Dutch term – Landbouwer

Farmer

The farmer. Print by Jan and Casper Luyken, circa 1690. Credits: Picturing the past

landbouwer is a farmer. There are several related terms that you may encounter in the records:

  • Boer (farmer)
  • Boerenknecht (farm hand)
  • Landgebruiker (literally: land user, often a tenant farmer)
  • Landman (farmer)
  • Bouwman (farmer)
  • Akkerbouwer (field farmer)
  • Veehouder (cattle holder)
  • Varkenshouder (pig holder)
  • Graanboer (grain farmer)

Most farmers did not own the farms they worked on. Many were tenants. Originally, their rent would have been a percentage of the yield, usually 1/3. Later, this rent in kind was changed to a monetary rent. In most places, that shift took place in the 17th or 18th century. The desire to own their own land is one of the reasons that drove many farmers in the 19th century to emigrate.

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.

Comments

  1. Stuart A Bouwman says

    I always thought Bouwman translated into Bowman as in an Archer.

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