von
prep. C1 Advanced US //ˈvɔn// von
prep. a word used in German names to show that a person's family originally came from a certain place or belonged to the nobility.
prep. a preposition used in German-language surnames to indicate noble lineage or geographical origin. It is typically not capitalized unless it begins a sentence.
The famous writer's name was Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
In historical documents, the presence of 'von' in a surname often signaled that the individual held land or a title.
While many modern families retain the 'von' as a traditional part of their legal surname, it no longer carries the formal legal privileges of the former German aristocracy.
Usage
Used as a particle within a surname; it is generally not capitalized in the middle of a sentence.