He was the son of Charles I Bruno van de Werve, Lord of Schilde; and of Cornélie van de Werve, daughter of the Lord of Westkercke.
The young man's lineage included Charles I Bruno van de Werve, a noble lord from Schilde, and his mother Cornélie van de Werve, who was a member of the family that held the title of Westkercke.