Saturday Surname: MUD

Intro
When I first came across this Frisian surname while researching my TUINSTRA family, I had to laugh. The phrase, "his name is mud," immediately came to mind! I have seen this name spelled as MUT once or twice, but generally, it is spelled MUD. It is most likely pronounced "moodt" in the Netherlands. I have been told that "mud" is a measure of weight equal to about 70 kilos or 154 pounds, although I'm not sure why it was chosen as a surname.

For those of you to whom Frisian is a new term, it is an ethnic and cultural minority of people with a distinct language more closely related to Old English. They live in the the northern part of the Netherlands and the northwestern part of Germany, where they are referred to as "Ostfriesen." The Frisians have populated the Frisian Islands, the modern provinces of Friesland and Groningen in the Netherlands and Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein in Germany.


Stories and History:

Ahnentafel #424 - Jan (dates unknown) - his name is known merely because of his son's patronym

Ahnentafel #212 - Aan Jans MUD (c. 1761 - 1828) - he married Zwaantje Jans (c. 1860 - 1836) and had at least four children. Their third child, Edser Aans MUD (not my ancestors), was born in Garijp, Tietjerksteradeel, Friesland, the Netherlands, so they likely lived in the area. The MUD family is probably the most migratory of my Frisian families that I've so far come across. Aan died in the provincial capital of Leewarden, and Zwaantje died in the municipality of Opsterland.

Ahnentafel #106 - Jan Aans MUD (c. 1786 - 1846) - the eldest child of his parents. In 1812, he married Aukjen Lammerts SCHAAFSMA (1793 - 1871) in Langezwaag, Opsterland. They had six known children, whose birthplaces included Leeuwarden, Blija (in Ferwerderadeel), Tzummarum and Wiedum (in Barradeel), and Sloten (in Gaasterlân-Sleat). Jan died in the municipality of Menaldumeel, while his wife Aukjen died in Leeuwarden.

Ahnentafel #53 - Aaltje Jans MUD (1825 - 1857) - the fifth of six known children, she was born in Sloten, Gaasterlân-Sleat. She married Auke Caspers TUINSTRA (1818 - 1898), a gardener, in 1848 in the city of Franeker. She was his second wife, as his first had died, leaving one surviving son. Together, Auke and Aaltje had six sons. The fifth died at four months old. Aaltje died in the city of Sneek the day she gave birth to her sixth son. Her husband married for the third time and the family immigrated to the United States.

Ahnentafel #26 - Geert Aukes TUINSTRA (1851 - 1928) - immigrated to the United States in 1874 with his father, step-mother and many siblings - read his AnceStory here

Ahnentafel #13 - Agnes TUINSTRA (1885 - 1921) - read her AnceStory here; a tale of tragedy

Ahnentafel #6 - William VALK (1912 - 1989) - read his AnceStory here

Ahnentafel #3 - my mother

Ahnentafel #1 - myself


More About the MUD Family:

1. Online database (I update this at least once a month): MUD ancestors and relatives (no info on living persons available)

2. Posts about MUD ancestors and relatives on this blog

My MUD Immigration Trail:

Tietjerksteradeel, Friesland, the Netherlands > Oopsterland, Friesland, the Netherlands > Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands > Ferwerderadeel, Friesland, the Netherlands > Barradeel, Friesland, the Netherlands > Gaasterlân-Sleat, Friesland, the Netherlands > Barradeel, Friesland, the Netherlands > Franeker, Friesland, the Netherlands > Sneek, Friesland, the Netherlands > Kent Co., MI > AK > Stevens Co., WA > Spokane Co., WA