Why does this man's mother and wife have the same name? Records are confusing.

Question

Hi all,

Below is the profile for Gerardus Ruijs Loij, who married a Maggeltje Hagens Hogendoorn in 1682. Gerardus is listed as a ''J.M. van Waerder'' and ''wonende in t' Oost eijnde van Waerder".

The only baptism I can find for a Gerardus Looij is the 1662 Waarder baptism of a Gerardus Looij, son of the Schout Cornelis Willemsz Looij. However the patronymic doesn't line up, though the date does.

Then I find a 1704 marriage of Rhuijs Cornelisse Looij, widower of Magheltje Hagens Hogendoorn! 

The way that this Looij line would seem to fit according to patronymic:

1. Cornelis Willemsz Looij, Schout 
2. Rhuijs Cornelisse Looij + Magheltje Hagens Hogendoorn
3. Gerardus Ruijs Looij + Maggeltje Hagens Hogendoorn
4. etc, already added.

So I'm a little confused here. Did Gerardus also go by Ruijs? Ruijs was a name used around this time in the Netherlands, but I can't see any instance in which Ruijs was/is substituted for Gerardus.

Any clarity that can be brought to this confusion would be appreciated.

Answer 1

The fact that in 1704, Rhuijs Cornelisse Looij is mentioned as the widower of Magheltje Hagens Hogendoorn, makes it very plausible that he is the same person as the Gerardus Ruijs who married her in 1682.

Sounds to me that R(h)uijs is short for Gerardus rather than a patronymic.

Gerardus -> Rardus -> Ruijs ?