This is a Dutch metonymic name which derives from the original 'Van der Valk' and means 'a soldier who worked a falcon'. In this case 'the falcon' (valk) being a 16th century cannon which like all early artillery was named after a bird of prey. The transposing of name spelling is found throughout Europe, and names from the Netherlands being particularly prone e.g. Van Sanden to Van Santen, a Kentish name. The Coat of Arms is per fesse, blue in chief a red demi lion rampant, in base a silver falcon. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Jacobi van der Valk which was dated C. 1680 Schiedam, the Netherlands during the reign of King William 1 of Orange (and England) 1650-1702 Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.