Names of Ships in the VOC between 1595 and 1650

by Sara L. Uckelman
known in the SCA as Aryanhwy merch Catmael

© 2006, 2009-2010, 2011Sara L. Uckelman; all rights reserved
last updated 13Jun11

Introduction

The Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC) or the Dutch East India Company was established in 1602, and remained a major trading industry until 1798. In this article we consider the names of ships making outbound (i.e., from a port in the Netherlands) journeys between 1595 and 1650. Many of the ships that went on voyages after 1650 were built in 1650 or before, but I have not included them here, because there is generally a voyage prior to 1651 where the ship is represented. These ships were primarily Dutch Eastindiamen, though there are a number of jachten (yachts), pinasen (pinnaces), and fluiten (flutes), and a few galjooten (galiots). In the tables below 'E' stands for 'Eastindiaman'. A total of 732 voyages were made. In various cases, there is not enough information to tell whether entries in different years for the same name refer to the same ship or not. In some cases, it's possible to group certain voyages under one ship entry because of the place and date of the building of the ship. When this information is partial or incomplete, I will group together voyages where the same information for the same is known. As a result, it's impossible to state for sure how many distinct ships there were. Therefore, the numbers in the groupings below are approximate.

The main part of the article will be a study of the names themselves. In the future I also intend to do some statistical surveys in terms of name patterns broken down by decade, as well as studies of the ship names by place of construction (where known).

My source says:

It should be noted that especially in the seventeenth century ships' names were frequently provided with additions which were not used in a consistent fashion. The AMSTERDAM (0431) was sometimes called NIEUWAMSTERDAM, the WITTE OLIFANT (0533) the OLIFANT. The most frequent name is given in the tables (viii).

A uniform spelling has also been chosen for the names in the tables, but there is little doubt that this uniform spelling is appropriate for the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries.

I would like to thank Paul Van Den Dool who helped me identify many of the names I couldn't figure out, as well as corrected me in some of my errors.

Names grouped by type of name

Names grouped by type of ship, then type of name

There is also a table of frequency of names types by decade of voyage.


