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Understanding Dutch surnames and given names can help you find and identify your ancestor in the records.
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=== Surnames ===
{|
 
|-
Before record keeping began, most people had only one name such as John. As the population increased it became necessary to distinguish between individuals with the same name. The problem was usually solved by adding descriptive information. John became John the smith, John the son of Matthew, John the short, or John from Maurik. At first, "surnames" applied only to one person, not to the whole family. After a few generations these names became hereditary and were passed on from generation to generation.
|style="width:100px"|
 
[[File:Dark_thin_font_green_pin_Version_4.png|75px]]
Surnames developed from four major sources:
|
 
'''Understanding customs used in surnames and given names can help you identify your ancestors in records.  Learn to recognize name variations and see clues in names.'''
* '''Patronymic,''' based on a parent’s name, such as Aarjen Hendrickszoon (son of Hendrick).
|}
* '''Occupational,''' based on the person’s trade, such as Bernardus Schoenmaker (shoemaker).
==Online Tools==
* '''Descriptive or nickname,''' based on a unique quality of the person, such as Gerrit Zwarthooft (black head).
*[https://script.byu.edu/dutch-handwriting/tools/names/general '''BYU Script Tutorial List of Dutch Surnames''']
* '''Geographical,''' based on a person’s residence, such as Johannes van der Velde (from the field).
*[https://script.byu.edu/dutch-handwriting/tools/names/general '''BYU Script Tutorial List of Dutch Given Names''']
 
*[https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/lessons/names-in-belgium-and-the-netherlands Names in Belgium and the Netherlands]
Surnames were first used by the nobility and wealthy land owners. Later the custom was followed by merchants and townspeople and eventually by the rural population. This process took two or three centuries. For the most part the practice was well established in the Netherlands by the 1700s.
*[http://www.meertens.knaw.nl/nfb/index.php?taal=eng '''Netherlands Surname Database and Distribution Map'''] 300,000 surnames of all persons with the Dutch nationality, who lived in the Netherlands in the year 2007. Also included are about 110,000 family names registered at the census from 1947.
 
*[https://www.surnamemap.eu/netherlands/index.php '''Netherlands Surname Distribution Map''']
In the provinces of Friesland and Groningen and in part of the Betuwe region of Gelderland it was customary to take a mother’s surname or a mother’s mother’s surname instead of a father’s. Foreign surnames were often translated. Most ministers had their surnames Latinized.
*[https://surnames.behindthename.com/names/usage/dutch '''Behind the Name: Dutch Surnames''']
 
*[https://www.behindthename.com/names/usage/dutch '''Behind the Name: Dutch Given Names''']
'''Patronymics.''' The use of patronymic names was prevalent in the provinces of Drenthe, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, and Overijssel before 1811. It was also common in the other provinces, especially before 1700. Patronymic names changed with each generation. For example, Jan Pieters was the son of a man named Pieter. If Jan had a son Cornelis, the son was known as Cornelis Jans (son of Jan). The use of patronymics continued until decrees were passed that required persons to adopt permanent hereditary family names. People were often reluctant to comply, so several decrees were needed. These decrees were passed in 1811, 1813, and again in 1825.
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/103656 '''Słownik imion'''] (Dictionary of names). Names are listed alphabetically by the Polish name, as the author is Polish. An index at the back gives the Polish form of each name. Use that name to find the 23 translations in the main list.
 
*Frisian names are used in Friesland in the northern Netherlands.
This requirement produced the name adoption registers [''naamsaannemingregisters''] that cover the time period of 1811 to 1813 and 1825 to 1826. Many of the records no longer exist. A listing of those that do is found in the journal ''Gens Nostra'' volume 28 (1973), pages 346 to 347, and volume 29 (1974), page 76 (FHL book 949.2 D25g).
:*[https://surnames.behindthename.com/names/usage/frisian '''Behind the Name: Frisian Surnames''']
 
:*[https://www.behindthename.com/names/usage/frisian '''Behind the Name: Frisian Given Names''']
The name adoption registers contain the name of the family head (usually the father); his or her village of residence; the new surname that his or her descendants would be known by; and children’s names, ages, and residences (if different from parent’s). Sometimes the registers contain the person’s age and grandchildren’s names and ages. Occasionally, birth dates and places of all these people are recorded.
*Limburgish names are used in the Limburg region, which straddles the border between Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.  
:*[https://surnames.behindthename.com/names/usage/limburgish '''Behind the Name: Limburgish Surnames''']
:*[https://www.behindthename.com/names/usage/limburgish '''Behind the Name: Limburgish Given Names''']
*[https://www.familysearch.org/en/surname '''FamilySearch's surname experience'''] - enter your last name to find its meaning and origin


