Dutch Genealogy - Happy Birthday Grandma!

A couple nights ago I found a website called genlias which is a combination of birth, marriage and death records from archives in the Netherlands. Since my grandmother is 100% Dutch I was excited to see what family information I might be able to find. My grandmother had heard mention of some of her ancestors being from the Friesland area in the Netherlands, but I had not found any actual Dutch records before. This website was amazing. In just a few days I have traced my grandmother's family back 7 generations (into the 1700's). Given more time I know that there's a lot more information to find - but since it's my grandmother's birthday today I thought I'd publish a quick summary of the names that we now know (by generation).

First - a quick map to show some of the different areas that the various families came from. If you click on any of the blue markers they will tell you what family name came from that place. The one near the very top is Anjum which is in Friesland (just as my grandmother had heard). This is where the Veldkamp's came from. In fact - I found out that Johannes Nicolaas Veldkamp was a watchmaker there before he left and came here with his family in 1881.


View Veldkamps in a larger map

Parents (2/2):
John Veldkamp
Cora van der Aa

Grandparents (4/4):
Yme (Samuel) Veldkamp
Jane de Ruiter
John Michael van der Aa
Agnes Santifort

Great-Grandparents (8/8):
Johannes Nicolaas Veldkamp
Riemke Jacobs Eelkema
Jan de Ruiter
Hendrikjen van de Wetering
Michael (Giel) van der Aa
Johanna van der Aa
Pieter Santifort
Cornelia van der Bok

Great-Great-Grandparents (16/16):
Johan Hendrik Veldkamp
Maria Elisabeth Renegie Stutsman
Jacob Eelkes Eelkema
Aaltje Jans Sjoordema
William Teunis de Ruiter
Aaltje Jansen Broek
Jan van de Wetering
Fennegjen van de Weerd
Arie van der Aa
Magteldje Baardwijk
Leendert van der Aa
Johanna Vogel
Lucas Santifort
Neeltje Korte
Paulus van der Bok
Grietje Witte

Great-Great-Great-Grandparents (25/32):
unknown Veldkamp
unknown
Johan Nicolaas Stutsman
unknown
unknown Eelkema
unknown
unknown Sjoordema
unknown
Teunis Gerrits de Ruiter
Hendrikje Willems
Jans Davids Broek
Marrigje Barteis van der Kolk
Hendrikus Jans van de Wetering
Jennigjen Hendriks
Arend Mertens van de Weerd
Johanna Scheppink
Klaas van der Aa
Lijntje Scheer
Michiel Baardwijk
Gerrigje Huisman
Gerrit van der Aa
Hadewijn den Branker
Jacob Arieszn Vogel
Annigje Gijsbertsdr Heijkoop
Leendert Santifort
Lientje Kloosterman
Aart Korte
Jannetje Braad
Jan van der Bok
Cornelia Mierop
Willem Witte
Aagje van der Meulen

Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandparents (12/64):
Leendert van der Aa (father of Gerrit)
Lena Menkelis (mother of Gerrit)
Jan Braad (father of Jannetje)
Teutje Arensd de Voogel (mother of Jannetje)
Paulus van der Bok (father of Jan)
Geertruijd Fransdr Brinkman (mother of Jan)
Krijn Mierop (father of Cornelia)
Elizabeth Ruijt (mother of Cornelia)
Cornelis Witte (father of Willem)
Grietje de Vogel (mother of Willem)
Fransciscus van der Meulen (father of Aagje)
Christina van der Hoef (mother of Aagje)

Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandparents (8/128):
Jan van der Bok (father of Paulus)
Gooltje Tanis (mother of Paulus)
Gerrit Ruijt (father of Elizabeth)
Baaltje Abramsdr Westhoeve (mother of Elizabeth)
Willem Witte (father of Cornelis)
Johann Ariaanse Cole (mother of Cornelis)
Jan de Vogel (father of Grietje)
Klaartje Tanis (mother of Grietje)