Distribution of the surname Klunder in the Nederlands.Source : Counting of 1947
Above figure presents the distribution of the surname Klunder in respect to the total population per province in ‰ (permille).
As becomes quite clear from the data collected in 1947, the surname Klunder is most common in the provinces Groningen, Drente and Overijssel. In the province Groningen the citties with the highest number of Klunders are: Groningen (86), Hoogezand (56) and Loppersum (17) ; in the province Drente: Hoogeveen (61) and Zuidwolde (34) ; in the province Overijssel: Deventer (131), Zwolle (44) and Enschede (26). The Klunders in the province of Gelderland are living for the biggest part in the town of Voorst (36) ; this town is on the opposite side of the river IJssel near the town Deventer.
The distribution of the surname Klunder is in good confirmation with the presence of major areas for the digging of peat in the Netherlands. This would confirm the origin of the surname Klunder as stated by B.J. Hekket in ‘Oost-Nederlandse Familienamen’ (Published by: Uitgeverij Van de Berg, Enschede, 1996) :
Klunder (other versions: Van de Klunder, Klunderman, Klundert) : Very frequent in Overijssel, especially in Deventer, and Drente. In Noordbrabant lies the place Klundert, in 1537 called Clunder. Klunder comes from Klunhaar, a version of Kluinhaar.
Kluinhaar (other versions: Klunhaar ; Klunder ; Kluin) : In 1727 near Lenthe, Dalfsen, we find 'de Cluynhaar', in 1762 stated as Cluinhaar ; in 1722 near Luttenberg we find the ‘cluinvene’. Kluin or kluun is wet peat, coming from the lower layers of peat, sometimes mixed with zand.
So : Klunder = peat digger ??