by: Gary Verver and halsema.org editors

Additions are always welcome & can be sent to our email address.

Why can’t I find my Dutch immigrants in America ? There are many reasons but the most common are that most of them adopted American sounding first names and\or the person recording the information, such as census records, spelled the name wrong. The following is a list of some commonly adopted given names for families immigrating during the turn of the century. Families that immigrated during the 17th & 18th centuries also anglicized their names however they choose names of that period such as Polly or Sally.

Aaltje aka Alice
Adriaan aka Andrew
Aengenietje aka Agnes
Ate aka Otto
Andries aka Andrew
Anko aka Andrew, Andy
Annetje aka Ann, Anna, Nancy
Albertje aka Alberta, Alice
Albertus aka Albert
Anje aka Ann, Annie
Antje aka Ann, Annie
Aukje aka Agnes
Benjamin aka Ben, Bennie
Berendje aka Bertha
Bonne aka Ben, Barney
Dingenus aka Dirk
Diewertje aka Dorothy, Deborah
Drewes aka George
Eilke aka Elmer
Elizabet aka Elizabeth, Betty, Bessie, Lizzie
Elsien aka Elsie
Emil aka Mike
Enno aka Henry
Fenna aka Fannie
Freerk aka Fred
Geerdina aka Dina
Geert aka George
Geertje aka Gertrude
Geertruida aka Truus
Geeske aka Grace
Gerhard aka George
Grietje aka Grace
Heine aka Henry
Helena aka Lena
Hendrik aka Henry
Henricus aka Henry
Hillebrant aka Herbert, Herb, Harry
Hillichien aka Hilda
Hiltje aka Hilda, Helen
Hindrikje aka Henrietta
Hindricus aka Henry, Richard, Dick
Hindrik aka Henry
Jan aka John
Jannes aka John
Jantje aka Jenny
Johannes aka John
Jurrien aka Gerald, Jerry, Jake
Klaas aka Nick
Klaaske aka Clara
Kornelis aka Neil, Connie
Kornelske aka Cornelia, Connie, Nellie
Kunje aka Caroline
Lenbert aka Bud
Liefke aka Lizzie, Lilly
Lieren aka Louis
Lukas aka Louis
Nieske aka Nellie
Magdalena aka Lena
Maria aka Mary
Marinus aka Martin
Martje aka Martha, Marge, Mary
Nicholaas aka Klaas, Nick
Pieter aka Peter, Pete
Pieternella aka Nellie
Popko aka Ko
Reind aka Richard
Roelf aka Ralph
Saartje aka Sarah
Simon aka Sam
Stijntje aka Christine
Take aka Tom
Teeke aka Tom
Tjaak(t)je aka Kate
Trijntje aka Catherine, Kate, Tina
Uilkje aka Alice
Wiebe aka William, Bill, Billie
Willem aka William, Bill, Billie
Willemina aka Minnie
Willemke aka Minnie
Zwaantje aka Sadie