Landrecht is the law of the land. Before the introduction of the civil code in the Netherlands in 1809, each province, region, or domain had their own laws. Understanding the local laws and customs can help you interpret records and understand your family history. … [Read more...]
Dutch term – Eenheidsworst
15 March 2021 by 2 Comments
Eenheidsworst (standardized sausage) has become a proverbial way to say something is run-of-the-mill, not terribly exciting. The original eenheidsworst was introduced during World War I. Even though the Netherlands remained neutral, there were food shortages because overseas supply lines had been cut and much of the food produced in the Netherlands was sold or smuggled to Germany at inflated prices. The government introduced the eenheidsworst, consisting of 90% beef and 10% pork. Because … [Read more...]
Cadastre – Original Indicator Tables
12 March 2021 by Leave a Comment
This is the second article in a series about using cadastral records. In the first article, we looked at overview and minute maps that were created when the cadastre was introduced in 1832. These maps show the cadastral municipalities, sections, and plots. This post will show you how to find out who owned each plot. Contents of an original indicator table The oorspronkelijke aanwijzende tafel [original indicator table] recorded the owners of each plot. The tables are organized per … [Read more...]
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 … [Read more...]
Dutch term – Dienstmeid
24 February 2021 by Leave a Comment
A dienstmeid is a maid servant. The tasks of a dienstmeid depended on the wealth of the family, the presence of other servants or a housekeeper, and whether she worked on a farm or in the city. Tasks typically included cleaning, laundry, setting the fireplaces, etc. Richer households might hire a separate washing woman or cleaning lady, but in many households, this was all the task of one servant. On a farm, a dienstmeid would also be expected to milk the cows, take care of the other animals, … [Read more...]
Dutch term – Vreemdeling
25 January 2021 by Leave a Comment
A vreemdeling is a stranger or an alien. The word is used in genealogical records to indicate someone who was not Dutch, an immigrant. Vreemdelingen typically had to register with the municipality. The specific regulations and resulting records depend on the time and place. … [Read more...]
Dutch term – Onbewoonbaar Verklaard
18 January 2021 by 3 Comments
In the early 1900s, a new residence law came in effect to improve the living conditions of poor people. Under this law, houses could be onbewoonbaar verklaard [declared unlivable] and the residents had to move out. … [Read more...]
Cadastre: Overview Maps and Minute Maps
15 January 2021 by 2 Comments
Several of you voted for cadastral records as the topic you would like me to write about in 2021, so here we go. This is the first article in a series. The cadastre was introduced in the Netherlands in 1832. The whole country was divided into cadastral municipalities, which did not always completely overlap with the civil municipalities. Each cadastral municipality was divided into sections, and each section into plots. The combination of cadastral municipality, section letter, and plot … [Read more...]
Dutch term – Beerwagen
4 January 2021 by Leave a Comment
A beerwagen was a cess car, a car used to collect faeces in larger cities. In Amsterdam, this was also known as a boldootwagen, which jokingly referred to Boldoot, an Amsterdam factory making perfume. Before indoor plumbing, people would use buckets instead of toilets. A beerwagen would come by to collect the waste. It did not need to ring a bell, since its smell would announce its arrival. … [Read more...]
Dutch term – Vuurwerk
31 December 2020 by Leave a Comment
Vuurwerk is the Dutch term for fireworks. Traditionally, fireworks are lit at midnight on New Year's Eve. This year, fireworks are not allowed because hospitals are already overwhelmed. Fireworks is a modern version of the old tradition to make noise to scare the spirits of the old year away. Before fireworks were available, people would shoot their guns at midnight. You can sometimes find court records if people were firing their guns against local regulations, or if somebody got hurt. … [Read more...]
