Dutch terms – Bunder, Roede, El

1 March 2021 by Leave a Comment

Bunder, roede, and el were measures of land. You can find them in cadastral records and other land records. These terms have been used for centuries, and reflected different sizes in different areas. A bunder was typically 400 or 450 roede. An el was around 68-70 cm (distance from elbow to end of finger) and an el used for a surface area was a square with the sides of an el.

In 1816, the metric system was introduced and these terms were given metric measures:

  • Bunder: 10,000 m2 (100 x 100 meters)
  • Roede: 100 m2 (10 x 10 meters)
  • El: 1 m2 (1 x 1 meters)

These names remained in use in official records until the 1930s, and are still used informally.

surveyor

Surveyor, about 1650-1674. Credits: Anynomous artist, collection Rijksmuseum (public domain)

 

 

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About Yvette Hoitink

Yvette Hoitink, MLitt, CG®, QG™ is a professional genealogist, writer, and lecturer in the Netherlands. She has a Master of Letters in Family and Local History from the University of Dundee, and holds the Certification of Genealogist and Qualified Genealogist credentials. Yvette served on the Board of Directors of the Association of Professional Genealogists and won excellence awards for her articles in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly. Yvette has been doing genealogy for over 30 years. She helps people from across the world find their ancestors from the Netherlands and its former colonies, including New Netherland. Read about Yvette's professional genealogy services.

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