Van Der Merwe

van der Merwe (sometimes also spelled van de Merwe) is a common surname in South Africa. Its origin is from the ancient capital of Holland, Dordrecht, and means 'from the Merwede' after the river Merwede (also called de Merwede) that runs past the town. Willem Schalk van der Merwe was the first van der Merwe to arrive at the Cape in 1654, two years after Jan van Riebeeck, and is the 'voor vader' of all South African van der Merwes.

People called van der Merwe include:

  • Alan van der Merwe, South African race car driver
  • Alwyn Van der Merwe (born 1927), physicist
  • DTH van der Merwe (born 1986), South Africa-born Canadian rugby player
  • Edward van der Merwe (1903–1971), South African cricketer
  • Frith van der Merwe, South African long-distance athlete
  • Hendrik W. (H.W.) van der Merwe, professor of conflict resolution
  • Izak van der Merwe, South African tennis player
  • Zak van de Merwe, South African executive in the Telecommunications sector
  • Jan van der Merwe, South African sprinter
  • Johanna van der Merwe, Voortrekker
  • Johannes van der Merwe, Namibian cricketer
  • Marina van der Merwe, Canadian field hockey coach
  • Musetta Vander, American actress and model, was born Musetta van der Merwe
  • Peter van der Merwe (musicologist), South African musicologist
  • Peter van der Merwe (cricketer) (born 1937), South African cricketer
  • Roelof van der Merwe, South African cricketer
  • Sarel van der Merwe, South African rally car driver
  • Wikus van de Merwe, fictional lead character in the film District 9
  • Danie van der Merwe, well known Businessman in South Africa and Namibia
  • Willem Adriaan van der Merwe (born 20th August 1953), advocate of the Supreme Court of South Africa since 14th August 1978.

Famous quotes containing the words van and/or der:

    Mrs. Van Hopper: Most girls would give their eyes for a chance to see Monte.
    Maxim de Winter: Wouldn’t that rather defeat the purpose?
    Robert E. Sherwood (1896–1955)

    Under the lindens on the heather,
    There was our double resting-place.
    —Walther Von Der Vogelweide (1170?–1230?)