Words and phrases

Understanding Dutch genealogy resources: A genealogy dictionary

Understanding Dutch genealogy resources

Reading Dutch acts is a skill that you can learn, even if you don't speak Dutch. The form of Dutch acts from the civil register is relatively constant. With practice, patience, perseverance, and a good dictionary, you can understand most acts, even though you won't be able to understand every word. Other sources, such as church books and the population register, are mere lists of names, dates and places - with just a few Dutch words, you can understand what it is all about.

The aim of this dictionary is to help you understand Dutch acts. All words and phrases listed below are taken from major Dutch genealogy resources, such as civil register acts, population registers and church books. Many of these phrases are archaic - this list is not meant to help you with conversational Dutch!

For more information on the main sources for Dutch genealogy research, see my article Sources for Dutch genealogy research.

Dictionary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
7ber, 7bris September
8ber, 8bris October
9ber, 9bris November
10ber, 10bris December

A

Aangever Declarant, informer
Aangifte Notification, declaration
Aanmerking Remark
Acht Eight (8)
Achttien Eightteen (18)
Afgevoerd Removed
Afkondiging Announcement
Agt Eight (8)
Agttien Eightteen (18)
Akte Act
Aldaar There, In that place
Alhier Here, In this place
Ambt Occupation
Ambtenaar van de Burgerlijke Stand Registrar
April April
Arrondissement (Court) district
Attestatie Document proving church membership, usually provided by the church when someone moved to another town
Augustus August
Avond Evening (des avonds, in the evening)

B

Begraafregister Register of funerals
Beide, Beyde, Beiden Both
Belijdenis des geloofs Creed, Confirmation
Beroep Occupation
Bevolkingsregister Population register
Bloeimaand May
Bruid Bride
Bruidegom Groom
Burgerlijke staat Civil state
Burgerlijke stand Civil register

C

Comparant Comparant, Appearer, Party
Compareren Appear (compareerden voor ons, appeared before us; zijn voor ons gecompareerd, have appeared before us)

D

Dagtekening Date
Datum Date
December December
Dertien Thirteen (13)
Dertig Thirty (30)
Dewelke Which, Who (dewelke heeft verklaard, who has declared)
Dezer Of this, Of this month (den tweeden dezer, the second of this month)
Dezes jaars Of this year
Dienstbode Maidservant
Dinsdag Tuesday
Dochter, Dogter Daughter
Domicilie Residence
Donderdag Thursday
Doop Baptism
Doopboek Book of baptisms
Drie Three (3)
Duizend Thousand (1000)

E

Echtgeno(o)t(e) Spouse
Eén One (1)
Elf Eleven (11)

F

Familie Family, Extended family
Familienaam Surname, Family name
Familienaam der vrouw Maiden name of the wife
Februari February

G

Geboorte Birth
Geboorteplaats Place of birth
Geboortig van Born in
Geboren Born
Gecompareerd see Compareren
Gedoopt Baptized
Gehuwd Married
Geloofsbelijdenis Creed, Confirmation
Gemeente Municipality (binnen deze gemeente, in this municipality)
Gemeenteveldwachter Policeman, Constable (employed by the municipality, with only local competency)
Gereformeerd Reformed (zijnde van de gereformeerde Religie, Dutch Reformed, litt. being of the reformed religion)
Gescheiden Divorced
Geschieden Happen (is geschied, has happened)
Geslacht Gender, Lineage
Geslachtsnaam Surname
Gete(e)kend Signed
Getuige Witness
Geven Give
Geweest Been (is geweest, has been)
Gezin Family, Household
Gezinshoofd Head of the family
Grasmaand April

H

Haar Her
Half Half. When followed by a number, half an hour before the hour: Half twaalf (litt. half twelve) is half past eleven.
Heden Today
Herfstmaand September
Honderd Hundred (100)
Hoofd Head
Hooimaand July
Huis House
Huis der gemeente Town hall
Huisvrouw Housewife, Wife
Huwelijk Marriage
Huwelijk ontbonden Marriage dissolved

I

Inboorling Native
Inschrijving Registration
IXber, IXbris November

J

Jaar Year (plural Jaren, Jaaren)
Januari January
Jaren Years
J.D. Jongedochter
J.M. Jongeman
Jongedochter Unmarried woman
Jongeman Unmarried man
Juli July
Juni June

