How the New Netherlanders Chose Their Own and Their Children's Names The Basics
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First Names
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Last Names
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A Word of Caution about Spelling
Special Issues with Women's NamesPronouncing Names
More Information
Okay, so you just found out that your ancestor was a woman named Ijken Jan Kuijstensdr. How do you pronounce that??!!? Click here for tips and helps.Nicknames and English Equivalents
Anthony=Teunis, Annetje=Anneke, Cornelia=Neeltje? The Dutch often used shortened names and other nicknames. Also, during the course of the 18th century, the descendants of Dutch settlers began to slowly appropriate English customs, including the use of the English equivalents of their first names. Annetje may be found in records as Anna, Jan as John, and so on. Need some help? Try these sources:
- Olive Tree Genealogy- both nicknames and English equivalents.
- On the Trail of Our Ancestors- English equivalents.
- Hope Farm- English equivalents.
- Names, Names, and More Names: Locating Your Dutch Ancestor in Colonial America, by Arthur C.M. Kelly (available at Amazon.com.)- Equivalents, nicknames, and much more.
Marks
What are marks? Why were they used? Click here to find out.
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Michelle's Main Page New Netherland Family History To contact me: michelle@boydhouse.com
Last updated 21 Oct 2003.
© Michelle Boyd, 2003.