JOHN VS JAN
DUTCH NAMES AND THEIR ENGLISH EQUIVALENT
For someone just starting Dutch research, a Dutch name is like a foreign word. To add to this, the Dutch had a habit of "feminizing" male names. It was very important to carry down the paternal grandfather's name, and if a Dutch couple seemed to be having girls only, they might make a feminine name out of a masculine name. For example, Hans might become Hansje. This last name gives a clue to feminine names in Dutch. Names ending in "je", "ye", or "ie" tended to be feminine names. In fact, the j, y, and i were interchangeable, and thus you might see Antje, Antye, or Antie, all being the same name. Another thing to keep in mind, is that the letter J was interchangeable with the letter I. Thus a man could be John J. Post, or John I. Post and it could be the same person. Since the New Jersey Dutch would traditionally use their father's first name as the middle name until late into the 19th century, the researcher is left with the dilemma of what the middle initial suggests - perhaps Johannes or perhaps Isaac. These are all things to keep in mind when looking at a Dutch name. DUTCH ENGLISH
Johannes / Jan John