Notes on our index files

In principle, index files are created using the data as they appear in the original records. There are a few exceptions, however:

• Republican dates are converted to the common format, e.g. "12 nivose 8" becomes "2 januari 1800".
• Obvious factual errors are corrected. For example, if one record in a consecutive list of records is dated with a month that places it in time before the preceding records, then that month is corrected. Corrected text appears in a red type face in the index files. Also errors reported by the users appear in the same red type face.
• Missing information that is easily retrievable from other records, e.g. the name of the mother of a child where there is more than one in the family, is indicated using a blue font colour.
• If we do not have a digital image of a record, but information about it was retrieved from other sources, then this is indicated with the phrase "geen akte" in the comment field of the index file, and the relevant fields are given a pink background colour.
• The number of first names of any person is limited to four in the index files. If first names have been omitted because the person has more than four, a mint background colour is used.
• If the gender of a person as specified in the record does not appear to be correct (e.g. first name Josephina but male gender), then the latter is not changed but given using a golden background.
• If the name or first name of a person is not specified in a record, this is indicated as "NN" in the index files, e.g. Vermeulen, NN. If we can not read the name, this is indicated as "onleesbaar", e.g. Vermeulen, onleesbaar.
• If surnames or place names start with a single quotation mark, e.g. 's Jegers or 's Hertogenbosch, then that quotation mark is placed after the first letter, e.g. s' Jegers. This is done to allow correct sorting of the data.
  
• Minor differences in spelling are applied. In the early 1800's, "y" was written as "ij", and "ij" as "y" (e.g. "Thijs" is now "Thys"). It was also common to write "ss" as "fs" or "ff". Hence "Dafsen" or "Daffen" is entered as "Dassen".
• If the name of a person is written in different ways within the same record, then we choose one version and put that in the index. This does not apply to the spelling used in a signature. Thus if the record mentiones "Tubix" but that person signs as "Tubecx", then the former is used.