I am going to finish my Dutch Sojourn now - having given you my bird's art view of Amsterdam, Kröller-Müller and Westhoven over the last few weeks. Being in Holland, my unspellable unpronouncable maiden name V L I E T S T R A was just another familiar surname and there are loads of names ending in "stra" with origins in Friesland. My great great grandfather Andries Klaasen Vlietstra was granted his surname in 1811 (see the previous blogs 15th May and 16th May 2012) and I enlarged the photocopy … [Read more...]
My great great great grandfather
I was quite moved that my g.g.g.Vlietstra was literate enough to sign his name as the entries above and below had an X and "sy merk - his mark" written next to it. See the X.The signature of Andries Klaasen VlietstraThe surname as it appeared in the document You can see that he has practised this surname as the handwriting is not very fluent. The "n" at the end of Klaasen became an s. He has also muddled the V of Vlietstra, writing an s instead. Of course in those days spelling was often … [Read more...]
Calling all Vlietstras
"Before us Maire, the parish of Harlingen, Canton Harlingen, District of Leeuwarden, Province of Vriesland, appeared Andries Klaasen, resident of Harlingen who declared that he would be adopting the name of Vlietstra as his surname and has signed in our presence thus:Andries Klaasen Vlietstra"This document shows when my family was granted its surname in 1811. It is signed by my great-great-great-grandfather Andries Klaasen Vlieststra. My brother who has done all the genealogy got this copy when … [Read more...]