Antema is a Frisian patronymic surname meaning "son of Ante". The root name Ante is a short form of various Germanic names beginning with the element anto, meaning "zeal" or "eagerness", common in early medieval naming tradition.As a Frisian surname, Antema follows the characteristic -ma suffix widespread in Dutch (especially Frisian) onomastics: surnames like Hotema, Wiersma, and Gietema share the same pattern, where -ma derives from Old Frisian mā for "man" and often denotes lineage or origin. The variant Antuma is closely related.Frisian patronymic surnames began to stabilize after the 19th-century introduction of civil registration in the Netherlands, though forms with -ma date back centuries in legal and property documents of Friesland and adjacent regions. The geography and wind-swept lowlands of the region naturally influenced the development of many surnames referencing individual traits or local landmarks.Meaning: "son of Ante"Origin: FrisianType: patronymicRoot: Ante (from Germanic anto "zeal")Usage: primarily the Netherlands, especially Friesland