Decree of Napoleon (1811) on family-names in the Netherlands
In the Palace of St.Cloud, August the 18th 1811"
Napoleon, Emperor of the French, King of Italy, Protector of the Rhine-alliance,
Negotiator of the Swiss Alliance. On the report of our Supreme-Judge Minister of Justice;
Respecting our Decree of July 20th 1808; Consulting our Statescouncil;
We made the following decree:
Our subjects in the departments of the former Holland, Mouths of the Rhine, Mouths of
the Scheldt, the county of Breda, which did not have a regular family or first name, must
during the year of the announcement of our current decree adopt one and register this name
at the register of the civil town, where they are living.
Names of cities will not be allowed as family names. First names are accepted like the
which are allowed by law of the II germinal in the II th year.
The mayors which register the inhabitants of their towns, will check and give notice to the
government that the previous articles were respected. They are also bound to inform the
government about civilians who have changed their name without conducting according to the
rules of the above mentioned law of II Germinal IIth year.
The subjects the departments of the former Holland, mouths of the Rhine, mouths of the
Scheldt, the county of Breda, which already carry for a longer time well known names and
first names which were originated in those towns are excluded from the rules of the current
decree.
The subjects, of the previous article, which want to keep their name and first names,
are bound to register themselves in the town where they live or in the town where they are
planning to settle: this all within the time as mentioned in article 1.
The family name, which the father, or, by indeposition of him, the grandfather on the
fathers side, will accept ,or which name will be granted, will be given to all children, which
will be
bound, to carry the same family name in the certificates; therefore the father, or,
by indisposition the grandfather, the children and grandchildren will mention in his
registration as well as the placeof living; and for our subjects who's father, or by
his indeposition, their grandfather is still alive, have only to state that he is alive
and give his place of living.
Those, which by the current decree not act according to the given formalities and time,
and those, which, in some public paper or private agreement, arbitrary and not act following
the rules of the II germinal IIth year, have changed their names, will be punished in accordance
with the applicable laws.
Our supreme judge-minister of justice and our minister of internal affairs are, for
their respective duties in charge with the execution of the current Decree, which will
be placed in the bulletin of laws.
(signed.) NAPOLEON
Representing the Emperor, the Minister Secretary of State,
Supplementary comment:
The "Burgerlijke Stand" (Registration Service/Civil Registration) was an idea of the French,
introduced 1792 in France, 1796 in Belgium, Dutch Limburg and Zeeuws-Vlaanderen. (Maastricht,
capital of Limburg already had Civil Registration introduced in 1794), 1811 in the Netherlands
Though officially introduced in 1796, it lasted till 1803 that Civil Registration in Belgium
was accomplished completely. So Napoleon's Decree on family names of 1811 for the Netherlands
didn't immediately lead to the adoption of fixed family names by all Dutch inhabitants.
Especially in the northern provinces Groningen and Friesland many families just persisted in
using patronymics the old way. Generally, the genealogist can assume that fixed family names
for all Dutch and Belgians were a fact from the year 1825. So it's not impossible that while
tracing your ancestors in the Netherlands you will still find some with varying names or
patronymics between 1811 and 1825!
rabbel.nl/genealogy.html#napoleon