The original records are at the state or municipal archives. Some are on film at the Family History Library. In addition, many of the records have been published. Check the catalog under:
==Surnames==
*The particle "de" is found as a prefix to many Dutch surnames, as in for instance "de Wit", "de Bruyn" and "de Kock"; this is generally understood to mean "the" as in "the White", "the Brown" and "the Cook" in the examples.
*The particle "van", meaning "of" and was originally only taken by nobles; examples include "van Gent", "van Bern" and "van den Haag", referring to "of Ghent", "of Berne" and "of the Hague", respectively.
*In line with Dutch tradition, marriage used to require a woman to precede her maiden name with her husband's name and add a hyphen between the two. Thus, when Anna Pietersen married Jan Jansen, she became Anna Jansen-Pietersen. However, this did not become her legal name. Her legal name did not change at all. Passports, and other official documents, continued to name her Anna Pietersen, even though there might have been "spouse of Jan Jansen" added.<ref name="dutchname">"Dutch name, in Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_name, accessed 24 February 2021.</ref>
===Patronymics===
Although most people had family surnames before 1811, the use of patronymics was common, including for those with established last names. The oldest form used the possessive of the father's name along with the word for son or daughter. Examples would be a boy born to Jan being named Pieter Janszoon while his daughter might be named Geertje Jansdochter. These forms were commonly shortened, to Janszn./Jansz and Jansdr., or to Jansse, and finally to Jans which could be used for both male or female children. These patronymic names were official and even used on legal documents where inheritances can be seen to pass from father to son with different "last names".<ref name="dutchname"/>


NETHERLANDS, [PROVINCE] – NAMES, PERSONAL
=== Name adoption records (''Naamsaanneming registers'') ===
Patronymic surnames were common in several provinces prior to 1811.  After that all citizens were required to adopt a fixed surname.  '''''Naamsaanneming registers''''' are used to determine prior naming patterns.
*Record type: Assignment of surnames for patronymic families and Jews.
*Time Period:  1808-1814 and 1826.
*Content: Heads’ of families previous and new names, ages and/or birth dates, number or names and ages of children and grandchildren, marks or signatures.
*Location: Provincial, state, city and municipal archives.
*Population coverage: 60%.
*Reliability: Very good.<ref name="profile">The Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Family History Record Profile: The Netherlands,” Word document, private files of the FamilySearch Content Strategy Team, 1987-1998.</ref>
===Surnames Historical Development===
*Before record keeping began, most people had only one name, such as John.
*As the population increased, it became necessary to distinguish between individuals with the same name. The problem was usually solved by adding descriptive information. John became John the smith, John the son of Matthew, John the short, or John from Amsterdam.
*At first surnames applied only to one person, not to the whole family. After a few generations, these names became hereditary and were passed on from generation to generation.
*Surnames developed from several sources. For example:
**'''Occupational''' (based on a person’s trade)
**'''Geographical''' (based on a person’s residence)
**'''Patronymic''' (based on a person’s father’s name)
**'''Descriptive''' or '''nickname''' (such as Joy or Child)
*The '''nobility and wealthy land owners''' were the first to begin using surnames.
*'''Merchants and townspeople''' then adopted the custom, as did the '''rural population'''. This process took two or three centuries.


NETHERLANDS, [PROVINCE], [TOWN] – NAMES, PERSONAL
==Given Names==
 
'''Jewish Naming Customs'''. Before the 1800s the use of a family name by Jews was left to the discretion of the individual. Jews in the Netherlands followed the custom of using only a given name and the name of the father, such as Isaac, son of Abraham. Most Jews did not adopt hereditary family names until required to do so by law. In 1808 Napoleon issued a decree for all the Jews of his empire, including the province of Limburg, to adopt surnames. Compulsory surname laws were enacted in the other provinces in 1811, 1813, and again in 1825. The records resulting from these decrees are called name adoption registers. The Jewish surnames from these registers have been extracted and published in:
 
''Nederlands Joods Familiearchief (Dutch Jewish Family Archive).'' 3 vol. Amsterdam: Scheltema en Holkema, 1967. (FHL book 949.2 D4nj.)
 
See also the discussion of name adoption registers above.
 
=== Given Names ===
 
Dutch given names are usually derived from Biblical names such as Abraham, the names of saints such as Maria (Mary), or Old Dutch names such as Gerhard.
 
