A pachter is a tenant. Most farmers in the Netherlands were tenants who did not own their farms or land. You can sometimes find tenancy contracts in court records, notarial records, or family archives. Especially in earlier times, these contracts were often made without having an official record so it may be hard to find proof.
See an example of two tenancy contracts from the 1700s.
Farmer. Credits: Harry Pot, collection Nationaal Archief (CC-BY)
About Yvette HoitinkYvette 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.
Yvette Hoitink, CG®, QG™ is a professional genealogist in the Netherlands who helps people find their Dutch ancestors. She is certified by the Board for Certification of Genealogists and has a post-graduate diploma in Family and Local History from the University of Dundee.
Do you need a genealogist in the Netherlands to help you with your research?
Please read what Yvette can do for you.
This Dutch Genealogy webinar gives you a great introduction to researching your Dutch ancestors. Requires a Legacy FamilyTreeWebinar subscription to watch. [Affiliate link]