Van Dam ("of the dam" or "of the water") is a Dutch toponymic surname.
van is akin to the German nobility von and English House of, while Dam derives its name from the dam in Amsterdam, Netherlands' capital and most populated city.
In some cases, especially when processed by English speaking people, the name developed into the derivative, "VanDam."
The forms VanDam, Vandam, Vandamm, and Vandamme are often indicative of a family of Dutch or Flemish origin which had lived for generations in a non-Dutch speaking environment, for example: