Have you ever wondered why first names seem to run in Dutch families for generations? In the Netherlands, people used to name their children after family members. This way, first names can stay in the family for centuries.The best known example of naming children is when a child is named after its grandparent. But other forms of naming are possible too. … [Read more...]
Genealogical terms
12 April 2005 by 4 Comments
This page lists some Dutch words that appear frequently in genealogical records and publications. … [Read more...]
Prefixes in surnames
10 April 2005 by 70 Comments
Many Dutch family names have prefixes like 'de' or 'van'. They have a special role in the Dutch family name which you have to be aware of when researching names with prefixes. … [Read more...]
Farm names
31 March 2005 by 7 Comments
In the days before the Civil Registration forced everyone to stick to a surname, people in the eastern part of the Netherlands were named after the farm they lived at. You can still see that in the surnames today: Derk te Kolste, Piet te Lintum, Gerrit Jan Hoitink, etc. Since the surname might change every time a person moved, this sometimes offers difficulties in tracing your ancestors. There are some strategies to help you solve those name puzzles. … [Read more...]
