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Archiver > APG > 2009-02 > 1233755919


From: doumajk <>
Subject: Re: [APG] Anglicizing Dutch Names
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 08:58:39 -0500 (GMT-05:00)


My expperience with Dutch names is later - 19th century immigrants - but I find the names seem to change to a similar sound or a simple English equivalent, I don't think anyone was looking back to some root - be it Biblical or Greek or whatever. Foeke became Frank - the immigrant is known by the original name, but his son is Foeke one census year and Frank the next. And later sons of sons are all Frank. Likewise Halbe born in the Netherlands stayed Halbe (for his short life) but his son and grandsons (my dad among them) are Harold. Gerrit is usually George. Aaltje the mother is generally called that, (her daughter although also born in Neth.) became Alice. Trijntje became Kate (sort of connected thru Catherine?) Then there is Jacomijntje - who apparently was called Samantha, because her American schoolteacher decided so!
Many of mine are very simple - Jan = John, Willem = William, Hendrik = Henry, Lieven = Levi. I also have a Reka, but she started as Hendrika. And Berendina was known as Berdine.
Also interesting is the time the naming custom (not always followed in the old country) was dropped here. My Dad (eldest son) has a form of his father's name, but the others have no connection I can fathom to family names. It's one generation earlier on my Mom's side - first child or two might have Americanized versions of the grandparent names, then it's pretty much a free-for-all. Also, my one grandmonther came from a Catholic family, so they have latinized versions for some names -- Hermannus, Johannes. 5 names - male and female forms, alternated as first and middles! Except for Aaltje.

Jane
(all Dutch - back to 1650 or so anyway)

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