Family tree Rijkeboer-Dikker

Welcome to the Rijkeboer-Dikker Family Tree

What began as traditional archival research in dusty DTB books has, thanks to cutting-edge genetic science, evolved into a profound journey through our biological past. This family tree is not based solely on paper records, but has been validated through advanced DNA research and anchored in the global human family tree.

The Ultimate Confirmation: Archives and DNA Hand in Hand

The paper-based reconstructions I created for both the Rijkeboer and Dikker branches based on historical records have been independently and conclusively confirmed through autosomal DNA matches on MyHeritage. To make this biological validation tangible, I make extensive use of chromosome mapping via DNA Painter.

On both my father’s and mother’s sides, I have now been able to genetically assign no less than 53% of my total chromosome surface area to specific historical ancestors. My wife’s ancestors are also currently being systematically mapped using this method. Because the shared DNA segments with distant relatives correspond exactly to the calculated lines from the archives, it has been proven that our paper family tree is biologically accurate all the way back to the 17th century.

Furthermore, through Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS via Nebula Genomics, FTDNA, and YFull), the deep biological blueprints of our direct paternal and maternal lineages have been uncovered. This has led to three unique scientific discoveries:

The Rijkeboer Paternal Lineage: The Primordial Drenthe Settledness (Y-DNA)

Our male lineage has been traced back through archival records to Roelof Arents, who married in Ruinerwold (Drenthe) in 1683. Genetics reveal just how deep these roots go. Our specific haplogroup, R-Y320025 (a deep sub-branch of R-YP1034), currently has only one registered carrier worldwide in the YFull database. This proves that the paternal Rijkeboer line carries an extremely rare, indigenous signature that has been continuously linked to the sandy and peat soils of the Northern Netherlands for thousands of years—since the Iron Age.

The Rijkeboer Maternal Line: The Rhineland Ancestral Mother (mtDNA)

On my direct maternal side (the matrilineal line), the origins lie in the Rhineland region of South Holland. The earliest traceable ancestor is Geertje Cornelisse, who had her daughter Krijntje baptized in Koudekerk aan den Rijn in 1684. Through a full sequencing of the mitochondrial DNA, it has been determined that this line carries the rare haplogroup H3h26a (classified as H3h on YFull). This lineage traces us directly back to the prehistoric Atlantic populations that settled in the Old Rhine basin after the last ice age.

The Dikker Maternal Lineage: The Achterhoek Agricultural Pioneers (mtDNA)

On my wife’s direct maternal side (the Dikker family), the documentary trail leads us to the clay soils of the Achterhoek. Her earliest traceable ancestor is Gerritjen Jans Wiscamp, born in Etten (Gelderland), who married Willem Bartholts van Hasselt on March 19, 1693. The latest genetic classification from FamilyTreeDNA (FTDNA) has defined her mitochondrial lineage as J2a1a1a2. This rare, continental maternal lineage—also known as the “Jasmine” clan—originated in the Near East approximately 4,000 years ago and migrated with the very first farmers to Northwest Europe, where it has been deeply rooted in the soil for millennia.

Where History, Archives, and DNA Converge

In addition to these indigenous ancestral lines, this family tree also maps the dynamic migration patterns of families who married into the community. For instance, our network intersects with the history of a French Huguenot soldier named le Croij, whose descendants later became intertwined with our own ancestors, the Pelle family, through the Zeeland polders.

The Rijkeboer-Dikker Family Tree is thus a living, scientific monument in which paper, history, and biology mutually reinforce and validate one another. I hope you enjoy discovering our shared history.

Sources

To research our ancestors, I use WieWasWie, supplemented by various genealogy websites and the Historical Record Collections — FamilySearch.org.

In addition, I also obtain information by searching on Grafmonumenten.nl, Graftombe.nl, and findagrave.com, as well as through responses on my website.

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has provided me with information.

Reliability

I try to verify the information as much as possible. This does not mean that all the data on my website is 100% reliable. Anyone who uses information from my website must verify for themselves whether the data is correct.

André Rijkeboer

Author of the Rijkeboer-Dikker Family Tree