Van der Merwe is a common Afrikaans surname, derived from the Dutch ''

van A van is a type of road vehicle used for transporting goods or people. Depending on the type of van, it can be bigger or smaller than a pickup truck and SUV, and bigger than a common car. There is some varying in the scope of the word across th ...

der Merwen'' ("from the Merwede"). It was brought to South Africa in 1661 by Dutch people employed by the Dutch East India Company. The progenitors of the extended clan are Willem Schalk van der Merwe (born in "Broeck", probably Broek, Utrecht near the Merwede) and Elsje Cloete (born Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia). Married in 1668 in Cape Town, they later farmed for a living in Hout Bay and eventually retired to Drakenstein. Many if not most of the people below, who include 16 rugby players, are their descendants.

People

* (1897–1978), pastor, one the main leaders of the South-African Dutch Reformed Church between 1945 and 1966 *

Akker van der Merwe Armand H P 'Akker' van der Merwe (born 17 June 1991) is a South African professional rugby union player for English Premiership side . His regular position is hooker. Career Youth Although born in Vanderbijlpark, Van der Merwe grew up in Geo ...

(born 1991), South African rugby player *

Alan van der Merwe Alan van der Merwe (born 31 January 1980) is a South African race car driver, entrepreneur and former driver of the Formula One medical car, alongside FIA Medical Delegate Dr. Ian Roberts. Racing career Van der Merwe won the 2001 Formula Fo ...

(born 1980), South African racer *

Albert van der Merwe Albert van der Merwe (born 1 June 1979) is a South African-born Irish cricketer. Van der Merwe is right-handed batsman who bowls right-arm off break and who played international cricket for Ireland. He was born in Bellville, Cape Province. He ...

(born 1981), South African-born Irish cricketer *

Alwyn Van der Merwe Alwyn van der Merwe (born November 1927 in South Africa) is an American theoretical physicist. He is Emeritus Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Denver. Life and career As a young man, Alwyn van der ...

(born 1927), South African physicist * André Carl van der Merwe (born 1961), South African novelist *

André van der Merwe André van der Merwe is a South African urologist. He is currently head of urology at the University of Stellenbosch and an associate professor at Tygerberg Hospital. He is best known for conducting the world's first successful penis transplant ...

(born 1967), South African urologist *

, South African choir conductor *

Andries van der Merwe Andries van der Merwe (born 31 March 1994) is a South African sprint (running), sprinter. He won a gold medal in the 110 metre hurdles at the 2011 World Youth Championships in Athletics, in a winning time of 13.41 seconds. He attended Afrikaan ...

(born 1994), South African sprinter * Bertus van der Merwe (1929–1971), South African rugby player * Cecile van der Merwe (born 1987), South African chess player * (1921–1985), South African government minister *

D. T. H. van der Merwe Daniel Tailliferre Hauman van der Merwe (born 28 April 1986) is a South African-Canadian rugby union player. He currently plays for the LA Giltinis of Major League Rugby (MLR). He previously played for the Glasgow Warriors in the Pro14. Ear ...

(born 1986), South African-born Canadian rugby player * Danie van der Merwe (born 1989), South African rugby player * Duhan van der Merwe (born 1995), South African born Scottish rugby player * Edward van der Merwe (1903–1971), South African cricketer * Fanie van der Merwe (born 1986), South African Paralympic athlete *

Flip van der Merwe Phillip Rudolph van der Merwe (born 3 June 1985 in Potchefstroom) is a South African rugby union rugby player who plays in the lock position for French Top 14 side . Career Free State Cheetahs / Cheetahs Van der Merwe attended Grey Colle ...

(born 1985), South African rugby player *

Flippie van der Merwe Philip "Flippie" Rudolph van der Merwe (born 8 July 1957 in Dibeng, Northern Cape Province) is a South African former rugby union player who played six test matches for the South Africa national rugby union team from 1981 to 1989. Playing ca ...

(born 1957), South African rugby player *

Franco van der Merwe Franco van der Merwe (born 15 March 1983 in Paarl) is a South African rugby union footballer. His regular playing position is lock, although he can also operate as a flanker. Previous clubs include Irish side Ulster in the Pro12, London Irish i ...

(born 1983), South African rugby player *

François van der Merwe François van der Merwe is a South African professional rugby union player. He plays at lock for Lyon Olympique in the Top 14. He is older brother of Flip van der Merwe Phillip Rudolph van der Merwe (born 3 June 1985 in Potchefstroom) is ...

(born 1983), South African rugby player * (1894–1968), South African physician and botanist *

Frith van der Merwe Frith van der Merwe (born 26 May 1964) is a South African long-distance athlete. Running career She competed several times in the South African ultramarathon, the Comrades Marathon, in the late 1980s and early 1990s with success, setting fe ...

(born 1964), South African long-distance athlete *

Gert van der Merwe Gert van der Merwe was a Paralympic athlete from South Africa who competed mainly in category F37 throwing events. Gert started competing in the Paralympics in 1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic ...

