Jan Toe Harmsel

In 1475 the Bishop of Utrecht ordered a census in order to raise money to pay for the war with the Duke of Gelre, which was constantly going on. This is the first recording of the Ten Harmsel family under the name “Hermannishus”. The Hermannishus name came about because 3 houses at the rear of Werfstraat was where Hermannus the Enthere lived/owned. In 1602 the family name changed from Hermannishus to Hermsel, Harmsel, toe Harmsel, or ter Harmsel. (Werfstraat is found in Leiden, South Holland, and Groningen, Groningen, so I’m not sure which city is the correct one. Leiden makes more sense seeing as it is nearest to Utrecht.) Finally, in 1800, when Napoleon attacked the Netherlands, Napoleon required everyone to take an official last name. Until that time the names were based on the father’s name with “zoon”, “sen”, or “son” added to it.