Ships Named for Cities & Regions in the Netherlands

Ship nameShip typeDates of voyagesNotes
's GravenhageE1628, 1634
's HertogenboschE1632, 1637, 1640
Akerslootjacht1636, 1640
AlkmaarE1601
AlkmaarE1620, 1625
Amstelveenfluit1626
AmsterdamE1595
AmsterdamE1598, 1603, 1623
AmsterdamE1600
AmsterdamE1601
AmsterdamE1605, 1607, 1619
AmsterdamE1632, 1634, 1636, 1639, 1640, 1643
ArnemuidenE1621
Arnemuidenjacht1638
AssendelftE1628
Beetsjacht1629
Bergen op Zoomjacht1641
Berkhoutfluit1640, 1643
Beverwijkjacht1626
Bleiswijkjacht1632
BommelE1626
BredaE1638, 1640, 1643, 1645, 1649
Breedamjacht1632
Breskensjacht1642
Broekerhavenjacht1629
Broekoordfluit1637
BrouwershavenE1627
BurenE1628
Castricumfluit1639
Delfshavenjacht1621, 1625, 1627, 1630, 1632, 1642
DelftE1600
DelftE1607, 1613, 1618, 1620, 1623
DelftE1642, 1646, 1649
Delftjacht1603
den Brieljacht1626
DeventerE1629
DiemenE1626
Domburgjacht1626
DordrechtE1600
DordrechtE1603, 1618, 1624, 1628
DordrechtE1620
DordrechtE1626aka Maagd van Dordrecht 'virgin of Dordrecht'
Edamfluit1621
EendrachtE1602, 1605, 1615
EendrachtE1616, 1619, 1623
Eendrachtfluit1640
Eendrachtjacht1598
Eenhoornjacht1617, 1618, 1620
EnkhuizenE1614
EnkhuizenE1618, 1636, 1638, 1640, 1644, 1647, 1649
Enkhuizenjacht1601, 1603
Franekerjacht1639
Frieslandjacht1598, 1599
Gapingejacht1644
Geünieerde ProvinciënE1603, 1607, 1612'united provinces'
Geünieerde ProvinciënE1605'united provinces'
GelderlandE1598, 1601, 1603, 1606, 1607
GelderlandE1611
Gorkumfluit1621
GoudaE1604, 1606, 1610, 1620, 1624
Goudajacht1600
Graftfluit1637
GroningenE1620
Grotebroekjacht1626, 1630
HaarlemE1600
HaarlemE1636, 1639, 1643
HaarlemE1646
Haarlemjacht1620
HarderwijkE1636, 1640
Heemstedefluit1640, 1642
Heusdenjacht1621, 1625
Hillegersbergfluit1644
Hof van HollandE1599, 1603, 1630
Hof van HollandE1634, 1639
Hof van ZeelandE1643, 1645, 1648, 1650
HollandiaE1595, 1598, 1599aka Hollandes Leeuw 'Dutch Lion'
HollandiaE1602, 1607, 1613, 1619, 1623, 1624, 1626, 1629, 1631, 1635, 1636, 1639These are probably not all the same ship.
HoornE1601
HoornE1603, 1607, 1613, 1618, 1632, 1633, 1637
HoornE1615renamed Zuider Eendracht
Huisduinenfluit1631
IJsselsteinjacht1632
Kampenfluit1646
Kampenjacht1627
KatwijkE1630
LeeuwardenE1629, 1632, 1634, 1639, 1642, 1645, 1649
LeidenE1600, 1623, 1625, 1631
LeidenE1619, 1628
Lillojacht1641
Limmenjacht1639
Lissejacht1639
Maaslandfluit1644
MaastrichtE1634, 1637, 1640, 1642
Medemblikjacht1603, 1608, 1619, 1623
MiddelburgE1620, 1622
MiddleburgE1601, 1605, 1607, 1613, 1630, 1632, 1636, 1639, 1642, 1645These are probably not all the same ship.
Monnikendamfluit1621
Muidenjacht1620
Naardenjacht1620, 1623
NassauE1599, 1602, 1605, 1613
NassauE1627, 1630, 1633, 1634, 1636, 1639, 1641, 1644
NederlandE1599
NijmegenE1629
Noord-HollandE1620
Noordmunsterfluit1647, 1648
Noordwijkjacht1630
OranjeE1605
OranjeE1610, 1612
OranjeE1620, 1623
OranjeE1644, 1647, 1649
OudwaterE1632
OverijsselE1598, 1599formerly Duifje
Overschiefluit1644
Pettenfluit1634, 1640
Popkensburgjacht1647
Purmerendjacht1620
Rijnsburgjacht1637
Rijswijkjacht1630
Rithemfluit1634
Roemerswaaljacht1636
RotterdamE1602
RotterdamE1607, 1612
RotterdamE1641, 1644, 1647, 1648
Sas van Gentjacht1645
Schagenfluit1633
SchiedamE1620, 1625, 1628, 1644, 1648, 1650
Schoonhovenjacht1619, 1623, 1625
Slotenjacht1626
ter GoesE1602
ter GoesE1610, 1629
ter Tholenjacht1617, 1619, 1625, 1628
ter VeereE1606, 1610, 1615, 1627, 1630, 1633
Terschellingjacht1627
TexelE1627
Uitgeestfluit1640
UtrechtE1598, 1601
UtrechtE1627, 1631
Valkenburgjacht1637
Veenhuizenjacht1632
Velsenfluit1627
Venlojacht1632
Verenigde LandenE1599'united lands'
Verenigde ProvincienE1641, 1643, 1648, 1650'united provinces'
Verenigde ProvincienE1646
VianenE1627, 1629
Vlielandjacht1627
VlissingenE1602
VlissingenE1610, 1614, 1627, 1630, 1634
WalcherenE1606
WalcherenE1614, 1619, 1621, 1625, 1629
WarmondE1630
WassenaarE1633
Wassenaarjacht1630
WeespE1620
Weespjacht1626
Welsingenjacht1638
WestfrieslandE1603
WestfrieslandE1616, 1618, 1621
WestfrieslandE1642, 1644, 1647, 1650
Westzanenjacht1629
WezelE1630
WezelE1633, 1635, 1636, 1639, 1641, 1643
Wieringenjacht1627
Wijdenesjacht1637or possibly 'devotion, consecration'
Zaandamfluit1628
Zaandijkfluit1646
Zandvoortjacht1634
Zeeburgjacht1627
ZeelandiaE1598, 1601
ZeelandiaE1601
ZeelandiaE1603, 1607, 1612, 1613, 1618aka Nieuw Zeeland, Oud-Zeeland, Zeeland
ZeelandiaE1632, 1638, 1636, 1640, 1643, 1646, 1648, 1650
ZierikzeeE1602
ZierikzeeE1606, 1617, 1619
Zierikzeejacht1639
Zoutelandejacht1629
Zuid-HollandE1620
ZutphenE1632, 1634, 1636, 1638, 1640, 1642, 1644, 1647, 1649These are probably not all the same ship.
ZwolleE1636, 1637

