
RQG Around the World – John Boeren
We have chosen July to celebrate all things international here at RQG and here is a chance to meet a student member from the Netherlands, John Boeren:
Genealogy background
I started researching my own family history in 1988, when a brother of my grandfather showed me a list of names of his uncles and aunts. I had never heard of these people, but I definitely wanted to know more about them! In the following decades I worked on the families of my four grandparents (Boeren, Van Berkel, Jansen and Snoeren) and on my pedigree.
Genealogy was part of my daily work for ten years. From 1996 to 2005 I worked at the Tilburg Regional Archives. There and then I discovered that I really enjoy explaining to others how to do genealogical research. After a career as advisor to several mayors, I started my own business (Antecedentia) in 2015. Since 2018 I am a fulltime professional genealogist.
What I am working on now
Professionally, I am mainly busy with (a) client projects and (b) presentations and webinars. I mainly work for clients from abroad, for example American or Australian families with Dutch roots. That is why I regularly present myself at international events, for example in the United Kingdom or in the United States. I am also active in various associations and societies, and in other organizations.
After several courses from the National Institute for Genealogical Studies in Canada (Professional Development Certificate, Methodology Certificate, English Records Certificate), I decided it was time for (the modular version of) the Strathclyde programme. I have just ended the certificate and will start working on the diploma in October 2022. In the end, I wish to obtain my second degree, this time in Genealogical, Palaeographic and Heraldic Studies.
My favourite Dutch resources
In the past I have worked a lot with town accounts. This resource is undervalued by many researchers. While most accounts are of course primarily concerned with the numbers, the entries often contain references to individual residents. Those small snippets can be a nice addition to the more formal facts about family members.
One resource that I am also gaining more and more appreciation for is Dutch Reformed Church membership lists. Especially in the 17th and 18th centuries, these lists are of great importance in determining who lived where and when. In addition, they can be helpful in getting a picture of relocation movements and even emigration.”