13th-century writer Willem, is a seminal Middle Dutch poem chronicling the escapades of the sly fox, Reynard. Beyond its surface narrative, this work offers a satirical critique of medieval society, using animals to symbolize various societal roles and highlighting corruption and hypocrisy. Its widespread appeal has led to multiple translations and adaptations across European cultures. Remarkably, the enduring popularity of Reynard even influenced the French language, where the term for "fox" became "Renard," echoing the titular character's name. (Reynard the Fox), because of his own first name. He only used the surname "Van der Meer" or "Vermeer"—under which his son would later become world famous— in documents from September 1640. Both spellings fit into a long Dutch tradition of names that indicate where the name bearer comes from (the so-called origin names) or where they live (locative names).20 Apparently, the family preferred to associate themselves with the topographic word "meer," which traditionally could mean both a still inland water and the sea.Pieter Roelofs,"Johannes Vermeer,"in VERMEER, ed. Pieter Roelofs & Gregor Weber, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 2023, 28.
By the year 1640, Vermeer's father Reynier began to use Vermeer as his last name instead of Vos ("fox"), although he may have begun to use it at an earlier date. Vermeer's uncle Anthony had already adopted the surname as early as 1624. It should be remembered that last names did not have the same importance that they do today although by the 1630s most self-respecting burgers in Delft had taken last names. The artist always signed his Christian name plus Vermeer, omitting his patronymic, Reyierszoon or Reyniersz.
Vermeer's name was sometimes spelled out in documents by notaries and public officials as "van der Meer" even though neither Reynier nor his son favored this form. In 1667, witnessing a legal document in which he was referred to as "Johannes van der Meer, artful painter," the artist signed "Johannes Vermeer." Three years later, evidently, encouraged by the artist who was present, a lawyer crossed out "van der Meer" and wrote above it "Vermeer."
When signing documents after 1657, Vermeer switched from using the old Gothic script to the more modern Roman script (fig. 1). After his marriage, he preferred the more common spelling of Joannis: Johannes.
After having experimented with various ways of signing his pictures, Vermeer finally settled on his characteristic ligature. In the diagram below, we can see how the "J" of Johannes, the "V" of Van der Meer or Vermeer and the "M" of Meer were all accommodated according to the artist's taste (fig. 2).
