Quick tip – Was the municipality involved?

Records created by the municipality can be a great source of information about our ancestors' lives. The municipality collected taxes, provided poor relief, gave permits, and kept population registers. They employed many people, including teachers, architects, and police officers. They wrote reports about the state of the municipality, which can give information about crops, industry, and special events. The mayor was informed if a resident was admitted to an asylum, or of other special … [Read more...]

Quick tip – Check marriage supplements of children

If you are researching a person, make sure to check the marriage supplements of any children who married after the introduction of the civil registration. The civil registration was introduced in 1811 in most parts of the Netherlands, and in 1795 in parts of Limburg and Zeeuws-Vlaanderen. Civil registration marriage records have marriage supplements, the records that the bride and groom had to submit to show their identity and eligibility to get married. These records often contain … [Read more...]

Quick tip – Get the birth records of all children

When you are researching a family during the time of the civil registration (after 1811 in most parts of the Netherlands), make sure to gather the birth records of all the children. They are usually easy to find since most of them have been indexed. Some things you can learn when you have the birth records of all the children: It will give you the family composition. I find it interesting to see what place a child had in its family. Was he the oldest son? He may have followed in his … [Read more...]

Quick tip – Tax for owners or residents?

There are different types of real estate taxes: those for owners, and those for residents. Some tax registers have one, some the other, and some have both. Understanding which is which can be a vital clue to research your ancestors. If your ancestors owned real estate, that can prompt research into land records. If your ancestors were tenants, you can still check land records in case they owned property at a different time or in a different place. But if you cannot find them, that explains … [Read more...]

Quick tip – Expand the scope

When you get stuck, you can expand the scope of your research to increase the chances of finding relevant evidence. Here are some different ways to expand the scope: Research more people: the children of your brick wall ancestor, known siblings, spouses (if they were married multiple times), neighbors and other associates Research the property they owned or rented, to find out how and when it got into the family and where it went next. Expand your geographic area. People often created … [Read more...]

Quick tip – Many people were convicted of crimes

In the nineteenth and early twentieth century, you may be surprised to find how many of your ancestors were convicted of a crime or misdemeanor by the courts, and how many had to serve a prison sentence. Many things for which the police would just give a ticket today were brought before the court. Poor people often received a (short) prison sentence instead of a fine, or would be sent to prison if they did not pay a fine. Some examples of crimes my poor ancestors were convicted of: … [Read more...]

Webinar: Dutch–Australian Shared Cultural Heritage program

Tip! The National Archives of Australia is hosting a webinar about Dutch-Australian immigration. With support from the Embassy of The Kingdom of the Netherlands, over 500 records have now been digitised and accessible online. When: Monday 7 November 2022, 10:00 am – 11:00 am AEDT. For more information and registration see Eventbrite. … [Read more...]

Quick tip – Understand the Administrative History

To find records, it helps to understand the administrative history of the record creators involved. A few examples from my own research: If you are researching an ancestor involved in a legal dispute, you have to know which court held jurisdiction over such cases, and where they would go for appeals, plus any changes in these jurisdictions or rights. If your ancestor was a tenant of an abbey in the sixteenth century, knowing that the abbey was dissolved during the Reformation and that … [Read more...]

Quick tip – Check the surrounding records

If you find your ancestor in a record, it may pay off to check the surrounding records too. Examples: Browsing the surrounding birth or baptismal records may show if your ancestor was a twin or triplet Browsing the previous and next civil registration or notarial records may show if they had the same witnesses, which suggests they were witnesses of convenience rather than people who had a personal connection to the parties. Checking the previous and next notarial records may show … [Read more...]

Quick tip – 400 Years of Dutch-American Stories

The National Archives of the Netherlands publishes a monthly series of stories about the 400 years of Dutch-American history. Past issues include stories about the name New Amsterdam, a woman named Mayken van Angola who was freed from slavery, and Dutch-American relations. … [Read more...]