Yes it probably just is indicating their early ancestors were born in or near Haren
According this online genealogy his father was Venus Van Haaren, who was a son of:
Peter van Haren (original name might be Pieter, because this name often is translated to Peter) who was born 12 May 1851 The Netherlands - died 1919 in Bay City, Michigan, USA. son of Gotfried van Haren Now here's a Godfried van Haren (but probably too early) and here is an even earlier one Godfried van Haren. If the Dutch naming system (names/patronymics repeated for many generations) was used, and if this is correct of course, the family perhaps can lead , or be traced back, to this very early van Haren family
Here's an interesting source with info for a lot of families including the Van Haaren family:
Michigan County Histories History of Bay County.Butterfield, George Ernest, 1883-, Fuller, George N. (George Newman), 1873-1957., Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society.
from page 275: Gottfried Van Haaren, secretary and treasurer of P. Van Haaren & Sons, long distance hauling and storage, First near Sheridan street, Bay City, was born in Bay City, May 21, 1887. His father, Peter Van Haaren, who was born in Holland, May 12, 1851, came to the United States with his parents in 1854. He had a fine physique and was reputed to be the most powerful man physically in Bay City. The Van Haarens settled on a homestead claim of forty acres in Bay county. Peter Van Haaren, in 1880, established a transfer and truck business, in which he took his sons as partners in 1912. He lived to see the erection of the firm's large storage warehouse in 1914....
and there's more about this family, this Gottfried was a brother of Venus Van Haaren, who, according the online genealogy, would be the father of Grant Junior Van Haaren (Van Haaren-11)
Gottfried and Venus's father, Peter Van Haaren, died January 31, 1919. His wife and their mother, Johanna (Boutreur) Van Haaren, who was born in Belgium, July 6, 1855, died September 7, 1898, in Bay county.
Venus Van Haaren was married July 4, 1914, to Hazel May Grant, of Bay City. They have three children: Grant, Johanna Carrie and Donald Venus. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, Shriner and Knight Templar and an Elk, and is also a member of the Chamber of Commerce. Venus Van Haaren and family reside at 1218 North Sherman street, Bay City.
And right after the info about the Van Haaren family....info about a shoe dealer and his family :P
Here's Gottfrieds first marriage and here's Gotfrieds second marriage + marriage WWII draft (now named Gottfried John Van Haaren) and his death + burial
Second Marriage of father Peter ? 14 June 1899 Michigan Marriages Peter Van Haaren and (nurse) James Wright (?) his father is mentioned also and named Godfrey Van Haaren and it looks like the brides name was Jennie Wright Census 1910 Peter and Gennie Van Haaren here a daughter Bessie Van Haaren (age 20) and son Venus Van Haaren (age 18) are mentioned as well. (both children from the first marriage)
I think this 1880 Census is of Peters father Godfrey Van Heren and some younger siblings (it says father was born in Holland in 1819) according this census there was a younger brother John..he might be this John Van Haaren who died in 1923 , and lucky us, his parents both are mentioned Godfrey Van Haaren and Ida Van Garven
Here's a Godefridus van Haaren born 18 September 1819 in Oirschot and the best part, this child is a son of Peter van Haaren and his wife Louisa van der Schoot (see scan) and .... here they are Godefridus Van Haaren and his wife Ida van Gerwen ! + their children Petrus Willem van Haaren born 12 May 1851 in 's Hertogenbosch and Johanna Elisa van Haaren born 23 September 1853 in Oostelbeers . If the other info from Michigan is correct they after their daughter was born emigrated in 1854 ..
Here's the marriage in 1810 in Oirschot of Peter Huybers van Haaren and Louisa Jans van der Schoot according the marriage record Peter isn't an adult (not 21) at the marriage so he might have been this Petrus van Haaren baptized 10 March 1792 in Oirschot son of Hubertus Petrus van Haaren and Anna Maria Govardus van den Boom (all Latinized names) So this probably is where the name Godefridus (Latin Govardus) is coming from.
