Westendorp

Westendorp is a Dutch-language name that can refer to both a surname and toponymic place-names in the Dutch-speaking world. As a surname, Westendorp is generally treated as toponymic, arising from a locale described as western or situated in the western part of a settlement. The form is one of several variants found in historical records, reflecting regional spelling practices in the Netherlands and Flanders.

In geographic usage, Westendorp appears in historical Netherlands records as the name of small settlements, estates, or land parcels. Such toponyms typically denoted an area west of a larger town or valley and were later adopted as family names through patronymic and other naming traditions. Today, the name persists primarily as a surname and occasionally as a preserved place-name in regional histories.

Demographically, the surname Westendorp is most common in the Netherlands and is also found among Dutch communities abroad through migration and diaspora. Like many Dutch last names, it can be encountered among genealogical records dating back several centuries, with bearers contributing across various regions and professions.

Notable individuals with the surname have appeared in fields such as academia, public service, and business, though no single figure dominates the historical record. As with many toponymic Dutch surnames, Westendorp can be the subject of genealogical research that links families to particular regions within the Netherlands and to historic landholdings associated with the name.