ORIGIN OF THE TIENKAMP SURNAME

The name Tienkamp originates from the Tienkamp farm in Noordbarge near Emmen in the Province of Drenthe in the Netherlands.

This farm (or what is left of it) is located in the place now called "Stortweg" and "De Kampen" near the former dairy factory.

The name of this farm has been in existence for many centuries now. The oldest document I could find, to this date, concerns a Pol Harms whose so-called "lijkpredikatie" (funeral) took place on August 18^th, 1679.

Since then, the name Tienkamp occurs more often. The name was spelled Tynkamp, Thyencamp or Thyncamp.

There are two families named Tienkamp:

My great-great-grandfather, Roelof Jans Engberts, calling himself Tienkamp, was born in 1771 in Den Ham (Overjissel). Due to the bankruptcy of his father, Engbert, the family separated. His mother, Janna Jurriens, his brother Jurrien (* 1773) and probably Roelof himself, moved in with Gerrit Hendriks Thynkamp in Noortbarge in 1786. Jurrien married Jantien Gerrits, a daughter of Gerrit Thyncamp in 1796. Jurrien later on used the surname Engberts.

Gerrit Hindriks (* approx. 1721) was born in Dalen (Drenthe). He lived in "Noortbarge" in house number 133 and had to pay taxes as a "keuter" (small farmer). The following was written in the "haardsteden (tax) register" about his son Jan Gerrits: "Arm, heeft nog koeij, nog gesaaij" (poor, but has one cow and has done some seeding).