Dutch term – Noord, Oost, Zuid, West

12 October 2020 by Leave a Comment

Oost-West [East-West] is the theme of the History Month in the Netherlands this year. The Dutch terms for the cardinal directions are:

noord north
oost east
zuid south
west west

You may encounter these terms in deeds, where the location of the property is described in terms of its neighbors to the north, east, south, and west. They are also used in geographical names, like Zuid-Holland [South Holland] or Noord-Brabant [North Brabant].

Compass rose of map oriented with the north on the right. Credits: collection Nationaal Archief, 4.VEL call no. 1911.

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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.

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