Dutch term: knecht

print showing a carpenter at work

Carpenter at work (1690)

A knecht is a term used to describe the occupation of somebody who works for somebody else. The term does not have an exact English equivalent, but terms like servant, hand, apprentice or assistant come close. Often, the type of knecht is specified, for example timmermansknecht (carpenter’s hand), bakkersknecht (baker’s hand) or landbouwersknecht (farmhand). Most men started out working as a knecht to learn a trade. Some became masters in their own right, others remained a knecht for the rest of their lives. 

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.

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