Quick tip – Wills in the third person

Some people are surprised that many Dutch wills are in the third person (“leaves HER house to HER brother and HER sister”). This is because the wills are drawn up by a notary or court clerk, and the “I” in the record is the notary. “Today appeared before me, notary so-and-so, Mrs. this-and-that who declared this to be HER last will.”

Notary in Haarlem, 1787. Credits: Wybrand Hendriks, collection Rijksmuseum (public domain)

Notary in Haarlem, 1787. Credits: Wybrand Hendriks, collection Rijksmuseum (public domain)

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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