K

Kerkgenootschap Religion
Kind Child
Kleermaker Tailor
Koopman Merchant

L

Leeftijd Age
Lentemaand March
Levenloos, Leevenloos Lifeless (levenloos geboren, stillborn)
Lijkbezorger Undertaker
Louwmaand January

M

Maand Month
Maandag Monday
Maart March
Mannelijk Male
Meerderjarig Of age (cf. Minderjarig)
Mei May
Metselaar Bricklayer, Mason
Middag Noon, Afternoon (des middags, at noon)
Minderjarig Minor, Under age (cf. Meerderjarig)
Moeder Mother
Morgen Morning, Tomorrow (des morgens, in the morning)

N

Naam Name
Namiddag Afternoon, P.M. (des namiddags, in the afternoon, p.m.)
Negen Nine (9)
Negentien Nineteen (19)
Negentig Ninety (90)
Nevens Beside
November November
Nommer Number
Numero Number
Nummer Number

O

Obiit He/she died (Latin)
Ochtend Morning (des ochtends, in the morning)
October October
Ondertekenen Sign (ondertekend, or onderteekend, signed)
Onecht, Onegt Ilegitimate (in onegt geboren, born out of wedlock)
Ontbinden Dissolve
Ontbonden Dissolved
Oogstmaand August
Openbaar Public (in het openbaar, in public)
Opgemaakt Made up (waarvan deze akte is opgemaakt, of which this act is made up)
Opmerking Remark
Oud Old, Age (oud 53 jaaren, aged 53 years)
Ouder(s) Parent(s)
Overleden Died, Deceased
Overlijden Death

P

Provincie, Provintie Province

Q

R

Raadhuis Town hall
Rijksveldwachter Policeman, Constable (employed by the national government)
Roomsch Roman Catholic (zijnde van de Roomsche Religie, Roman Catholic, litt. being of the Roman religion)

S

Scheiding Divorce
Schilder Painter
September September
Slachtmaand November
Sprokkelmaand February
Staande Standing, Located
Stiefdochter Stepdaughter
Stiefzoon Stepson

T

Tachtig Eighty (80)
Tagtig Eighty (80)
Tegenwoordig Present
Tegenwoordigheid Presence (in tegenwoordigheid van, in presence of)
Ten .. ure, Ten .. uur o'clock (ten negen ure, nine o'clock)
Tien Ten (10)
Timmerman Carpenter
Twaalf Twelve (12)
Twee Two (2)
Twintig Twenty (20)

U

Uur Hour, o'clock (ten negen ure, nine o'clock)

V

Vader Father
Veertien Fourteen (14)
Veertig Forty (40)
Veldwachter Policeman, Constable
Verhindering Hindrance, Impediment
Verklaard Declared
Verklaring Declaration
Verschenen Appeared, Attended, Made an appearance
Vertrokken Left
Vier Four (4)
VIIber, VIIbris September
VIIIber, VIIIbris October
Vijf Five (5)
Vijftien Fifteen (15)
Vijftig Fifty (50)
Voldoen Comply
Voldoen aan de Nationale Militie Comply with his obligations with regards to the military conscription
Volgnummer Number, Serial number
Voltrekking (van hun huwelijk) Solemnization (of their marrage)
Voluit geschreven Written in full, not abbreviated
Voorlezing Reading out (aloud) (na gedane voorlezing, after reading out)
Voormelde Aforementioned
Voormiddag Morning, A.M. (des voormiddags, in the morning, a.m.)
Voornaam First name, Given name
Vorig(e) Previous
Vreemdeling Foreigner
Vrijdag Friday
Vrouw Woman, Wife
Vrouwelijk Female

W

Weduwe Widow
Weduwnaar Widower
Welke Which, Who (welke heeft verklaard, who has declared)
Wethouder Alderman
Wijk District (of a town or city)
Wijnmaand October
Wintermaand December
Woensdag Wednesday
Wonende alhier Resident of this place
Wonende te Living in, Residents of
Woning House, Housing, Dwelling
Woonplaats Place of residence

X

Xber, Xbris December

Y

Z

Zaterdag Saturday
Zes Six (6)
Zestien Sixteen (16)
Zestig Sixty (60)
Zeven Seven (7)
Zeventien Seventeen (17)
Zeventig Seventy (70)
Zijn(e) His
Zomermaand June
Zondag Sunday
Zonder Without (zonder beroep, without occupation)
Zoon Son
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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