In the Netherlands a particular naming pattern was very common until about 1950. The following pattern may be helpful in researching family groups and determining the parents of the mother and father:
 
* The first male child was named for the father’s father.
* The second boy was named for the mother’s father.
* The first female child was named for the mother’s mother.
* The second girl was named for the father’s mother.
 
Additional children were often named for the parent’s brothers and sisters and for the parents themselves.
 
There were regional differences to this pattern, such as naming the oldest boy after the mother’s father and the oldest girl after the father’s mother or naming the oldest boy after the maternal grandfather.
 
If an older child died young, the parents frequently reused the deceased child’s name on the next born child of the same gender.
 
=== Names in Foreign Languages ===
 
Genealogical records of the Netherlands may be in various languages: Dutch, Latin, or French. Your ancestor’s name could be in Latin in his or her birth record, in French in his or her marriage record, and in Dutch in his or her death record. Given names are often very different when translated into different languages, as the following names show:
 
{| class="plain"
! Dutch
! Latin
! French
| Elisabeth
| Elisabetha
| Isabelle
|-
| Jan
| Joannes
| Jean
|-
| Willem
| Guilielmus
| Guillaume
|-
| Jacob
| Jacobus
| Jacques
|}


Given names are translated into 23 different European languages, including English, in this book:
The history of Dutch given names can roughly be divided in four main periods:
*The domination of '''Germanic names'''. (Migration Period and before until the High Middle Ages)
*The high Middle Ages, when Germanic-based personal names were losing ground to '''non-native holy names'''. (High Middle Ages until the Early Modern era)
*A period of stability, when a very '''strong naming habit emerged'''. (Early Modern era–1960s)
*The post-World War II period, characterised by '''previously unknown personal names'''. (1960s–present) <ref name="dutchname"/>
===Germanic period===
*The Germanic names are the names with the longest history in the Dutch-speaking area; they form the oldest layer of the given names known in Dutch. The Germanic names were characterised by a rich diversity, as there were many possible combinations. A Germanic name is '''composed of two parts, the latter of which also indicates the gender of the person'''. A name like Adelbert or Albert is composed of "adel" (meaning "noble") and "bert" which is derived from "beracht" (meaning "bright" or "shining") hence the name means something in the order of "Bright/Shining through noble behaviour"; the English name "Albright", now only seen as a surname, is a cognate with the same origin.


Janowowa, Wanda, et al.'' Sownik Imion (Dictionary of Names).'' Wroclaw: Ossoliski, 1975. (FHL book Ref 940 D4si; film 1181578 item 2; fiche 6000839.)
*Combining these parts was used when the child was named after family or other relatives. For example, the child would receive two parts from different family members, in this way a father named "Hildebrant" and a mother called "Gertrud" would call their son "Gerbrant" and their daughter "Hiltrud". <ref name="dutchname"/>


=== Variations on Given Names ===
===Medieval names===
*Through the course of the Middle Ages names '''derived from Christian Saints''' became more common than Germanic ones. From the 12th century onwards it became custom for the child to receive a Christian name, although some names of Germanic origin like Gertrude and Hubertus remained prevalent as these too became names of Christian saints. In these times typical Dutch names such as "Kees" (Cornelis), "Jan" (Johannes) and "Piet" (Petrus) emerged.


Many given names have variants and dialectical forms. Maria, for example, can appear as Marie, Marretje, Mieke, Mietje, Merchje, Maek, or even Rita and Rieke. Many books are available that give variant forms of given names. There are also many books that discuss Dutch names and their meanings. Some indicate the cities or regions where some surnames are most common. One such source is:
*When the conversion was made from Germanic to Christian names, most parents just picked a name they liked best or would be most helpful in their child's later life, for example if the child would come from a butcher's family and he himself would one day become a butcher, the child would probably be called after "Sint Joris" (the Dutch name for "Saint George"), the patron saint of the butchers.<ref name="dutchname"/>
===Stability: Naming Pattern===
The Dutch habit of naming newborns after another family member originates with a then-widespread superstition that the name in some way contributed to some form of reincarnation of the person the child was named after, who was usually much older. As the centuries passed, this practice became so standard that the names of the children were practically known at the marriage of the future parents. The rules for naming were the following:
*First-born son is named after paternal grandfather
*First-born daughter is named after maternal grandmother
*Second son is named after maternal grandfather
*Second daughter is named after paternal grandmother
*Subsequent children were often named after uncles and aunts – there was some liberty of choice here.
The infant mortality rate was high.
*If a son had died before his next brother was born, this younger brother was usually given the same name. The same goes for a daughter.
*When the father died before the birth of a son, the son was usually named after him.  
*When the mother died at the birth of a daughter, the daughter was usually named after the mother.<ref name="dutchname"/>


