3 Tips to Researching Early Netherland Born Settlers

                                                     Marriage Banns: VandeWater to Meersman

Tracing from New World 1850 to Netherlands 1620
Did your ancestors come from the Netherlands before arriving in the New World, Plymouth, in 1620's? Where should you start? Of course you might begin your research by tracing Pilgrim migratory paths. It has been confirmed that the Pilgrims had a 12 year stop-over in the Netherlands. But, does this explain why you cannot find your New Netherland ancestors overseas? Maybe they weren't "Pilgrims" at all. 

Let's look at the early Americas Van Waters of Albany, NY and Canada.  How did the a3Genealogy Research Team trace this family from the 1850's to 1600's?  Here are 3 major hints that led us to finding the early family bible (1700's) and the Y-DNA connections. What might you find if you broaden your search?  

 1. Study the Surname to determine the family origin. 

First, it must be noted that the surnames of van, van de(n), van der, etc are from south Holland[i] which supports the Van Waters being from the Rotterdam / Amsterdam region located in South Holland. This area borders North Holland.

2. Evolution of Names. 

Jakobus van de Water, Engeltje Jeuriaens, 1684, Flatbush, King County, NY

As with American names that may evolve from John being a Jack, this practice was also seen in Dutch names. For example, the name Jeuriaen throughout the Dutch American community evolved from Jeuriaen to many variations, i.e. Jeurian to Uriah.  Other versions of Jeuriaen may be Yurrie, Yerry, Jerry; and, even Jeremiah.

3. Common practiced naming convention. A common naming practiced was used amongst the early Dutch. Following this common Dutch naming practice, researchers may be able to trace their 1800 ancestors back to the 1650's.  This confirmed that Uriah, in this family, was original Jeuriaen [sp].

·       The first name of the eldest two sons named after their grandfathers; The second name was that of the father[ii]

·        First-born son is named after paternal grandfather

·        First-born daughter is named after maternal grandmother

·        Second son is named after maternal grandfather

·        Second daughter is named after paternal grandmother

·        Subsequent children were often named after uncles and aunts  

Kathleen Brandt

Be Historically Correct
a3genealogy.com
Accurate Accessible Answers
a3genealogy@gmail.com

 

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[i] Dutch Surname suffixes: https://www.dutchgenealogy.nl/suffixes-in-surnames/
[ii] Surname Suffix “ ens”  is most common in North Brabant.