APPENDIX 2 - DUTCH NAMES
DUTCH NAMES & NICKNAMES AND THEIR ENGLISH EQUIVALENT
Dutch names can be very difficult to figure out. There are two kinds of Dutch diminutives: the
shortened Dutch name and the endearing Dutch name. The shortened name was used by the
Dutch for both males and females. The endearing diminutive was used exclusively for female
names. This diminutive form attached to female names as an expression of endearment was
formed by adding the suffix -je or -tje. As well, -je, -tje, -ie and -ke are also additions to a child's
name.
A boy with the Dutch name "Jan" will in his childhood very often be named "Jantje". It is also
used to show an age difference in place of Senior [Sr.] and Junior [Jr]. the father will be called
"Jan" and the son "Jantje".
Female names are slightly different. If a grandmother is named for example "Sien" or "Sina" the
girls Dutch name very often is "Sientje" meaning small/younger Sien, and this will be the name
given on the Birth certificate. Thus Sientje is her registered name, not just the diminutive.
As well, the suffixes -je and -tje, while normally used as a diminutive, are also used to create
the female form of the name (especially in Friesland). For example, "Eelke" is the male name
and "Eelkje" is the female form. "Hendrik" is the full male name, "Henk" the short form and
"Hendrikje" or "Hendrickje" the female form.
Following is a list of some English names with their Dutch equivalents, including both shortened
and diminutive Dutch forms when known.
Dutch Male Names and Nicknames
English Names
Dutch Equivalent Names
Shortened Dutch Names
Anthony | Tony
Anthonius | Antonis
Anton | Antoon | Toon | Tonnis | Antonus
Tony
Theunis | Teunis
Teun | Toni
Arnold | Art
Arnoldus
Arnold
Bartholomew
Bartolomeus | Bartholomeus Bartol | Bart | Meese | Meus
Bert | Burt
Bertus | Berthold
Bert | Mart
Cornelis | Cornelius Cornelis
Krelis | Nelis | Kees | Cees | Cor
Dennis
Denys | Dionijs
Nys | Nijs
Harmon
Hermannus | Harmannus
Herman | Mannus (see note)
Jacob
Jacobus | Jakobus
Jacob | Jokob | Jaap | Jakob
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John
Johannus | Joannus
Johan | Jan | Hans | Hannus /Johannes
Matthew | Matt
Mathias | Mattias
Thys | Thijs | Tijs | Tice * see note
Nicholas | Nickolas Nicolaes | Nikolaas
Claes | Klaas | Niek | Nico | Niekolaas
Peter
Petrus
Piet | Peter | Pieter
William
Wilhelmus | Willem
Wilm | Wim
Arjen Ronhaar shared his knowledge of Dutch names and provided The Olive Tree Genealogy
with more names and explanations. Arjen, his great grandfather, and uncle all are "Arend Jan
Ronhaar". His great grandfather was called "Arend", his uncle was called "Jan" and he is called
"Arjen".
Harmanus vs. Hermanus:
 Harmannus = Harman = Mannus. (can be Harmannes, Mannes)
 Hermannus = Herman. (can be Hermannes)
 Herman is a common Dutch name which could be changed to Helmar or even Harrie.
 But Harrie also can come from Harman.
Dutch Female Names and Nicknames
English Names
Dutch Equivalent Names
Diminuitive & Shortened Dutch Names
Alita
Aleida
Leida
Anthonia
-
Teuntje
Catherine
Catharina
Katrintje | Trintje | Trijntje
Cornelia
Cornelia
Neeltje
Kathy
Katharina
Katrijn | Trijntje
Cynthia
-
Steentje
Elenora | Nora
(Elenora = Lena*)
Eleonara | Nora (Lena)
Leonora | Nora | Noortje
Frances
Fransiska | Fransisca
Francytje
Gertrude
Gertuida/Geertruida
Geertje | Truida | Trui
Helena | Helen
(Helena = Lena*)
Helena | Heleen (Lena)
Lena | Heleentje | Leentje
Henrietta | Harriet Henriette
Henriet | Hennie
Jane
Johanna | Janna
Jannetje | Jantje | Jannie
Joan
Johanna | Johanne | Joanna
Joanne
Hanna | Janna | Hannie | Hanneke
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Magdalena
Magdalena
(Magdalena=Lena)
Magda | Lena | Leentje
Maria
Maria | Marita
Maritje | Marie | Ria | Marit
Margaret
Margaretha
Margrietje | Margje | Margriet | Margreet |
Greet | Grietje
Phoebe
Pheabea
Femmeke | Femmetje | Femke | Femme
/Famke/Phoebe
Sara
Sara
Saar | Saartje | Sytie
Sophia
Sophiia
Fytie | Fientje
unknown
Hendrika | Hendrike
Rika | Hendrikje
*Note that Magdalena, Helena and Elenora all become Lena and this makes searching difficult
when we try to work backwards to the Dutch diminutive Leentje. The original baptismal name is
often lost when the diminutive is used.
