Dutch term – Slaaf

1 July 2025 by Leave a Comment

Slaaf is the Dutch word for slave.

On 1 July 1863, slavery was abolished in the Dutch colonies of Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles. In practice, the enslaved people were bound to work for their former enslavers for another ten years, to ease the transition. The owners received compensation for the loss of their chattel.

The National Archives of the Netherlands has several indexed sources regarding enslaved people, including manumission records.

plantation

Enslaved people working at a Suriname plantation, 1850. Credits: Th. Bray, Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

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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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