Schaar, J. van der. ''Woordenboek van Voornamen: Inventarisatie van de Doop– en Roepnamen met hun Etymologie (Dictionary of Dutch Given Names: Inventory of Baptismal Names and Nicknames with Their Etymology).'' Utrecht: Het Spectrum, 1970. (FHL book 949.2 D4s.)
===Post-World War II period (1945–present)===
*Traditionally there was little difference between the Christian name ("doopnaam") and the name used in domestic spheres ("roepnaam"). If someone's Christian name was Johannes, domestically he was referred to as Johan, Jan or Hans.
*After the war, the Dutch became less religious. Thus the Christian name and given name started to diverge, as personal names of foreign origin were adopted. In some cases these names are written more or less phonetically, for example Sjaak (French Jacques, English Jack) and Sjaan (French Jeanne).  
*Working-class names Jan, Piet and Klaas (the Dutch proverbial equivalent to "Tom, Dick and Harry") were often replaced by middle-class Hans, Peter and Nico.  
*Also, the urge to name children after their grandparents lessened dramatically.<ref name="dutchname"/>


Additional books are listed in the Place search of the Family History Library Catalog under:
==For Further Reading==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_name '''Dutch Name'''] in Wikipedia
*[[Media:Names_in_the_Netherlands.pdf|'''The Origin of Names and Their Effect on Genealogical Research in the Netherlands''']]. An in-depth explanation and history of Dutch given names, surnames, and patronymics.
===FamilySearch Library===


NETHERLANDS – NAMES, PERSONAL
*More books are listed in the '''FamilySearch Catalog:'''
**{{FSC|393357|subject_id|disp= Netherlands - Names, Personal}}
**{{FSC|372139|subject_id|disp= Netherlands - Names, Personal - Dictionaries}}


NETHERLANDS, [PROVINCE] – NAMES, PERSONAL
== References  ==


=== Name Changes ===
{{reflist}}


The way a name was written in the civil registration records is how it came to be spelled, even though first written incorrectly. A mistake in the civil registration records can be corrected by a judgment from the district court. Name changes are only allowed by the king or queen.
[[Category:Netherlands_Language_and_Handwriting]]
[[Category:Naming Customs]]

Latest revision as of 19:37, 20 March 2024


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Understanding customs used in surnames and given names can help you identify your ancestors in records. Learn to recognize name variations and see clues in names.

Online Tools[edit | edit source]

  • Limburgish names are used in the Limburg region, which straddles the border between Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.

Surnames[edit | edit source]

  • The particle "de" is found as a prefix to many Dutch surnames, as in for instance "de Wit", "de Bruyn" and "de Kock"; this is generally understood to mean "the" as in "the White", "the Brown" and "the Cook" in the examples.
  • The particle "van", meaning "of" and was originally only taken by nobles; examples include "van Gent", "van Bern" and "van den Haag", referring to "of Ghent", "of Berne" and "of the Hague", respectively.
  • In line with Dutch tradition, marriage used to require a woman to precede her maiden name with her husband's name and add a hyphen between the two. Thus, when Anna Pietersen married Jan Jansen, she became Anna Jansen-Pietersen. However, this did not become her legal name. Her legal name did not change at all. Passports, and other official documents, continued to name her Anna Pietersen, even though there might have been "spouse of Jan Jansen" added.[1]

Patronymics[edit | edit source]

Although most people had family surnames before 1811, the use of patronymics was common, including for those with established last names. The oldest form used the possessive of the father's name along with the word for son or daughter. Examples would be a boy born to Jan being named Pieter Janszoon while his daughter might be named Geertje Jansdochter. These forms were commonly shortened, to Janszn./Jansz and Jansdr., or to Jansse, and finally to Jans which could be used for both male or female children. These patronymic names were official and even used on legal documents where inheritances can be seen to pass from father to son with different "last names".[1]

Name adoption records (Naamsaanneming registers)[edit | edit source]

Patronymic surnames were common in several provinces prior to 1811. After that all citizens were required to adopt a fixed surname. Naamsaanneming registers are used to determine prior naming patterns.

