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February 8, 2012

How to Read 16th & 17th Century Handwriting

These are a few samples of early (16th & 17th Century) Dutch letter formations. I found them helpful not only in my Dutch research but for figuring out other countries' changes in handwriting. 

I used these examples to assist me in my research for my series of books on New Netherland Settlers (New Netherland being present day New York)

A-G Handwriting 16th & 17th Centuries

H-Q Handwriting 16th & 17th Centuries

R-Z Handwriting 16th & 17th Centuries

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing these guides -- I don't know how many times I have sat staring at a name, trying to figure it out! Can I print these out?

Olive Tree Genealogy said...

Yes please do print them out. They are also on Olive Tree Genealogy Facebook page if those are clearer or easier for you to get

Lorine

Celia Lewis said...

Very nice, Lorine. I love these kinds of handwriting guides for trying to figure out what is being said. Wonderfully useful! Thanks so much.

Peter said...

Congratulations on yr 9th birthday! And good luck with yr Dutch research.

Cheri Hopkins aka You Go Genealogy Girl #2 said...

Thanks, nice addition to our research tools for handwriting!

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for posting this. It is invaluable, especially with regard to the strange look of the capital "R" which looks like a "V" with a line through it. I have stared at what I though was a "V" for days.
Pam V.

Campaspe Library said...

Thank you so much for these guides. They have helped me decipher a few tricky documents. May I have permission to display them to the members of my Family History group - with full credit given to your site and link displayed, of course.
Victoria

Olive Tree Genealogy said...

Campaspe Library - yes thank you for asking. Go ahead and show the guides with my site and link displayed as originator. I will be publishing more guides as I complete them so be sure to check back!

Anonymous said...

Very helpful