English
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why must
the Project share its Genealogy data with other family members? 
2. How
does the Project employ its family database?
3. Isn't it
much easier to publish the full database on the internet?
4. Do people
sometimes ask that their personal details are not shared with
others?
5. Does the Project charge its participants any fees for a
research request?
6. Do you supply contact information,
like email addresses or telephone numbers?
7. Is there a
Verwoerd Family Crest?
8. Do you answer How-to questions about
genealogical research?
1. Why must the Project share its Genealogy data with other family members?
Genealogy is about family, and without sharing, it
has no purpose. Most people want to know more about their family ties and
their ancestry. It makes no sense denying other individuals the same
interest. 
2. How does the Project employ its family database?
In order to answer valid ancestry questions, it
is necessary to establish the family ties with individuals whose ancestry
is already known. The Project can do that by comparing the existing
data with the family details that have been provided by a registered member. If there is a match, the new member will be informed accordingly, and will receive
an ahnentafel that contains all ancestors we know of. The information is provided
under the strict condition that it is for personal use only, and is
therefore not to be published in any form.
3. Isn't it much easier to publish the full database on the internet?
Easier to
copy & paste, perhaps, but without any safeguards for privacy. The Project
pledges to guard your privacy. In order to make that true, it must know
who has access to the information, and lay down the necessary conditions. Moreover, the
Project becomes more useful for all participants when new data are added
over time.
4. Do people sometimes ask that their personal details are not shared with others?
The best
advice is that if you have knowledge of something that you do not want
made public, don't tell anyone! However, if you have a research request
it is inevitable to provide adequate information about your family. The
Project keeps genealogical data of over 20,000 individuals. In more than 20
years we have received 2 requests to remove a name from the
database, and we have complied without hesitation.
5. Does the Project charge its participants any fees for a research request?
A research request is
free of charge, irrespective of the result. The operational cost of the
website is born by volunteers. Your contribution of family details is
sufficient, and is of great value to the project.
6. Do you supply contact information, like email addresses or telephone numbers?
The project uses
contact information - your email address or, as the case may be, a postal
address or a telephone number - exclusively to supply you with genealogical
information. It does not disseminate contact information to other
individuals. In case of doubt, i.e. an obviously urgent request, the owner
of the contact information will be asked for permission, and has the final
say.
7. Is there a Verwoerd Family Crest?
Not exactly. We do know of a coat
of arms from the gravestone of a Iasper Cornelissen Verwoert
(Jasper Verwoert, son of Cornelis Verwoert) in the Dutch Reformed Church
in Breukelen, the Netherlands. 
The dexter party of the shield shows a double-beamed cross that resembles
a Patriarchal Cross, or the Cross of Lorraine. The sinister party has three
diamonds in a pattern that resembles a V over a W. The colors
are not known. We show two random variations. The real problem, however, is
that we have no solid proof of any living male descendants of Jasper Cornelissen, and that as
yet none of the Verwoerd tribes presently known has the right to use this
crest. Incidentally, some people try to take advantage of the widespread
crave for a crest. So, better beware of anyone asking you to pay for providing your with your (fake) coat of arms.
8. Do you answer How-to questions about genealogical research?
We do not pretend
that we know everything about the subject, but we do have some experience
as regards genealogical research in the Netherlands, digital resources in the
Netherlands, and the use of
certain computer programs. Registered members are encouraged to put forward
their questions in these areas.