Happy New Year everybody! Let's take a look at some of the records that have become public today: Birth records from 1917, which includes my maternal grandmother Catharina Flooren. Marriage records from 1942, which includes my grandparents Hendrik Hoitink and Gesiena Wilhelmina Woordes. Death records from 1967, which includes my great-grandmother Janna Geertruid Droppers. It's a good day for my family tree! Not all archives immediately scan and index those records, so … [Read more...]
About this website
Creating a website like this is a fun activity. There are so many options, so many choices. What do visitors want? What do I want? In this blog I will describe some of the things I encounter in developing and maintaining this website.
Quick tip – Some surnames were adopted gradually
27 December 2017 by 4 Comments
As you get further back in time, you will get to the point where you find the first person who adopted a surname. Sometimes that's a distinct event; for example when a Frisian family adopts a last name in 1811 because it is required by the Napoleonic laws upon the introduction of the civil registration. Before 1811, there were no laws and regulations that mandated people to have surnames. Names were often adopted gradually. Not all family members may have adopted the name. A person may appear … [Read more...]
Quick tip – Reusing images of records
20 December 2017 by Leave a Comment
Many Dutch websites with genealogical records allow you to download scans. But it is not always obvious what you are allowed to do with these scans. You may want to upload them to your online tree, use them in a blog post, or include them in a book you're writing. With most public records published on websites of archives, you will be able to do that free of charge and without the need to ask for permission. The Dutch Wet Hergebruik van Overheidsinformatie [Reuse of Government Information … [Read more...]
Was Eleanor of Aquitaine my Ancestor? Generation 1: Yvette Hoitink
15 December 2017 by 14 Comments
This is the second post in a series about my possible line of descent from Eleanor of Aquitaine. In the first post, I explained how I discovered the possible line, and how I am going to verify it one generation at a time. Yvette Hoitink, daughter of Els Marijnissen The first step is to prove that I'm the daughter of my mother, Els Marijnissen. This is the easiest link of all to prove: I grew up with my mom and lived with her until I was 23. There's never been any doubt that she's my mother. … [Read more...]
Quick tip – Use notarial records
13 December 2017 by Leave a Comment
Notarial records are a great source of genealogical information. They can contain prenuptial agreements, business contracts, last wills, and estate divisions, giving you an insight into your anecstors' lives and family. Not all areas had notaries before 1811, in which case you can find these sources in local court records. A growing number of notarial and court records are available online, so if you haven't yet used these records, search again. Read more about Notarial Records. … [Read more...]
Dutch Genealogy News for November 2017
8 December 2017 by Leave a Comment
Here is an overview of the new sources, websites, and projects that were announced last month. Sources The National Archives of Curacao launched a new genealogy section on their website. Court records of Nijmegen from 1596 until 1811 are available at the Nijmegen Regional Archives website. 38,700 records of Amsterdam notaries were added to the online index of notarial records of Amsterdam. Notarial Archives of the following Frisian towns are now available at AlleFriezen for the … [Read more...]
Dutch term – Erfgenaam
4 December 2017 by Leave a Comment
An erfgenaam is an heir. Most people in the Netherlands did not have wills, in which case you need to understand the local laws to know who the heirs would be. Most regions did not allow a person to disinherit the children completely, they would always receive their legitimate portion. Understanding the inheritance laws can help you figure out genealogical relations. Finding someone as an heir usually implies there is a family relationship. … [Read more...]
Yvette Hoitink and Other Dutch Presentations at NGS Conference in Michigan, May 2018
1 December 2017 by 11 Comments
I am so excited to have been invited to give three presentations at the National Genealogical Society conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan in May 2018. I will be talking about three topics: Dutch Genealogy 101: Finding Your Ancestors from the Netherlands (Wednesday 2 May 2018, 2:30 PM). Dutch vital records are available online and indexed. Learn how to use these records to find your ancestors from the Netherlands. For Family, Faith, and Fortune: Emigration from the Netherlands in the … [Read more...]
Quick Tip – Dutch Immigrants may not have Understood Each Other
22 November 2017 by 9 Comments
Dutch immigrants sometimes settled in places where Dutch people from other parts of the Netherlands came too. This doesn't mean they could understand each other. Before the age of radio and television, there was no common Dutch language that everybody understood. Different regions had different dialects, different languages even. Frisian and Low Saxon are completely different from Flemish, to name three examples. To this day, people speaking in their local language or dialect won't be … [Read more...]
Was Eleanor of Aquitaine my Ancestor? Discovering the Possible Line
17 November 2017 by 33 Comments
When I was about ten years old, I read about Eleanor of Aquitaine in the book De Gouden Dolk [The Golden Dagger] by Thea Beckman. Eleanor is a minor character in the book; the employer of a servant that the main character, a young crusader, fell in love with. Learning about Eleanor Queen Eleanor fascinated me. I found out that she was born about 1124 and died at age 80 in 1204. She was the Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right, and the only woman ever to be Queen of both France and England, by … [Read more...]
