Page 161 - Poat_to_Poot_Engels

One problem is determining the meaning of the word "bouwman", which is listed as the
occupation of many generations of Poot ancestors. Dictionaries generally indicate that
"bouwman" means a builder, construction-man, or architect. However, the surname Bouwman
is said to be derived from the occupation of farmer. Historical records support both
meanings. I found that H.K. Poot, the poet, is usually said to have started as a farmer and is
listed as both "bouwman" and a "boer" (farmer) in Dutch sources. Several old legal records of
Poots who were "bouwman" show the Poots owned land, owned farm animals, made contracts
to build structures, and leased land to tenant farmers.

Another problem comes from the many spelling variations used for people's names. This
often causes important records to be overlooked when searching old records without trying
many variations in the names. Sometimes you cannot be certain a record is for the correct
person if there are no other details to confirm who it is. If a listing does not show the spouse
or parents, you may be uncertain if records with spelling variations represent the same
person.
Nearly all of the places named are located in the center of the province of Zuid-Holland (South
Holland) in an area smaller than the city of Los Angeles. This area is sometimes called
Westland or Delfland, but could be nicknamed Pootland, since most Poots have remained in
this area for hundreds of years. The approximate boundaries are Delft in the northwest,
Zoetermeer in the north, Gouda in the northeast, Vlaardingen in the southwest, and
Rotterdam in the southeast. You should assume all Dutch locations in the genealogy below
are in the province of Zuid Holland (ZH) unless stated otherwise.

The dates are given in a Day-Month-Year format. It may seem awkward to some readers, but
is consistent with international usage.
Abbreviations for provinces in the Netherlands:
FR = Friesland
GL = Gelderland
OV = Overijssel
ZH = Zuid Holland (South Holland)
NH = Noord Holland (North Holland)

Co. = county, in USA, similar to a district or municipality in the Netherlands.
ca = circa, approximately
[nnnn] = individual identity numbers assigned at www.poot.nu. Useful for research.
( ) = alternative spelling of a name

Poot Family Lineage - Introduction