Boers [OT]

[H.W.Fluks@kpn.com]

Sigvald:

> > For instance the Botha family's name is
> > derived from the German "Both".
> 
> Are you sure?

Of course I'm sure.

> First names as Pieter and Pik sound more
> Dutch to me.

They are Afrikaans.
When the German and French move to the USA, and integrate with the
English-speaking people there, they often change their first names to the
local habits. For instance a German named Gerhard is called Jerry in the
USA.
And the next generations will have local first names from the beginning.
First names are much easier to change than last names (surnames).
Similar things have happened (in the 17th and 18th century) in South Africa.

> Traditional German names are more like:
> Otto, Wilhelm, Adolf, Helmut, Friederich, Herman[n],
> Heinrich, Gerhard, Konrad, etc.

Otto, Willem, Frederik, Herman, Hendrik, Gerard, Koenraad are their Dutch
spellings. Not so much difference.

> we should mention that DeKlerk seems to be a
> name of Dutch origin.

Why should we mention that? I already wrote "many Boers are of Dutch
ancestry".

--Harry.