Ships Named for Foreign Countries & Cities

Ship nameShip typeDates of voyagesNotes
AmboinaE1629, 1634, 1638, 1640
BandaE1606, 1611
BandaE1633, 1636, 1638, 1645
BandaE1642
BataviaE1628
CeylonE1606, 1610, 1611
ChinaE1606
Eiland MauritiusE1643
MalakkaE1643, 1645, 1648, 1649
MauritiusE1595, 1598, 1599
MauritiusE1598, 1602, 1605
MauritiusE1612, 1613, 1618, 1619
MauritiusE1621
MauritiusE1623
Taiwanjacht1650aka Tagoras, Tayonan

Ships Named for Animals, Fish & Birds

'hunting dog'
Ship nameShip typeDates of voyagesNotes
ArendE1613, 1642'eagle'
Arendjacht1607, 1623'eagle'
BantamE1606, 1611, 1616'bantam'
BrakE1629'hunting dog'
Brakgaljoot1640
Bruinvisjacht1620'porpoise'
Bruinvisjacht1645'porpoise'
Dolfijnfluit1640'dolphin'
Dolfijnjacht1615, 1617'dolphin'
Dromedarisjacht1646'dromedary'
Dubbele ArendE1627'double eagle'
Duiffluit1636'dove'
Duifjejacht1601'dove'
Duifjejacht1603, 1611'dove'
Duifjepinas1595'dove'
Gouden Gansfluit1644'golden goose'
Gouden LeeuwE1616, 1621, 1625, 1629'golden lion'
Griffioenjacht1607'griffin'
Griffioenjacht1623'griffin'
Griffioenjacht1647'griffin'
Griffioenjacht1647'griffin'
Groene Leeuwjacht1601'green lion'
Groene Leeuwjacht1611, 1617'green lion'
Gulden ZeepaardE1626, 1631'golden seahorse'
HaanE1642'cock'
Haanjacht1620'cock'
Haasjacht1623, 1624'hare'
HaringE1620'herring'
Haringjacht1643'herring'
Hazewindgaljoot1642'greyhound'
Hazewindjacht1609, 1620, 1623'greyhound', aka Windhond 'greyhound, whippet'
Heilbotjacht1620'halibut'
Hertfluit1639'hart, deer', aka Vliegende Hert 'flying deer'.
Hertjacht1614, 1616, 1618'hart, deer'
Jufferfluit1645'damselfly'
KameelE1625'camel'
Kemphaanjacht1627'fighting cock'
Kievitjacht1640'lapwing, peewit, plover'
Koefluit1646'cow'
Lamjacht or pinas1601'lamb'
LeeuwE1598'lion'
Leeuwerikjacht1642'lark'
LeeuwinE1598'lioness'
LeeuwinE1621, 1624, 1627, 1630, 1632'lioness'
Luipaardjacht1642'leopard'
Makreelfluit1622'mackerel'
Makreeljacht1644'mackerel'
Meeuwtjejacht1614'sea-gull'
Osfluit1646'ox'
Otterfluit1636'otter'
Papegaaitjefluit1602'parrot'
Pauwfluit1639'peacock'
Pauwjacht1607'peacock'
Potvisfluit1649'sperm whale'
RamE1601'ram'
ReigerE1648'heron'
RobE1640'seal'
Robjacht1645'seal'
Rode Leeuw met PijlenE1607, 1610'red lion with arrows'
Rode LeeuwE1611'red lion'
Rode Leeuwjacht1601'red lion'
Roekfluit1638'rook, crow'
SalamanderE1640, 1642, 1645, 1648
SchaapE1601'sheep'
Schelvisjacht1644'haddock'
Smientjacht1650'wigeon'
Snoekfluit1640'pike'
Snoekjacht1643'pike'
Sperwerjacht1648'sparrowhawk'
TijgerE1641, 1643, 1647, 1649'tiger'
Tijgerjacht1617'tiger'
Tonijnjacht1645'tuna fish'
Tortelduifjacht1623'turtle-dove'
Valkjacht1607'falcon'
Valkjacht1620'falcon'
Valkjacht1636'falcon'
Vergulde Pelikaanfluit1648'gilded pelican'
Vliegende Draakjacht1627'flying dragon'
VogelstruisE1641, 1642, 1645, 1648, 1650'ostrich'
Vosjacht1636'fox'
Vosjejacht1617'fox'
WalvisE1640, 1643, 1645, 1649'whale'
Waterhondjacht1640'water hound'
Witte ArendE1600'white eagle'
Witte Beerjacht1614, 1617, 1619, 1621'white bear' or 'white boar'
Witte Duiffluit1647'white dove'
Witte Leeuwjacht1601, 1605, 1610'white lion'
Witte OlifantE1639, 1643, 1646, 1648, 1650'white elephant'
Witte Paardfluit1646'white horse'
Witte ValkE1613'white falcon'
Witte Valkfluit1645'white falcon'
WoerdenE1621'drakes'
Zalmfluit1644'salmon'
Zalmjacht1629'salmon'
Zeehaanfluit1640'sea-cock'
Zeemeeuwjacht1643'sea-gull'
Zeewolffluit1644'sea-wolf'
Zeewolfjacht1617'sea-wolf'
Zwaanfluit1633, 1642'swan'
Zwarte ArendE1600'black eagle'
Zwarte Beerfluit1644'black beer' or 'black boar'
Zwarte Beerjacht1614, 1617, 1620'black beer' or 'black boar'
Zwarte LeeuwE1601, 1615'black lion'
Zwarte LeeuwE1605, 1610'black lion'

