Dutch term – Vondeling

A vondeling is a foundling, an abandoned child whose parents are unknown. It was rare for children to be abandoned. Most cases where children were abandoned took place in the city, not in the countryside. Most abandoned children were raised in orphanages or were placed in a home while the city poor relief paid for their upbringing.

Example: Johanna Frederiks

Johanna Frederiks was the second wife of my ancestor Johan Jacob Tanto. When they got married in Enkhuizen on 23 March 1817, the record told about her:1

[…] shortly after her birth abandoned by her parents and placed by the regents of the almshouse in the poor orphanage, where she was raised by them.

Marriage record of Johan Jacob Tanto and Johanna Frederiks, Enkhuizen, 23 March 1817

Marriage record of Johan Jacob Tanto and Johanna Frederiks, Enkhuizen, 23 March 1817


Sources

  1. Enkhuizen, marriage record 1817 number 5, Tanto-Frederiks, 23 March 1817; “Enkhuizen,” scans, Zoekakten (http://www.zoekakten.nl : accessed 6 July 2014)
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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