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, MLitt, CG®, QG™ is a professional genealogist, writer, and lecturer in the Netherlands. She has a Master of Letters in Family and Local History from the University of Dundee, and holds the Certification of Genealogist and Qualified Genealogist credentials. Yvette served on the Board of Directors of the Association of Professional Genealogists and won excellence awards for her articles in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly. Yvette has been doing genealogy for over 30 years. She helps people from across the world find their ancestors from the Netherlands and its former colonies, including New Netherland. Read about Yvette's professional genealogy services.

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