In many parts of the Netherlands, the schout used to be the term for mayor or sheriff. The schout represented the overlord and oversaw the administration and court in a district. His role combined those of a modern mayor, judge, and police commissioner.
Portrait of Claes Allertsz Boelens, schout of Hoorn. Credits: unknown painter, collection Rijksmuseum
About Yvette HoitinkYvette 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.
Yvette Hoitink, MLitt, CG®, QG™ is a professional genealogist, writer, and lecturer from the Netherlands who helps people find their ancestors from the Netherlands and its former colonies, including New Netherland. She has a Master of Letters in Family and Local History from the University of Dundee, and holds the Certified Genealogist and Qualified Genealogist credentials.
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This is interesting. I came across this word while researching my eighth great-grandfather, who came to New Amsterdam / New Netherlands in the 1640s. He was in trouble with the law all the time, and that word comes up a lot. 🙂 The old Dutch records, now in the Ulster County (NY) archives, were translated into English in the late 1800s. Some words escaped exact translation. Thanks for the clarification!
By the way, if you’re curious, my ancestor’s name was Jan Jansen Van Amersfoort. He was a carpenter who helped build the Stockade District of the city of Wiltwyck (various spellings), which became present-day Kingston in New York State.
Sally