DUTCH CUSTOMS OF CHILD NAMES
Most Dutch families followed certain customs of child naming. The two eldest sons were named
for the grandfathers; the paternal one first unless the maternal one had some distinctive social
position, had more money or was deceased. Sometimes the first son was named for the
mother's first husband if she were a widow. The two eldest daughters were named for the
grandmothers. Some families alternated with the first son being named after the paternal
grandfather, the first daughter after the maternal grandmother, but this is not as common. If a
child died, almost always the next child of the same sex was given the same name.
DUTCH PATRONYMICS OF THE 1600S
by Lorine McGinnis Schulze
The Dutch were much slower than the English in adopting surnames as we know them.
Patronymics ended theoretically under English rule in 1687 with the advent of surnames, but
not everyone followed the new guidelines. In the Netherlands, patron ymics ended mostly
(especially Friesland) during the Napoleantic period around 1811 when everyone had to
register and select a family name.
The most common Dutch naming custom was that of patronymics, or identification of an
individual based on the father's name. For example, Jan Albertszen is named after his father,
Albert. Albertszen means son of a man named Albert. The patronymic was formed by adding se, -sen, or -szen. Daughters would very often have the ending -x or -dr. added. For example,
Geesjie Barentsdr. (Barentsdochter) is named after her father Barent.
An individual could also be known by his place of origin. For example, Cornelis Antoniszen, my
9th great- grandfather, was known in some records as 'van Breuckelen', meaning 'from
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Breuckelen' (Breuckelen being a town in the Netherlands). The place-origin name could be a
nationality, as in the case of Albert Andriessen from Norway and my 9th great-grandpa,
originator of the Bradt and Vanderzee families - he is entered in many records as Albert
Andriessen de Noorman, meaning the Norseman.
Thus we see naming differences over the generations: Albert's sons and daughters took the
surname BRADT except for his son Storm, born on the Atlantic Ocean during the family's sailing
to the New World. Storm adopted the surname Van Der Zee (from the sea) and this is the name
his descendants carry.
An individual might be known by a personal characteristic: e.g. Vrooman means a pious or wise
man;Krom means bent or crippled; De Witt means the white one. The most fascinating one I've
seen is that of Pieter Adrianszen (Peter, s/o Adrian) who was giv en the nickname of Soo
Gemackelyck (so easy-going) but was also known as Pieter Van Waggelen/Van Woggelum - his
children adopted the surnames Mackelyck and Woglom.
Sometimes an occupation became the surname. Smit=Smith; Schenck= cupbearer, Metsalaer=
mason. An individual might be known by many different 'surnames' and entered in official
records under these different names, making research difficult unless you're aware of the
names in use. For example, my Cornelis Antoniszen Van Slyke mentioned above, was known
and written of under the following names:
 Cornelis Antoniszen
 Cornelis Teuniszen (Teunis being the diminuitive of Antony)
 Cornelis Antoniszen/Teuniszen van Breuckelen
 Cornelis Antoniszen/Teuniszen Van Slicht (this is how he signed his name and might
have been a hereditary family name based on an old place of origin)
 Broer Cornelis (name given him by Mohawks)
Remember that there are tremendous variations in spelling of these names, and changes from
Dutch to to English record keeping in the New World affected the spelling even more.
Another thing to look for in searching the early records is to be aware of the different ways
names might be pronounced in different areas, or how clerks might write them down. For
example, a bo y might be registered as Jan "Kiek in 't Veld", and his father would sign with "Kijk
in het Veld". "Kiek in't Veld" is how it is said in the eastern dialect, "Kijk in het Veld" is how it is
said in proper Dutch. The father could write down it properly, but he couldn't say it properly.
The clerk at that time may have come from the West and just wrote down what he heard
without translating it. If you were searching such a family, you would have to look for both
lines.
You also have to be aware of the diminutives of regular first names, because the patronymic
might be formed from the normal name or its diminutive. For example:
 Antonis=Theunis/Teunis (patronymic of Antonisz or Theunisz)
 Matthys=Thys/Tice (patronymic of Thyssen)
 Harmanus=Harman or Manus
 Jacobus=Cobus
 Nicolas=Claes (patronymic of Claessen)
 Denys=Nys (patronymic of Dennysen or Nyssen)
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

Bartolomeus=Bartol or Meese/Meus (patronymic of Meesen)
Cornelis=Krelis
There's more to Dutch naming systems of the 1600s than this, and two articles that are
excellent are:
 Dutch Systems in Family Naming New York-New Jersey by Rosalie Fellows Bailey in
Genealogical Publications of the NGS May 1954 No. 12,
 New Netherland Naming Systems and Customs, by Kenn Stryker-Rodda, published in The
New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, volume 126, number 1, January 1995,
pages 35-45. NOTE: A footnote states that the text is a talk that Dr. Stryker-Rodda gave
at thye World Conference on Records and Genealogical Seminar held in Salt Lake City 58 August 1969, and it was originally published in the papers of that Conference, Area 127. The original talk was copyrighted in 1969 by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints.
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