Ships Named for Astronomical & Atmospheric Features

Ship nameShip typeDates of voyagesNotes
(Grote) ZonE1602'(great) sun'
Grote AeolusE1611'great wind'
Grote AeolusE1614'great wind'
Grote MaanE1611'great moon', perhaps 'full moon'
Grote MaanE1614'great moon', perhaps 'full moon'
Grote ZonE1605, 1614'great sun'
Halve Maanjacht1609, 1611'half moon'
Kleine Aeolusjacht1613'small wind'
Kleine ZonE1605'small sun'
MaanE1598, 1602'moon'
Maanfluit1637'moon'
MorgensterE1599'morning star'
MorgensterE1614'morning star'
Morgensterfluit1650'morning star'
Noordsterfluit1638'north star'
SterE1602'star'
SterE1611'star'
Wassende MaanE1599'waxing moon'
ZonE1598, 1599, 1601'sun'
ZonE1611'sun'
Zonfluit1637'sun'

Ships Named After People

Ship nameShip typeDates of voyagesNotes
AemiliaE1632, 1634, 1638
Egmondjacht1630, 1633
Egmondjacht1636
ErasmusE1602, 1605
Frederik HendrikE1627, 1629, 1631, 1633, 1637, 1640, 1642Prince of Orange, 1625-1647
Hendrik FrederikE1598
Henriette LouiseE1637, 1641, 1644, 1647, 1649
Jong Prinsjacht1646'young prince'
Keizerinfluit1636'empress'
Kleine Davidjacht1628'small David'
Kleine ErasmusE1622'small Erasmus'
Koning van Polenfluit1645, 1649'king of Poland'
Maria de MediciE1639wife of King Henry IV of France
Prins WillemE1627, 1630, 1634, 1636son of Frederik Hendrik
Prinses RoyaalE1647, 1649

