Reconstructing the Extended Kin-network in the Netherlands with Genealogical Data: Methods, Problems, and Results

• Published in: Population studies Vol. 51; no. 3; pp. 263 - 278
• Main Authors: Post, Wendy, van Poppel, Frans, van Imhoff, Evert, Kruse, Ellen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Population Investigation Committee 01.11.1997; London School of Economics and Political Science, Population Investigation Committee; Population Investigation Committee, London School of Economics and Political Science
• Subjects: Age groups; Children; Demographic Change; Demographic research; Demographics; Demography; Descendants; Elderly; Family; Genealogy; Grandparents; Kinship; Kinship Networks; Methodological Problems; Methodology; Methodology (Data Collection); Netherlands; Older adults; Parents; Population; Reconstruction; Role; Social networks; Netherlands
• ISSN: 0032-4728; 1477-4747
• DOI: 10.1080/0032472031000150046

This paper discusses the use of genealogical data for the study of the historical development of kinship networks in the Netherlands, 1830-1990. There are two main problems in using genealogies: the year of death is missing for a sizeable part of the research population; and the information available on all relevant branches is far from complete. A mixed estimation procedure was used to impute the missing years of death. Overcoming the second problem is more difficult; the only solution was to exclude individuals without children from the analysis. If these and other limitations of genealogies are not ignored and the effects of various types of under-registration are carefully assessed, genealogies can provide valuable information for our understanding of historical kinship patterns. The empirical results, using data on more than 160,000 persons, show that demographic changes in Dutch society during the last 160 years have significantly affected the kinship configuration.