When you're researching your ancestors, ask yourself how they met their spouse. If they're both from the same town, you will probably not be able to figure it out, since there would have been many opportunities. Even so, you might find them working for the same farmer, as I did for my 2nd great grandparents. If they lived in different towns, maybe even in different parts of the country, asking yourself how they met can trigger a whole new research plan. Often, their occupations can be a … [Read more...]
Quick tip – Free DNA Upload to MyHeritage
21 February 2021 by 1 Comment
If you are interested in using DNA to find your Dutch ancestors, make sure your DNA is in the MyHeritage genetic database. MyHeritage is the most popular DNA service in the Netherlands, and as a result, it is the place where you are most likely to find Dutch matches. MyHeritage also offers great tools for analyzing your DNA, such as Theories of Relativity, a clustering tool, and chromosome browser. This week, uploads to MyHeritage are free. Normally, there is a fee to unlock the Ethniticy … [Read more...]
Quick Tip – Dutch Topics at RootsTech Connect
17 February 2021 by 1 Comment
RootsTech, the largest genealogy show in the world, will be going virtual this year. The event will take place from 25 until 27 February 2021, non-stop. You can watch live, or catch the recordings later on, via RootsTech.org (no special software needed). Registration is free. Dutch topics The following topics should be of interest to people with Dutch ancestors: Dutch Parish Registers from the 17th and 18th century, by John Boeren Dutch Research in the 19th and 20th century: Civil … [Read more...]
Quick tip – Was your ancestor in prison?
3 February 2021 by 1 Comment
Too often, we think our ancestors were like us. We find it hard to imagine they would break the law and don't even look for prison records. However, lots of people got in trouble with the law; especially if they were poor. In the nineteenth and part of the twentieth century, if people could not pay a fine, they could end up in prison. … [Read more...]
Quick Tip – Genetic Groups at MyHeritage
27 January 2021 by 1 Comment
MyHeritage introduced Genetic Groups, a new way to predict your ethnicity. I manage four Dutch kits from people from four different parts of the Netherlands, and they're all spot on. For my own kit, it predicts three genetic groups with high confidence: Netherlands (Gelderland and Overijssel) Netherlands (North Brabant) and Belgium (Antwerpen) Netherlands (South Holland, North Holland, Gelderland and Utrecht). This is consistent with my tree: my father's ancestors are from … [Read more...]
Quick tip – Check websites of local archives
13 January 2021 by 1 Comment
When you're researching, don't limit your research to national or international websites like Open Archives or Ancestry. Also check the websites of local archives. Every municipality in the Netherlands has a contract with an archive to keep their records. This can either be an archive specific for that one municipality, or a regional archive that keeps the records of multiple municipalities. Some recent finds I made on websites of local archives: Mill tax records of Etten-Leur showed the … [Read more...]
Quick tip – Check notaries in neighboring towns
25 December 2020 by Leave a Comment
If you are looking for notarial records, be sure to check in neighboring towns too. Unlike civil registrations or court records, there was no requirement to go to the notary in your own town. Sometimes, people lived in the countryside and the notary of a neighboring town was more convenient. Your ancestor could also appear in notarial records in another town if the seller or purchaser lived elsewhere and created the record there. When looking for notarial records of my ancestors Martinus … [Read more...]
Quick tip – “De” Names do not mean Huguenot
16 December 2020 by 2 Comments
The prefix "de" in a name can be confusing. It means "the" in Dutch but can also mean "de" in French. People who have done Huguenot research often assume a "de"-name indicates a French or Huguenot origin. But when you're dealing with a Dutch family, think horses not zebras: your Dutch ancestor with a "de" name was probably Dutch. The most popular Dutch "De"-names are: De Vries [the Frisian] De Jong/Jonge [the younger] De Boer [the farmer] De Groot [the great/tall] De Wit … [Read more...]
Quick tip – Who was the previous owner?
9 December 2020 by Leave a Comment
When you hit a brick wall and the ancestor whose parents you're looking for owned property, try and find out who owned the property previously. The previous owner may have been related, if the ancestor inherited the property, or may have created a sale or conveyance record that mentions your ancestor. For an example of how useful tracing the previous owner can be, read my article "Griete Smith's Parentage: Proof in the Absence of Vital Records" (PDF) as it appeared in the December 2016 issue … [Read more...]
Quick tip – Was there a prenuptial agreeement?
2 December 2020 by Leave a Comment
In some cases, couples made a prenuptial agreement when they married. Often, this was the case when at least one of the spouses had assets to protect, or when one of the spouses was richer than the other. The typical arrangement was that if one of them died without children, that person would receive a sum of money while the survivor kept the rest. The sum reflected each spouse's financial situation at the start of the marriage. Another reason to make a prenuptial agreement is if one or both of … [Read more...]
