Genealogie Online

The website

Genealogie Online is Dutch a website where users can upload their own family tree, similar to e.g. Rootsweb. Recently I received an e-mail from Bob Coret, the man behind Genealogie Online, that the website is now also available in English. A good reason to have a look at what the site offers.

What do they have?

Users upload their data, others can browse it. In the words of Coret:

"The average genealogist collects large amounts of information about his ancestors. The step to publishing this collection of heritage data and/ or collection of mortuary cards on paper or the Internet is perhaps (still) a bridge too far. To share this valuable data, I (Bob Coret) offer a helping hand. You too can have your genealogical data (GEDCOM) published by me on this site In four simple steps. The data is and remains yours, the data is therefore published with a named source."

The site is aimed at Dutch users. Indeed, for years the website was only available in Dutch. You can use it to find what Dutch users have found about their ancestors, and you can contact the uploaders - possibly Dutch cousins who researched your Dutch roots!

Is there an English interface?

Yes: The section of the website where the data is presented is available in English (and German). The section of the website where you can contribute your own data is only available in Dutch, though, probably because Coret wants the focus of the site to be on Dutch ancestors.

How do I use it?

Enter a name in the search box on the top right, and click Search for .... You get a list of uploaded family trees that contain that name, just click the one you are interested in.

On the image below, I searched for the surname Bansema:

The Dutch text at the bottom states that one person has registered an interest in the surname Bansema. The link to contact him leads to another website (also by Bob Coret) that is currently only available in Dutch.

Two users have uploaded a family tree containing Albert Bansema (1826-1873), though apparently the Van Puffelen family tree does not have a death date. Clicking on the name Albert Bansema leads to an informative page with a family tree, a timeline, and lots of background information about the time Albert lived in (much of that background info is in Dutch, though).

Click on the title, Genealogie Kloos in this case, to find (and contact) the owner of the data.

How much does it cost?

The site is free to use, but donations are welcome.

Conclusion

If you have 19th or 20th century Dutch roots, you will find Genealogie Online a useful site, and you will almost certainly discover someone related to you.