Surname Saturday - Tuck

The Tuck surname, recorded as Tock, Took, Toke, Tuck and Tuke, usually is of pre-7th-century Norse-Viking origins. It derives from a Scandinavian personal name variously recorded as Toki, Toka or Toke, short or nickname forms of Thorketill. This popular personal and - later - surname, was a compound of the divine name Thor. That's the name of the Viking mythological god of thunder and the originator of "Thors day" or Thursday, plus "ketill", meaning a cauldron. 

The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Tucke. This was dated 1202 in the fines tax rolls of Norfolk, during the reign of king John of England, 1199 - 1216. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling. 

I'm a descendant of Joost Jansz Tuck who originated in Mesele, Belgium. He was married on October 14, 1589, in Ridderkerk, Holland, to his first wife, Beeltijen Dircks who originated in Wuustwesel, Belgium. They had 6 children. Joost married his second wife, Neeltje Warrebouts, a widow, on September 22, 1619, in Ridderkerk. They had an additional son. Jan Joosten Tuck, my ancestor, too.

Sources: SurnameDB.com, Ridderkerk Marriages 1579-1643, transcribed by C. Hutchinson, P.F. Klok, B. Tabbernee, J.J. Vervoet & J. Wisskink.

The 11-month-marriage of Niesje Kleinjan (1861-1887)

Niesje Kleinjan was born in Rhoon in Holland on October 21, 1861, as the second surviving daughter of Jan Kleinjan (1825-1903) and Maria van Leeuwen (1835-1870). Niesje was also the first daughter to marry. On February 23, 1886, Niesje became engaged to Bastiaan Klapwijk.

Rotterdamsch Niewsblad, 27-2-1886

Bastiaan Klapwijk was born postumously on March 25, 1860, in Charlois - now part of Rotterdam - in Holland. His father, Simon Klapwijk, had died on October 19, 1859, in Charlois, aged 49. His mother, Lijdia Vermaat (1837-1919), had been widowed at the age of 22. On August 29, 1860, Lijdia had married her second husband, Dirk Vermaat. She had additional children named Dirk Roodenburg Vermaat and Neeltje Elisabeth Vermaat.

In Charlois on March 10, 1886, Bastiaan Klapwijk and Niesje Kleinjan were married. After a marriage of nearly 11 months, Niesje gave birth to a dead girl on January 29, 1887, in Charlois. The next week, on February 5, 1887, Niesje died.

Rotterdamsch Niewsblad, 10-2-1887

Bastiaan Klapwijk married his second wife, Maartje Kluifhoofd (1868-1920), on May 13, 1891, in Charlois. They had two children named Dirk Klapwijk and Wilhelmina Klapwijk. A widower again, Bastiaan Klapwijk died on December 3, 1933, in Rotterdam, aged 73.

Sources: WieWasWie.nl, Delpher.nl, Stadsarchief.Rotterdam.nl/.

Pieter Koomans drowned in 1864

Skipper Johannes Josephes Killian was living in Rotterdam and working as a skipper at a Dutch Ship named "Koning Willem III". He made a declaration that on September 3, 1864, around 23:00, he was sailing at sea at 52° north latitude and 3° east longitude, when purser Pieter Koomans, aged 24, fell overboard and drowned. He drowned in the North Sea.

Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant, 10-9-1863

Pieter Koomans was born on September 9, 1839, around 03:00 in Delft, as a younger son of Jacobus Koomans (1797-1874) and Anna Margaretha Wonders (1797-1860). His grandfather was Nicolaas Koomans (±1752-1829).
Pieter Koomans had two elder brothers: Hendrik Anthoon Koomans (1827-1861), who died childless, aged 33, and schoolteacher Nicolaas Koomans (1882-1910) who was married and had children, including professor Nicolaas Koomans (1879-1845).

Sources: Delft Archive, West-Brabant Archive, Delpher Newspapers, Huygens Knaw Resources. 

3 Otterspoor brothers in Australia

The Australian Anzacs website shows the records for Dutch immigrants in Australia who enlisted as soldiers in World War I. Among them are 3 brothers of the Otterspoor family: Servaas (“John”), Arnoldus (“Harry”) and Franciscus Jacobus (“Frank”). John Otterspoor is listed in 1917 as being an engineer, born in Utrecht, The Netherlands, aged 24 years and 2 months, and married to "Trintje". In fact, John and Arnold were born as twins in Utrecht on 19-11-1892. Their mother was 19-year-old and single Hendrika Johanna van Kesteren. She was born on 7-10-1873 in Amersfoort. Her parents are Arnoldus van Kesteren and Engelina Welling.

Servaas ("John")

Arnoldus ("Harry")

Franciscus Jacobus ("Frank")