Quick tip – most farmers were tenants, not owners

Etching of a farmer

Farmer, by Jan Luyken, about 1690. Image credits: Picturing the Past

If your ancestors were farmers, please keep in mind that most farmers in the Netherlands were tenants, not owners. Most land was owned by a few wealthy families and institutions like churches or convents.

You may be able to find information about your ancestors in the archives that these families and institutions created but you will not be able to find them in sales deeds or property tax records.

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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