, South African Paralympic athlete *

Heinke van der Merwe Heinke van der Merwe (born 3 May 1985 in Johannesburg, South Africa) is a professional South African rugby union player. His first tour with the Springboks was to France, Italy, Ireland & England in late 2009 where he played in one test and two t ...

(born 1985), South African rugby player *

Hendrik W. (H.W.) van der Merwe Professor Hendrik W. (H.W.) van der Merwe (24 June 19295 March 2001) was a South African academic, a Quaker, and a pioneer of conflict resolution. He founded the Abe Bailey Institute for Inter-Racial Studies (now the Centre for Intergroup Studi ...

(1929–2001), South African lecturer *

Izak van der Merwe Izak van der Merwe (born 26 January 1984) is a retired South African tennis player. Van der Merwe had a career high ATP singles ranking of 113 achieved on 1 August 2011. Van der Merwe represented South Africa at the Davis Cup. He says he tri ...

(born 1984), South African tennis player * (1924–1989), Dutch cabaretier and lyricist * Jan van der Merwe (born 1983), South African sprinter * Jan van der Merwe (born 1995), South African rugby union player *

Jan H van der Merwe Johannes Hendrik van der Merwe (28 February 1922 - 28 February 2016) was a South Africa, South African mathematician and physicist. The Frank–van der Merwe growth, Frank–Van der Merwe crystal growth model carries his name and he was awarded ...

(1922-2016), South African physicist *

Johanna van der Merwe Johanna Cornelia van der Merwe (7 March 1825 – 15 January 1888) was a Voortrekker heroine who survived the Weenen massacre, an impi attack on her trekking party on 17 February 1838, despite suffering more than twenty assegai wounds. She later ...

(1825–1888), prominent female voortrekker *

Johannes van der Merwe Hannes van der Merwe (born February 5, 1980) was a Namibian cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm offbreak bowler. Born in Windhoek, the young batsman played in several youth one-day internationals during the Under-19 World ...

(born 1980), Namibian cricketer * (born 1949), South African writer * Koos van der Merwe, (born 1937), South African politician * Lourens van der Merwe, South African rugby referee * Lowaldo van der Merwe (born 1986), Namibian cricketer * Marcel van der Merwe (born 1990), South African rugby player *

Marina van der Merwe Marina van der Merwe (born February 7, 1937) is a former field hockey coach, who was born in Cape Town, South Africa. Coaching career She was the head coach of the Canada women's national field hockey team from 1976 to 1995. During her time as ...

, South African-born Canadian field hockey coach * Marissa van der Merwe (born 1978), South African cyclist * Marlice van der Merwe (now Marlice van Vuuren, born 1976), Namibian conservationist * Morné van der Merwe (1973–2013), South African rugby player * Musetta van der Merwe (known as Musetta Vander, born 1963), South African actress and model * Peter van der Merwe, South African musicologist * Peter van der Merwe (1937–2013), South African cricketer * Peter van de Merwe (1942–2016), Dutch football goalkeeper *

Pieter van der Merwe Pieter Thomas van der Merwe is an English writer on aspects of British maritime history, mainly from 1500 to 1914, but which have also included maritime archaeology and medieval shipbuilding. He also writes on the history of Greenwich, marine pa ...

, British maritime historian *

Roelof van der Merwe Roelof Erasmus van der Merwe (born 31 December 1984) is a Dutch-South African professional cricketer who has played internationally for both South Africa and the Netherlands, one of the few players to represent more than one international team ...

(born 1984), international cricketer from South Africa and Netherlands * (born 1979), South African rugby player *

Sarel van der Merwe Sarel Daniel van der Merwe (born 5 December 1946) is a former rally and racing driver, who was a multiple South African Rally Drivers Champion. He is referred to by his nickname "Supervan". Van der Merwe won the South African Rally Drivers C ...

(born 1946), South African rally car driver * (1922–1984), South African politician and surgeon *

Schalk van der Merwe Schalk van der Merwe (16 April 1961 – 24 January 2016) was a professional tennis player from South Africa. His best performance in a Grand Slam tournament was a third-round appearance at the 1982 US Open, where he had wins over Derek Tarr a ...

(1961–2016), South African tennis player *

(born 1990), South African rugby player * Senan van der Merwe (born 1986), South African rugby player * (born 1992), South African sprinter * (born 1939), South African diplomat and politician * Strijdom van der Merwe (born 1961), South African artist *

Yulandi van der Merwe Yulandi van der Merwe (born 19 December 1977) is a South African former cricketer who played as an all-rounder, batting right-handed and bowling right-arm medium-fast. She appeared in 3 Test matches and 18 One Day Internationals for South Africa ...

(born 1977), South African cricketer

Characters in fiction

* Wikus van de Merwe, protagonist of the film '' District 9''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Van Der Merwe Surnames Afrikaans-language surnames Dutch-language surnames Surnames of Dutch origin South African families

People

Characters in fiction

See also

References