Dutch term – Cijns

A cijns is the right to annual proceeds, similar to a rent. The rights could be attached to land or property, certain official functions, or rights in common grounds. In the Middle Ages up until say the 1700s, rents were often paid in kind, for example in grain.

Rent register of Ginneken and Bavel in Brabant

See the article about Rent registers for more information.

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.

Comments

  1. Karin (Rozema) Kuiper says

    Interesting. I’d love to know more about how that worked. Farm dagloners, for example, had to live and raise their families in some kind of house. They paid rent?

    Also, I want to know more about the boats fishermen would use in the Wadden Sea. Do you know of a online source or a book with pictures?

    I’m thinking mainly of 1700-1900. In addition to fishing boats, one of my ancestors lived in a house boat on a canal in peat country. They picked up peat? I don’t know if they looked for it for their own use, or if they transported it for profit, Would they have raise their families on a houseboat???

    Thank you for your posts. I love reading them. Karin, from Michigan

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