Dutch term – Kelder

A kelder is a cellar.

Kelders were usually used for cold storage, typically accessible from the kitchen. You can come across the term in estate inventories that list the contents of a house by room. Some modern houses have a kelderkast [cellar closet/cupboard] that is usually just storage under the stairs rather than a real cellar.

Cellar with preserves in jars. Credits: G.J. Dukker, collection Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, document 116.406 (CC-BY-SA)

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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