Ships Named With Religious or Virtue References

Ship nameShip typeDates of voyagesNotes
Aagtekerkejacht1644'Agatha's church'
Blijde Boodschapjacht1598'happy message', aka the Gospel
Capellefluit1639'chapel'
Concordiajacht1648'concord'
EngelE1613'angel'
Engelfluit1638'angel'
GeloofE1598'belief'
Goede FortuinE1617, 1619'good fortune'
Goede HoopE1618'good hope'
Grijpskerkejacht1638'Grijp's church'
Heemskerkjacht1639'Heem's church'
HoopE1598'hope'
Hoopjacht1598'hope'
Hoopjacht1608, 1612, 1623'hope'
Koning Davidfluit1639'King David'
Koning Davidjacht1623'King David'
Koudekerkejacht1630'cold church'
LiefdeE1598'love'
Liefdefluit1640, 1646'love'
Maagd van DordrechtE1626'virgin of Dordrecht', aka Dordrecht
Maagd van EnkhuizenE1602'virgin of Enkhuizen'
NeptunusE1640god of the sea
Neptunusjacht1613god of the sea
Oostkapellefluit1636'east chapel'
Ouderkerkjacht1626'old church'
Patientiefluit1646'patience'
TrouwE1598'loyalty, faithfulness'
TrouwE1616'loyalty, faithfulness'
Trouwfluit1649'loyalty, faithfulness'
VredeE1642, 1643, 1646, 1649'peace'
Vredejacht1619, 1621'peace'
Westkapellejacht1621'west chapel'
Wijdenesjacht1637'devotion, consecration', or a reference to the city Wijdenes

Miscellaneous Names

Ship nameShip typeDates of voyagesNotes
DiamantE1648'diamond'
Groljacht1631'joke' ?
Gulden Buisfluit1640'golden box'
Hollandse TuinE1602'Dutch garden'
Hulstfluit1646'holly'
Jagerjacht1614'hunter'
LangebarkE1598, 1601'long bark' ?
Lastdragerfluit1649'load bearer'
Meermanfluit1639'merman'
Oranjebooomfluit1640'orange tree'
Oranjebooomjacht1614, 1616, 1619, 1621'orange tree'
Postpaardjacht1617, 1618'post horse' ?
Rijpfluit1637'frost, hoar-frost'
Robijnjacht1649'ruby'
Safierjacht1650'sapphire'
Sluisjacht1645'lock, sluice'
Spaans GaljoenE1640'Spanish galleon'
Vissergaljoot1642'fisherman'
Wachterjacht1601'watcher, guardsman'
Wakende Boeijacht1641'wakened buoy' ?
Wapen van AmsterdamE1610, 1614'weapon of Amsterdam'
Wapen van AmsterdamE1613'weapon of Amsterdam'
Wapen van DelftE1620, 1626, 1629, 1630'weapon of Delft'
Wapen van EnkhuizenE1623, 1628'weapon of Enkhuizen'
Wapen van Haarlemjacht1618'weapon of Haarlem'
Wapen van Hoornfluit1619, 1621, 1627'weapon of Hoorn'
Wapen van RottedamE1621, 1628, 1631, 1634'weapon of Rotterdam'
Wapen van ZeelandE1616, 1619'weapon of Zeeland'
Zaaierfluit1640'sower'

Unidentified Names

Ship nameShip typeDates of voyagesNotes
Bergerbootjacht1615
Brakjacht1610
GaliasseE1615, 1627, 1628, 1630, 1634
Jonkerfluit1645
Noordstreetfluit1640
Oostzanenjacht1629
PataniaE1606, 1611
Postfluit1644, 1645
Postiljonpinas1598
Raropfluit1634

Frequency of name types by decade of voyagevoyage

DecadeLocal city namesForeign city namesAnimalsAstronomicalPeopleReligiousMiscellaneousUnidentifiedTotal
1595-159912234161130
1600-1609405207113178
1610-16192931910078480
1620-16296842204553111
1630-1639562113885295
1640-165042641157126120

Source

Bruijn, J.R., F.S. Gaastra, & I. Schöffer, with assist. from A.C.J. Vermeulen. Dutch-Asiatic shipping in the 17th and 18th centuries, vol. 2, (The Hague: Nijhoff, 1979).