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Researching your Dutch ancestors is exciting because of the amount of information you can extract from a single record. Due to this however, sometimes important details in the records are overlooked and you may be tempted to avoid obtaining other documentation. You should always obtain all records about your ancestor to get a realistic image of their lifetime.

A marriage in the Netherlands, depending on the time period, produced up to as many as six documents! The amount of information extracted from these records alone is astounding.

A bonus to those who have Dutch ancestors is, women are always identified in documents with their maiden name. In the Netherlands, women rarely lose their last name during their lifetime. There are special circumstances for the last name to change. Sometimes you will see a women identified with both her married name and maiden name. When this occurs, it is always written: married name first, hyphen, and then maiden name; e.g. Akke de Groot-Horjus – “de Groot” being the married name and “Horjus” being the maiden name.

As you do your Dutch genealogical research, you may think there are no errors or problems in the records. Wrong! There are errors and you will find them more often the further back in time you search. Often problems involve the men you are searching, unlike North American research where women create roadblocks. The mother is always named in a birth record; however, if the woman is unmarried the father is not always stated.

To carry out genealogical research of your Dutch ancestors in the Netherlands, you will need to know some of the Dutch language. The records from about 1814 to present are all written in Dutch. Prior to 1814, the documents may be written in Dutch, French or Latin, depending on the time period and the type of record that you are looking at.

For those unfamiliar with the Dutch language, you will need to become familiar with Dutch genealogical terms. This will ultimately give you the ability to navigate through the records. It is suggested you keep a good Dutch-English dictionary handy whether you are searching documents, surfing the Internet or translating your information. It is also suggested you start your own list of often used Dutch words for a quick and easy reference.

There are several ways to access copies of Dutch documents from afar. A number of records can be viewed on microfilm from the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City. Many of these microfilms are being digitized and are available to be searched on the FamilySearch website. Records can also be requested by postal mail or via email directly from the archive or repository in the Netherlands.

There are a number of resources that can be obtained from FamilySearch through your local FamilySearch Center (FSC). Make sure you know where the closest FSC is to your home; you will visit the center often to do your research. Be sure to check the FamilySearch website to find the closest one to you (https://www.familysearch.org/locations).

You will find databases on the Internet that will provide you with the details needed to obtain the documents directly from the archives in the Netherlands or through the FamilySearch. There are many Dutch citizens volunteering their time to make genealogical information available through the Internet. Be sure to check the databases often, as they are being updated with new information quite frequently.