If Beethoven was German, then why did he have the Dutch "van" Beethoven instead of the German "von" Beethoven?

Although Beethoven was German by birth, his heritage was Dutch: hence his middle name being Van - not Von.

http://answerpool.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/321601502/m/896607656

"Van" and "von" are not middle names, but rather prepositional prefixes meaning "of" or "from." In Germany, "von" was used to distinguish an aristocratic name (such as "Paul von Hindenburg"). In the Netherlands, the "van" usually merely indicated where someone (or someone's ancestor) had come from and might be prefixed to any surname involving a geographical origin (such as "Rembrandt van Rijn").

Beethoven's origins ("heritage") are Flemish, not Dutch. This link has a section specifically on his family's origins.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_and_work_of_Ludwig_van_Beethoven

http://www.beethoven.ws/parents.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_people

Of course, "Von" and "Van" are not middle names. Very sloppy of me to cut and paste without fully realizing what I was doing. Nevertheless, I can find numerous sources that state Beethoven's heritage as "Dutch" and numerous sources that state "Flemish."

The Beethoven family is particularly closely associated with Mecheln (Malines) in Belgium. Even if one goes back to the 17th century, one finds that the family is associated with Boortmeerbeek, which was within the territory of modern Belgium.

http://www.lvbeethoven.com/Famille/FamilyTreeBeethoven.html

I'd have to agree with bloomsby that while Beethoven's surname may be linguistically Dutch, Mechelen can properly be described as a Flemish locality, dating back centuries, though it was, at one time, the capital of the Low Countries, which did include the areas that eventually became the Netherlands.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechelen

I am Flemish and I live close to the area where Van Beethoven's grandfather was from. The meaning of his name is very simple: "van" is Dutch for "from" and "beethoven" can be split into two words: "beet", which means beet, and "hoven", which means gardens or fields. So basically Ludwig Van Beethoven means "Lewis (or Lodewijk or Louis) from the beet fields." In German, his name would have been something like "Ludwig von Rubenhoffen."
Having said this, legend has it that in the town of Boortmeerbeek, near Mechelen, there is a tavern where Van Beethoven's grandfather still has an unpaid bill. Next time I go cycling in that area I'll check it out.

This is a very complicated and delicate matter. Germans as people are not only the people living in Germany but also those living in Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, Letzenburg and even large regions of France and other countries. Although the Germans in the east were driven out of the eastern block by the soviets, but this is not relevant for the western parts.

In history this is most notable and easy to verify how languages are spread through times/regions/dialects/etc. A good map which people are all 100% officially German:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westgermanische_Sprachen#/media/File:Westgermanische_Sprachvariet%C3%A4ten_1990.png

As some of the previous comments pointed out, the "van" means "from" and "von" is usually related to royal or higher social rank. However, the "van" is not only dutch. There are also many families in Germany using the "van" in their names. As "van" is 100% German origin just like "von" just a different meaning and not widely spread in Germany as the "von"

Actually there are no real "dutch" words. They are all "mittel hochdeutsch" or descending. Also the dutch grammar was until 1905 simply put German grammar. Many people also think: German = Wandern and Dutch = Wandeln. Actually both is simply put German. In Germany however the "modernes Hochdeutsch" evolved different and with a lot from southern Germany where "dutch" being spoken today in the Netherlands and Belgium evolved from "mittel Hochdeutsch" without this influence from the south and with many words from northern Germany. Even words like "ik" which is "I" in English and "Ich" in modern Hochdeutsch are nothing dutch but simply German and being spoken in German dialects as far as close to Berlin.

Just some example to point out, Dutch and Belgium people today are different nationalities but not different people or origin! THey are all "Germans". So if you speak of "Van Beethoven" as "German" then yes, 100% German race and German origin.

Inside the Germans of course, you have many dialects and many tribes: Frysien, Sachsen, Bavarians, Zeeuwen, Vlamingen, Holländer, Rheinländer, Limburger, etc. Some of those are now together and Form a country called "Germany" and some are together and form a country called Belgium and some are together and form a country called Switzerland and some are together and call their country the Netherlands, etc. Heritage-wise all Germans though.

Some are even devided. So the people from Limburg, with their dialect, like me, are separated over 3 countries:" Germany, Netherlands, Belgium" I did a lot of Genealogical research and found my ancestors both come from Limburg which today belongs to Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany! So it used to be 1 people, 1 dialect, but separated by royals over time! Many wars been fought over Limburg. Where in fact, historically and from inheritance it's all 1 people divided by royals, kings, counts, etc.

So, the only thing, if you don't want to call Beethoven a "German" that remains are really the modern nations and nationalities. But did they exist at the time Beethoven was born? The answer is no. There were no nations called "Germany, Belgium or Netherlands" There was a Holy Roman Empire which throughout history included mostly the modern Netherlands and Belgium. At the time of beethovens birth, this part of todays Belgium was simply a part of the holy roman empire. But there was no Germany nor Belgium at that time.

Also the United Kingdom of the Netherlands (not to falsely mistake as the same as the Kingdom of the Netherlands, as they are not the same) was most part of history part of the holy roman empire. A unification of all German tribes in Europe. So at the time Beethoven was born, there was no Belgium or Germany or Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Prior there was a Republic of the United Netherlands, which Belgium wasn't a part of mostly, but at some point Belgium and the Netherlands were together. But then again, it's very complicated. As for example Limburg (today divided into Belgium/Germany/Netherlands) was officially part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and later Kingdom of the Netherlands until 1867 and at the same time it was part of "Germany" which didn't exist as a country, but it was part of the Frankfurter Parliament.

It's really complex, the history. Anyway, at 1770, there was no Belgium nationality, nor German nor Netherlands nationality. There was no modern Netherlands/Belgium/Germany. According to modern standards, you couldn't say: a person from that time was from Germany, the Netherlands or Belgium. All you can say, a person from that time is German origin.

That's why historians consider Beethoven "German" but not as if he's from Germany, but he's German in the same way all people from Belgium, Netherlands, Letzenburg, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Alsace, and few other areas are "German"

Another example how all "Germans" where divided into countries.

Let's look at the Netherlands and Letzenburg. When you do genealogical research, you will visit at some point the "Burg von Vianden"
Here you can see how Letzenburg (Luxembourg for English) was separated from the Netherlands.
At that time, it was a Grand-Duchy but part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The King of the Netherlands was Duke of Letzenburg. So his rank was lower then "Grand-duke" but since his grand title was King, he was in the end over the Grand-Duke and thus Letzenburg a part of the Netherlands.

However, Letzenburg laws didn't allow the head of the duchy to be a woman! It must always be a man! So when the Kings first child was a woman to follow the royal throne, this daughter became duchess of Letzenburg, King of the Netherlands. (yes the title for woman is also King, but no one really says that anymore)
However, the title "King" for a woman wasn't recognized by the laws of the duchy of letzenburg. So she was only Duchess of Letzenburg by title.
Now the "Grand-duke" thus had a higher title then "duchess" and thus he was now head of state, formally ending Letzenburg to be part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and from now on only a "Grand-Duchy"

Thus the people from Letzenburg and the Netherlands from now on living in 2 countries, although both speak German dialects and I as Limburger from the Netherlands easily understand Letzenburgisch, all German dialects are really easy to understand once you get to know a few and understand the history how the German languages evolved.

Thus historical, from inheritance, linguistical, they are still today mostly 1 people. But the history of the kings/dukes/counts/etc. lead to the separation of the German people and today thus living in separated countries.