I'm familiar with the etymological hypothesis that connects it to a nickname for Dutch Americans, although I don't find them convincing without doubt (but I am not acquainted with the vernacular of both 16th century Dutch and English in general, let alone the American colonies in particular.)
It must have been more than two decades ago that I heard Dutch people use it; it did back then refer to (white*) Americans in e very general sense, like one would use 'Krauts' for Germans, 'Frogs' for French people etc.
*Not explicitly; more in the sense that back then, an 'American' was thought of as a white person.
In any case the Dutch in the North are routinely called Yankees in literature on cultural Americana. Martin Van Buren of New York, former US president, for example. He even spoke Dutch.
Then there are the Roosevelts. Though they were part English and in Teddy's case he was a raving Anglophile.
It always cringe when I hear the name Roosevelt pronounced like with the 'oo' like in choose; I once read that 'Roosevelt himself' (but I can't recall that the anecdote specified whether this was Teddy or FDR) insisted it was to pronounced like in rose, which is what would make sense in Dutch. Btw I've never actually met, or referred to in contemporary media, someone named Roosevelt; it is a rather Dutch looking name though. (If names were codified with modern spelling, I suppose it'd have been Rozenveld.)
Van Buren is not an uncommon name. The present Dutch king has on several occasions used the alias Alexander van Buren, or a variant, for anonymity purposes, like when he signed up for the Elfstedentocht, a national skating tour (traditionally held in Friesland when the ice becomes thick enough, but because of the climate change, it has only happened sporadically in the last few decades), and when he enlisted at university; the name does occur somewhere in his ancestry.
Wikipedia brought me to this guy, Teddy's paternal grandfather:
Cornelius Van Schaack Roosevelt was born on January 30, 1794, in New York City, to James Jacobus Roosevelt and Maria Helen Van Schaack. He was the last full-blooded Dutch Roosevelt of his line.
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Quaestorr ago
I'm familiar with the etymological hypothesis that connects it to a nickname for Dutch Americans, although I don't find them convincing without doubt (but I am not acquainted with the vernacular of both 16th century Dutch and English in general, let alone the American colonies in particular.)
It must have been more than two decades ago that I heard Dutch people use it; it did back then refer to (white*) Americans in e very general sense, like one would use 'Krauts' for Germans, 'Frogs' for French people etc.
*Not explicitly; more in the sense that back then, an 'American' was thought of as a white person.
Joe_McCarthy ago
In any case the Dutch in the North are routinely called Yankees in literature on cultural Americana. Martin Van Buren of New York, former US president, for example. He even spoke Dutch.
Then there are the Roosevelts. Though they were part English and in Teddy's case he was a raving Anglophile.
Quaestorr ago
It always cringe when I hear the name Roosevelt pronounced like with the 'oo' like in choose; I once read that 'Roosevelt himself' (but I can't recall that the anecdote specified whether this was Teddy or FDR) insisted it was to pronounced like in rose, which is what would make sense in Dutch. Btw I've never actually met, or referred to in contemporary media, someone named Roosevelt; it is a rather Dutch looking name though. (If names were codified with modern spelling, I suppose it'd have been Rozenveld.)
Van Buren is not an uncommon name. The present Dutch king has on several occasions used the alias Alexander van Buren, or a variant, for anonymity purposes, like when he signed up for the Elfstedentocht, a national skating tour (traditionally held in Friesland when the ice becomes thick enough, but because of the climate change, it has only happened sporadically in the last few decades), and when he enlisted at university; the name does occur somewhere in his ancestry.
Quaestorr ago
Wikipedia brought me to this guy, Teddy's paternal grandfather: