Dutch Baptismal Names and their English equivalents

Dutch baptismal names are a genealogist’s hall of mirrors: the same person can appear under three spellings, two languages, and one very patient minister. What follows is a practical, historically grounded list of common Dutch baptismal (given) names used in New Netherland, the Mohawk Valley, and early New York, paired with their English equivalents or customary Anglicized forms. These are not strict translations so much as socially accepted swaps used in church records, wills, militia rolls, and censuses.

Male Dutch Baptismal Names → English Equivalents

Adriaen / Adriaan → Adrian, Andrew

Aert / Aart → Arthur

Albertus → Albert

Andries → Andrew

Barent / Barend / Berent → Bernard, Barney

Bastiaan → Sebastian

Cornelis / Cornelius / Crelis → Cornelius, Charles, Neal

Dirck / Dircksen / Diederick → Derek, Theodore

Egbert → Edward

Evert / Evertse → Everett

Gerrit / Gerritje → Garrett

Harman / Harmen → Herman

Hendrick / Hendrik → Henry

Isaac → Isaac (unchanged)

Jacob / Jacobus → Jacob, James

Jan → John

Johannes → John

Laurens → Lawrence

Lucas → Luke

Matthijs / Matthys → Matthew

Michiel → Michael

Nicolaas / Claes → Nicholas

Pieter → Peter

Reinier / Reynier → Rayner

Roelof / Rolof → Ralph

Rutger → Roger

Symon → Simon

Teunis / Antonius → Anthony

Volkert / Folkert → Walter

Willem → William

Wouter → Walter

Female Dutch Baptismal Names → English Equivalents

Aaltje / Aeltje → Alice

Agnes → Agnes

Annetje / Anneke → Ann, Anna, Annie

Apolonia → Polly

Brechtje → Bridget

Catalyntje / Catryna / Trijntje → Catherine, Trina

Christina / Styntje → Christina

Cornelia / Neeltje → Cornelia, Nellie

Dirkje → Dorothy

Elisabeth / Lysbeth / Betje → Elizabeth, Betsy

Eva → Eve

Geertruy / Geertje → Gertrude

Grietje / Margriet → Margaret

Hendrickje → Henrietta

Hillegond / Hilletje → Hilda

Jacoba → Jacobina, Jamesina

Jannetje → Jane, Jean

Johanna → Joanna, Hannah

Lena / Leentje → Lena, Helen

Magdalena / Lena → Magdalene

Maritje / Maria → Mary

Neeltje / Cornelia → Nellie

Pieternella / Neeltie → Petronella, Nellie

Rachel → Rachel

Sara / Saartje → Sarah

Tryntje / Trijntje → Catherine

Willempje → Wilhelmina

Other importants things to know about Dutch naming patterns

The early Dutch had a system of naming their children - the first child (girl or boy) was named after the father's side. The second, after the mother's side, and so on. This can provide researchers with valuable clues. It's also helpful to know that Dutch records often used the following:

• Patronymics (Jan Hendricksen = Jan, son of Hendrick)

• Diminutives as legal baptismal names (Trijntje, Grietje, Aaltje)

• Latinized forms in church registers (Johannes, Cornelius)

So, various records for the same person could be overlooked if you're not familiar with the alternate names. The church may have used one name, friends and family may have used another name, militia-men were sometimes given nicknames. Be sure to keep these points in mind when searching.

Also, regarding surnames, remember the Dutch used patronymics. For example, Hendricksen is a patronymic - "son of Hendrick". Alternatively, Hendricks was used. Peterson was used for a "son of Peter", but some used Peters instead. Later records often replaced the patronymic with a fixed surname, often spelled different ways on different records.

Example 1

• Grietje Pieters - Grietje is a diminutive of Margriet (Margaret)

• Margaret Peterson - Pieters means “daughter of Pieter”

• Peggy Peters - English clerks Anglicize both the given name and the patronymic

• Margaret Hallenbeck - Marriage folds her into a surname that may already have three spellings

Example 2

• Teunis Hendricksen - Teunis is the Dutch short form of Antonius; Hendricksen is a patronymic (“son of Hendrick”)

• Antonius Hendrickse - Dutch Reformed baptism records often Latinize the name → Antonius; Surnames were sometimes shortened

• Anthony H. Hallenbeck - English civil records translate meaning, not sound → Anthony; Later records replace the patronymic with a fixed surname → Hallenbeck / Hollenbeck

• Anthony Hollenback - Spelling settles only after several generations, with various lines sometimes adopting alternate spellings

Have you seen these names in your research? Are there names missing from the list? Tell us in the comments!

#dutch #namingpatterns #patrynomic #dutchnames