The province of Noord-Brabant lies in the south of the Netherlands. It borders on Limburg to the east, the country of Belgium to the south, the province of Zeeland to the west and the provinces of Zuid-Holland, Utrecht and Gelderland to the north.
The capital city of Noord-Brabant is Den Bosch, also known as ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Other larger towns are:
- Breda
- Eindhoven
- Tilburg
- Roosendaal
- Oss
Genealogy in Noord-Brabant
Most people in Noord-Brabant used fixed family names long before the civil registration was introduced. In addition to a last name, many people used patronymics as well. Often, more than one generation of ancestors was named which can be very useful in genealogical research.
Most genealogical records of Noord-Brabant are kept by the Brabant Historical Information Center. Unfortunately, the website is only available in Dutch. They have a large online database with church records and civil registration records. Many of the marriage records and death duties files from Noord-Brabant can be found in WieWasWie.
Emigration from Noord-Brabant
Noord-Brabant has always been a predominantly Roman-Catholic province. This means the emigration pattern differs from the reformed regions. In the nineteenth century, people from the east of the province emigrated to the United States. They settled in places like Little Chute, WI.
Reusel-De Mierden
Are your ancestors from Reusel-De Mierden in Noord-Brabant? This may not be the case. See the article Was your ancestor born in Reusel-De Mierden, Noord-Brabant? Guess again!
Online images
There are several online resources for images of Noord-Brabant:
- Topographical-Historical atlas. This atlas covers the entire province.
- Photo database Noord-Brabant. Select ‘Zoeken’ (search) and then type in the name of the person or town you’re looking for and press ‘Zoeken’ (search).
- Noord-Brabant provincial atlas 1865-1870. This atlas contains a map of the entire province as well as maps of the municipalities.
About Yvette Hoitink
My grandmother, Bertha Stoffels Frame moved here from Holland. Her last name at that time was Stoffels, her step father’s last name. I’m looking for her birth father’s name. I think his name might have been I.C. Van Lamoen. Her mother was Adriana J. Mallant 1861-1954. They were never married. They had lived in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands. Where can I write to find out info regarding I.C. Van Lamoen. The “I” might stand for Isaac. Thank you. cj
Hello, I have a great grandmother named Bertha Stoffels Frame who moved here from Holland; we called her “Mase”. I suspect your grandmother may be my great grandmother as I have a great aunt named Adriana. Nevertheless, if we are related I would be interested in sharing family information. Thanks.
My ancestor Jesejas Schouten is said to be from Reusel Meriden, but my visit there found no record of his birth. Same for visit to Eindhoven. The historian there said they might have been Jewish, and therefore their births not recorded publicly. Can you help?
Would you believe that I wrote an article about this exact problem that is scheduled for tomorrow? How’s that for coincidence?
The article is now online: Was your ancestor born in Reusel-De Mierden, Noord-Brabant? Guess again!.
What other information do you have about Jesajas Schouten? When was he (approximately) born? When and where did he die and when and where was he married and to whom?
His name may have been Josia or Josias in Dutch. A search for Josia* Schouten in WieWasWie showed several marriages of a Josia Schouten in Amsterdam in the 19th century.
Jesejas Schouten was born in 1751. I guess the recording of my ancestor in American Census of 1812 as Josiah Schoughton may not be as “off” as thought! Maybe, because he lived in a primarily Palatine settled area, they gave his name as Jesejas, which is German for Isaiah. (the father of his wife, Margaretta Elwood is listed as Richardt Elwoeth) In the first US census in 1790 he is listed as Isaiah Scoulen which would be the English spelling. I had no idea that Josiah was a for of Isaiah/Essias/Jesejas? Huge thanks for this information.
It has been a few years since your helpful correction on the Reusel sources, and especially the potential first names of my ancestral Schouten whose last name has dozens of different spelling and whose first name could have be Jesejas, Josiah, Jesse, Isaiah, Essias etc. I believe he was illiterate and could not write his name so others spelled it for him based on what they heard.
39. Baptismal record of German Flats Reformed Church [Fort Herkimer] Reformed Church], 1763-1795, 1811-1848, 1896-1899, Kelly, Arthur C. M. (1983)
Local History
LN48 G306
Search Free 1810 Federal Census Records of The Town of German Flatts, NY …
Scoughton, Abraham 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Scoughton, Josiah 0 1 0 0 …
http://www.newhorizonsgenealogicalservices.com/…/1810-herkimer-german-flats- census.htm
Scoughton, Josiah 2
Scouton, Abraham 12
Search Free 1835 State Census Index of The Town of Western, NY …
Scoughton, Jesse 2
Scouton, Isaac 12
http://www.newhorizonsgenealogicalservices.com/1835-census-ny-oneida-western- index.htm
Scoughton, Jesse 2
Scouton, Isaac 12
What would it take to research in the Netherlands to find his origins? Some have suggested records at the Hague. I am headed for Albany, NY to check on state records that might be there. Thanks from all of us ex-patriots for all your work.
Sorry for the delayed response.
The names that you show here all sound very English rather than Dutch, which suggests that the family had been in America for at least a few generations. So it would take research in New York records first, back to the immigrant ancestor.
Can any body help with the Schaekers family of Tilburg?
I live in Zimbabwe, Africa and as you can imagine, there not too many in the way of reliable records concerning family history. I have read on a few sites that the Van Der Riet name originated in Brabant. Any ideas?
“Van der Riet” means “From the reedlands” and is a name that many different families adopted independently from each other. I have seen it in Noord-Brabant but I would not be surprised to find it in other parts as well. The only way to find out where your family got its name is to trace the male line back until you find the first person who used it. Do you know your immigrant ancestor?
My family, the Van Medovoorts were from Medevoort. I’m not sure the first person to use this name or the meaning of it. Any info on this?
There is a town called Meerdervoort in Zuid-Holland. It could be that one of your ancestors was “from Meerdervoort” and took the name “Van Meerdervoort,” which got changed to Medovoort. To find out the first person to use the name, would require genealogical research into the male line. With these names derived from place names, there could be several unrelated families who adopted the same name, so you need to document your line to know who the first person in your family was to use the name.
grandmother b 7.1900 Cuijk en Sint Agatha
grandfather b 1.1902 Cuijk en Sint Agatha
both migrated 1923-4 to Canada,oma has maiden name on manifest,looking for marriage certificate,
can supply both their parents names,
can anyone help pls
I might be in the same catch as others but I was wondering if Springsteen of some variant is from your area?
Larry Springsteen
El Paso, TX
I am so glad i found this page! I have just started doing my family tree (older generations had already done so) and I found my ancestors were from this area and had moved to America and settled in Little Chute, WI to be specific. The last name here now is Lappen, and my understanding is the name was originally Leppens. We can trace directly back to 1530…I am very interested in learning more about my Dutch heritage and any help would be appreciated. As i am here in Wisconsin (20 miles from Little Chute) I may be able to assist on this end. Thank you!!
My records show a Wilhelmina Leppens married Mathias Joannes Hendicks. She was born in Eersel, Noord Brabant, Netherlands oct. 17,1830. Died In Little Chute WI Jan 18, 1877. Hope this helps.
Is there a list of the people who immigrated to Wisconsin from Noord-Brabant Brabant?
Some of my ancestors came from Oss, Noord-Brabant to Wisconsin also. Janssen, Gielis, Loosbrock