Background – Spelling Name
When searching in the archives for the the name Dorsten, also was looked for name variations, as listed below. The name is probably derived from a place Dorsten (few alternatives). Before the civil status was introduced (in The Netherlands in 1811), names were written phonetic. Regularly of course the name was written otherwise. The result is that a corrupted name was sometimes a very different family, but could also just be Van Dorsten. In addition, the last name was not officially established before the civil status was introduced and often only patronymics noted (mention to father or ancestor). In several places it has been observed that after using a few generations only patronymics they proceeded with a surname (like Van Dorsten).
Below is a (non-exhaustive) list of the found variation spellings of the name. It is also possible that people who belonged to a tribe of Dorsten during the introduction of the civil status adopted another name, whether or not similar to Dorsten. This could even happen later in time when migrating to other countries. Also the still existing surname Van Dorssen, Van Dorsser and Van Dorst are included in the analysis, because the origin might be the same.
The list of possible variations (without ‘van’, but that was mostly used):
| Dorsten | Refers tot he origin ‘Dorsten’ (with ‘van’ before, but in 14th/15th century also without but for sure from Dorsten). |
| Dorstenius | The Latin variant (without ‘van’, means ‘ van Dorsten’), in particular before 1600. |
| Dursten | Was a few hundred years ago especially used in Kampen meaning Van Dorsten. Very earlier (middle ages) Dorsten was pronounced as Dursten. |
| Droste(n) | Sometimes a variation of the name, but usually referring to another origin (and without ‘van’), namely the function of Drost of an area or region. |
| Dorssen, Dorsen | This especially occurs in the province of Utrecht, at other locations only sometimes as variation. The name still exists with tribes originating in Amersfoort and Utrecht. The question is whether this has the same origin or perhaps a different place (see origin). |
| Dorsser | This was sometimes a variant but there is also a small tribe with this name with origin Dordrecht 17th century. May be derived from the family tree there, perhaps with a private origin (but Van Dorsser is strange, as derived from the job it would be Van de Dorsser). |
| Dorst | Sometimes the name was corrupted that way, but Dorst is also a small village between Breda and Tilburg that already existed before 1400 and in particular in Breda and the surrounding area there is still a large population of people with the name ‘Van Dorst’. However, there were also one or two strains of Van Dorsten, where the ancestor really came from Dorst. |
| Dorste | Sometimes the name was corrupted that way, but Dorste is also a village in Germany near Göttingen, already existed since 1250. In the German archives you’ll find one or two decent tribes with that surname, probably from that town. Outside it’s likely a variation. |
| Deursen | Deursen is an old small village near Oss in North-Brabant. I already existed before 1500. From about 1700 it was also written as Dorsen. So this name could be a variation of Dorsten but more probably referring to this village. This family name you still see especially in the provinces Noord-Brabant and Limburg. I have an overview from before 1811, but not further processed because it’s too clear another origin. |
| Dussen | Dussen is a village/glory above Breda/Tilburg and east of Dordrecht (also close by Dorst) and existed already before 1200. This spelling can be a variation or referring to this place. The name still occurs as family name but always as ‘Van der Dussen’, also with ‘der’ in between. |
| Doste(n) | Variation of the name |
| Dorze(n) | Variation of the name |
| Dosse(n) | Variation of the name |
| Durse(n) | Variation of the name |