Oud Notarieel Archief van Suriname
Item
Country
SR
Name of institution (English)
National Archives of Suriname
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
dut
Contact information: postal address
Jagernath Lachmonstraat 174, Paramaribo
Contact information: phone number
00597 430035
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
info@nationaalarchief.sr
Reference number
SR-NA-1.05.11.14
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Old Notarial Archive of Amsterdam
Title (official language of the state)
Oud Notarieel Archief van Suriname
Language of title
dut
Creator / accumulator
Notarieel Archief
Date(s)
1699/1828
Language(s)
dut
Extent
943 storage units
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
The Oud Notarieel Archief van Suriname (Old notarial archives of Suriname) fonds comprises notarial deeds drawn up by secretaries and sworn clerks acting as notaries in Suriname from 1699 to 1828. It includes wills, prenuptial agreements, contracts, inventories, mortgages, sureties, powers of attorney, certificates, bills of exchange, bonds, and others.
Particularly interesting for the history of the Sephardic community in Suriname are the Protocollen van de Jurators van de Joodse Natie (Protocols of the Jurators of the Jewish Nation), placed in between inventory numbers 780 and 803. They refer to the activity of the office of "jurator", created in 1754, specifically to assist the Jewish community. It includes the notarial deeds of "jurators" Isaac Nassy (1754-74), Jacob de Barrios (1779-86), Abraham de Mesquita (1792-99), and Isaac de Barrios (1811-19). The following are some examples of this series:
no. 788, 1779-80: contains information about the partnership between Selomoh Gomes Soares and David de Isaac Cohen Nassy, to open a pharmacy shop in Jodensavanne under the name of Soares & Company.
no. 789, 1781-83: includes the inventory of David Nassy's library. The range of books included those related to his professional needs. Nassy was a notary translator, a planter, an apothecary, and a physician. See Cohen (1991).
Other series of the Oud Notarieel Archief van Suriname include further information on Sephardim. It is the case of the Inventarissen en prisaties (taxation) subseries (nos. 152-301), which comprises inventories relating to some Sephardic planters and traders, such as David Nassy (no. 172, fols. 193v-201v). Each volume includes an alphabetical index. Another series of particular interest is Testamenten, codicillen en akten van opening van besloten testamenten benevens besloten testamenten, which contains wills of several Sephardim. These volumes also contain alphabetical indexes that are very helpful for researching their contents.
Particularly interesting for the history of the Sephardic community in Suriname are the Protocollen van de Jurators van de Joodse Natie (Protocols of the Jurators of the Jewish Nation), placed in between inventory numbers 780 and 803. They refer to the activity of the office of "jurator", created in 1754, specifically to assist the Jewish community. It includes the notarial deeds of "jurators" Isaac Nassy (1754-74), Jacob de Barrios (1779-86), Abraham de Mesquita (1792-99), and Isaac de Barrios (1811-19). The following are some examples of this series:
no. 788, 1779-80: contains information about the partnership between Selomoh Gomes Soares and David de Isaac Cohen Nassy, to open a pharmacy shop in Jodensavanne under the name of Soares & Company.
no. 789, 1781-83: includes the inventory of David Nassy's library. The range of books included those related to his professional needs. Nassy was a notary translator, a planter, an apothecary, and a physician. See Cohen (1991).
Other series of the Oud Notarieel Archief van Suriname include further information on Sephardim. It is the case of the Inventarissen en prisaties (taxation) subseries (nos. 152-301), which comprises inventories relating to some Sephardic planters and traders, such as David Nassy (no. 172, fols. 193v-201v). Each volume includes an alphabetical index. Another series of particular interest is Testamenten, codicillen en akten van opening van besloten testamenten benevens besloten testamenten, which contains wills of several Sephardim. These volumes also contain alphabetical indexes that are very helpful for researching their contents.
Archival history
By determination of the royal decree issued on December 22, 1816, the documentation of the Oud Notarieel Archief van de Kolonie Suriname (Old notarial archives of the colony of Suriname) from the period prior to February 27, 1816, was transferred to the Netherlands. Later, two new royal decrees issued in 1919 determined the transfer of a second collection of former notarial documents to the Algemeen Rijksarchief (later Nationaal Archief) in The Hague in 1921, which mainly concerned the period from 1816 to 1828.
In October 2009, Suriname and the Netherlands reached an agreement on the transfer of the Suriname archives, including the Oud Notarieel Archief, to the National Archives of Suriname.
In October 2009, Suriname and the Netherlands reached an agreement on the transfer of the Suriname archives, including the Oud Notarieel Archief, to the National Archives of Suriname.
Administrative / Biographical history
Regulations on the drawing up of authentic deeds were established in the colony of Suriname early on. An ordinance of February 19, 1669, stated that all deeds (namely contracts, sales letters, bonds, powers of attorney, attestations, mortgages, assignments, etc.) should have two witnesses present and pass by the secretary's office to be considered valid. It was also decided to appoint officials, known as "jurators" for each division of Suriname, to be present when deeds were signed. In due course, sworn clerks were added to the secretary, before whom deeds could also be passed.
In the case of the Jewish Nation, a new office was established in the year 1754 by the appointment of a specific "jurator". According to the instructions given to this office, this "jurator" was expected to perform his duties on behalf of the Jewish nation, and he was obliged to submit his protocols every six months to the secretary.
In 1828, new regulations were issued for notaries in Suriname, and it was determined that this office should be entrusted to six officials under the name of "gezworen klerken van de kolonie Suriname" (sworn clerks of the colony of Suriname).
In the case of the Jewish Nation, a new office was established in the year 1754 by the appointment of a specific "jurator". According to the instructions given to this office, this "jurator" was expected to perform his duties on behalf of the Jewish nation, and he was obliged to submit his protocols every six months to the secretary.
In 1828, new regulations were issued for notaries in Suriname, and it was determined that this office should be entrusted to six officials under the name of "gezworen klerken van de kolonie Suriname" (sworn clerks of the colony of Suriname).
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
Documentation is organized by types of documents or notaries. Series are organized chronologically.
Access, restrictions
Digital copies are available on:
Links to finding aids
Existence and location of copies
Digital copies of this collection are available on the National Archives (The Hague) website:
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2023
Bibliography
Published primary sources
Linked resources
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| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Nationaal Archief Suriname | Collections (official language of the state) |