Dutch terms – begraafplaats and kerkhof

A begraafplaats or kerkhof is a cemetery. Kerkhof (literally meaning “church yard”) is a cemetery around the church, while a begraafplaats (literally: “burial place”) is a more generic term.

In the Netherlands, graves are routinely cleared after a few decades to make room for new graves. To see what graves still exist, check online cemetery websites in the Netherlands.

Cheryl near the Baard cemetery

Kerkhof in Baard, Friesland

About Yvette Hoitink

Yvette Hoitink, CG®, QG™ is a professional genealogist in the Netherlands. She holds the Certified Genealogist credential from the Board for Certification of Genealogists and has a post-graduate diploma in Family and Local History from the University of Dundee. She has been doing genealogy for over 30 years and helps people from across the world find their ancestors in the Netherlands. Read about Yvette's professional genealogy services.

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