My Familly Tree

The research, the web site and the lay out are made by Stan (Constant Joseph) Distelmans
If you want to know more about him, click  here or on the picture for the personal Home Page

THE BEGINNING
On the 15the Feest of the Family descendants of Petrus Josephus DISTELMANS and Maria Josephina DAS on september 4th, 1994 was decided to make a Family Tree of the family Distelmans.  As youngest from the nieces and cousins I accepted this job, also because I am the only one from the site of my grandfather (Petrus Josephus) proceed the Familyname.

THE RESAERCH
From the beginning the research runs very good.  A lot of luck, many telephones and letters brings me quick to the beginning of 1800.  The book "De geschiedenis van Webbekom" (The History of Webbekom) from Dr. Frans Claes and the research in the National Archieves of Brussel put me in the right direction.
Also the Archieves of Diest, Mechelen and the V.V.F. gave me a lot of information.
On the moment everything was going not so good anymore and because of problems with time (job), I stopped for a few years with the research..  Begin 2000 I find back the courage to go on with it and in the same time I made this Web Site.

FROM WHERE COMES THE NAME DISTELMANS ?
During the research I find inmeediately that the name Distelmans was located in the neighbourhood of Diest.  Because also the name Diestelmans exists, it could be that the name is coming from "The man from Diest".
Consulting the book "Het woordenboek van de Familienamen in Belgie en Noord-Frankrijk" I learn that Diestelmans, Distelmans, Disselmans is a reinterpretation from Dies(t)mans, a derivation of Diest (Brabant).  They also make the comparation with : (van) Diest, Dist, van Diste, van Distel, van Dest, van Dists en van Disse, which refers the city of Diest (Brabant).
Also now we find the name Distelmans in the neighbourhood of Diest.

Speading of the name Distelmans (Infobel in 1996).

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