  • Record type: Assignment of surnames for patronymic families and Jews.
  • Time Period: 1808-1814 and 1826.
  • Content: Heads’ of families previous and new names, ages and/or birth dates, number or names and ages of children and grandchildren, marks or signatures.
  • Location: Provincial, state, city and municipal archives.
  • Population coverage: 60%.
  • Reliability: Very good.[2]

Surnames Historical Development[edit | edit source]

  • Before record keeping began, most people had only one name, such as John.
  • As the population increased, it became necessary to distinguish between individuals with the same name. The problem was usually solved by adding descriptive information. John became John the smith, John the son of Matthew, John the short, or John from Amsterdam.
  • At first surnames applied only to one person, not to the whole family. After a few generations, these names became hereditary and were passed on from generation to generation.
  • Surnames developed from several sources. For example:
    • Occupational (based on a person’s trade)
    • Geographical (based on a person’s residence)
    • Patronymic (based on a person’s father’s name)
    • Descriptive or nickname (such as Joy or Child)
  • The nobility and wealthy land owners were the first to begin using surnames.
  • Merchants and townspeople then adopted the custom, as did the rural population. This process took two or three centuries.

Given Names[edit | edit source]

The history of Dutch given names can roughly be divided in four main periods:

  • The domination of Germanic names. (Migration Period and before until the High Middle Ages)
  • The high Middle Ages, when Germanic-based personal names were losing ground to non-native holy names. (High Middle Ages until the Early Modern era)
  • A period of stability, when a very strong naming habit emerged. (Early Modern era–1960s)
  • The post-World War II period, characterised by previously unknown personal names. (1960s–present) [1]

Germanic period[edit | edit source]

  • The Germanic names are the names with the longest history in the Dutch-speaking area; they form the oldest layer of the given names known in Dutch. The Germanic names were characterised by a rich diversity, as there were many possible combinations. A Germanic name is composed of two parts, the latter of which also indicates the gender of the person. A name like Adelbert or Albert is composed of "adel" (meaning "noble") and "bert" which is derived from "beracht" (meaning "bright" or "shining") hence the name means something in the order of "Bright/Shining through noble behaviour"; the English name "Albright", now only seen as a surname, is a cognate with the same origin.
  • Combining these parts was used when the child was named after family or other relatives. For example, the child would receive two parts from different family members, in this way a father named "Hildebrant" and a mother called "Gertrud" would call their son "Gerbrant" and their daughter "Hiltrud". [1]

Medieval names[edit | edit source]

  • Through the course of the Middle Ages names derived from Christian Saints became more common than Germanic ones. From the 12th century onwards it became custom for the child to receive a Christian name, although some names of Germanic origin like Gertrude and Hubertus remained prevalent as these too became names of Christian saints. In these times typical Dutch names such as "Kees" (Cornelis), "Jan" (Johannes) and "Piet" (Petrus) emerged.
  • When the conversion was made from Germanic to Christian names, most parents just picked a name they liked best or would be most helpful in their child's later life, for example if the child would come from a butcher's family and he himself would one day become a butcher, the child would probably be called after "Sint Joris" (the Dutch name for "Saint George"), the patron saint of the butchers.[1]

Stability: Naming Pattern[edit | edit source]

The Dutch habit of naming newborns after another family member originates with a then-widespread superstition that the name in some way contributed to some form of reincarnation of the person the child was named after, who was usually much older. As the centuries passed, this practice became so standard that the names of the children were practically known at the marriage of the future parents. The rules for naming were the following:

  • First-born son is named after paternal grandfather
  • First-born daughter is named after maternal grandmother
  • Second son is named after maternal grandfather
  • Second daughter is named after paternal grandmother
  • Subsequent children were often named after uncles and aunts – there was some liberty of choice here.

The infant mortality rate was high.

  • If a son had died before his next brother was born, this younger brother was usually given the same name. The same goes for a daughter.
  • When the father died before the birth of a son, the son was usually named after him.
  • When the mother died at the birth of a daughter, the daughter was usually named after the mother.[1]

Post-World War II period (1945–present)[edit | edit source]

  • Traditionally there was little difference between the Christian name ("doopnaam") and the name used in domestic spheres ("roepnaam"). If someone's Christian name was Johannes, domestically he was referred to as Johan, Jan or Hans.
  • After the war, the Dutch became less religious. Thus the Christian name and given name started to diverge, as personal names of foreign origin were adopted. In some cases these names are written more or less phonetically, for example Sjaak (French Jacques, English Jack) and Sjaan (French Jeanne).
  • Working-class names Jan, Piet and Klaas (the Dutch proverbial equivalent to "Tom, Dick and Harry") were often replaced by middle-class Hans, Peter and Nico.
  • Also, the urge to name children after their grandparents lessened dramatically.[1]

For Further Reading[edit | edit source]

FamilySearch Library[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Dutch name, in Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_name, accessed 24 February 2021.
  2. ↑ The Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Family History Record Profile: The Netherlands,” Word document, private files of the FamilySearch Content Strategy Team, 1987-1998.
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