Dutch term – El, Palm, Duim, Streep

In physical descriptions, you may come across the terms el, palm, duim, and streep. You may see these in military records, prison records, or other types of registers that recorded the person’s height.

The English translations are:

  • El (abbreviation: e.) – ell
  • Palm (p.) – palm
  • Duim (d.) – inch
  • Streep (str.) – line.

How much is meant by these depends on the date of the record. Before 1816, measures were not standardized, and different regions used different measures. See the article how to convert old measures and weights for details.

In 1816, a new law adopted the metric system. The older terms remained in use. As of 1820, 1 el was 1 meter, 1 palm was 0.1 meter or 10 centimeter, 1 duim was 0.01 meter or 1 centimeter, and 1 streep was 0.001 meter or 1 millimeter.

Example: Gerrit Kempers and Jan Derk Piek

First part of military service recodrs of Gerrit Kempers and Jan Derk Piek, 1849.

In this example we see the first columns of the military service records of Gerrit Kempers and Jan Derk Piek, who served as conscripted soldiers in the 7th Infantry Regiment from 1849 until 1854. Gerrit Kempers’s entry lists his height as 1 el, 5 palmen, 7 duimen, 3 strepen, indicating a height of 1.573 meters (5’2). My ancestor Jan Derk Piek was  1 el, 5 palmen 9 duimen and [blank] strepen, 1.59 m (5’2.5).


Source: 7th Infantry Regiment (Netherlands), military service register 1848-1849, service nos. 38224 (Gerrit Kempers) and 38225 (Jan Derk Piek); call no. 1062, Service Registers of Petty Officers and Below of the Army, Record Group 2.13.09, Nationaal Archief, The Hague, Netherlands; finding aid and images, Nationaal Archief (https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/archief/2.13.09/invnr/1062 : accessed 27 November 2021).
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.

Leave comment

*