A highly valuable source of information for Oud Aalten is the publication Boerderij- en Veldnamen in Aalten (Farm and Field Names in Aalten). It is an important reference work of toponyms in the municipality of Aalten, prior to the municipal reorganization with Dinxperlo in 2005.1 It provides insight into the names of farms and parcels as they were often used for centuries, before land consolidation and modernization left their mark on the landscape.
Objective and Content
The primary goal of this edition was to record historical farm and field names for posterity. This reference work contains a register with approximately 750 farm names and more than 1,650 field names. Additionally, it features numerous photographs, explanations of the naming conventions, and topographical maps.
The information was collected by the Oudheidkundige Werkgemeenschap Aalten-Dinxperlo-Wisch (ADW), under the coordination of B.J. Dorrestijn. The final compilation was established under the editorship of Loes Maas and Mr. A.H.G. Schaars of the Staring Instituut in Doetinchem, which later merged into the Erfgoedcentrum Achterhoek & Liemers (ECAL).
Historical Significance
The farm and field names reveal much about the history of the agricultural landscape in Aalten. They often refer to the location or use of the parcel, the families who lived there, or the professions practiced. For farmers, it was practical to use a single name to indicate where the laborer, farmhand, or smallholder (katerboer) needed to plow, harrow, or sow.
Many of these names were mentioned in archives and documents centuries ago, for example, to record ownership and occupancy. However, since the land consolidation, field names have fallen into disuse, and the introduction of street names in 1967 also reduced the use of farm names. For genealogists and local historians, however, they remain important starting points for genealogical research and the study of regional history. 2
Availability
Although the publication is no longer available as new, second-hand copies can still be found through antiquarian bookstores and private sellers.
Extent: 112 pages
Format: 297×210 mm (A4), landscape
Compilers: B.J. Dorrestijn (coordination); Loes H. Maas, A.H.G. Schaars (editing)
Publisher: Staring Instituut / Mr. H.J. Steenbergen-Stichting / Oudheidkundige Werkgemeenschap ADW, 2002
ISBN: 90-73667-53-4
Footnotes
- In 2024, Boerderij- en Veldnamen in Dinxperlo (Farm and Field Names in Dinxperlo) was published (source) ↩︎
- See also: Aaltense boerderijnamen verklaard (Aalten Farm Names Explained) ↩︎
