Hoping to recapture some of the pride and strength which tradition tells me, belonged to our ancestors, I have made it my task to research our family. I leave it to my contemporaries and their descendants to draw wisdom as well as their own conclusions from the data I have assembled and hopefully to add their own findings. I should like to take this opportunity to thank all who assisted me in this work.
Three members of the family were particularly helpful, in fact, I should like to go so far as to say that "We were four in number. This is our work".

Dr. A.A. Bosschaert, Summer 1993

I am deeply indebted to my father for having implanted in me the love for the Family, together with an insatiable curiosity in all matters genealogical.
When I was 10 years old, I reported to the Registry Office in Utrecht. I asked the clerk if I could see the record of my birth. The clerk, gazing at the little boy over his glasses, enquired politely: "Don't you trust your parents, my boy?"
Well, I have collected 'Bosschaerts'; the way other children collect stamps and coins. At the time of writing I have managed to collect more than two thousand of them, alas I have lost count.
In the meantime I should like to thank my family for having sacrificed so many hours of my company in order that my research should see the light of day (in 1981) and I wish to thank all who have supplied me with information which they will find recorded in this work. I apologize for any errors I have made.
My special thanks goes to the late: Pater Jo van Brabant, SJ; the librarian of the University of Antwerp, Mr. Aalbert Bosschaart of Ijsselstein, Mr. N.P. Bosschaart of Stein in Limburg and also to Dr. Anton Bosschaert of Laren, and Mr. Paul D. Meijer of Rijswijk.
Finally I conclude my preface by dedicating this work to the memory of my beloved father, who sowed the seed of love for my family, a love which has given me so many pleasant hours and such a variety of mysteries to solve as well as a deeper knowledge and understanding of the history of my family and the world they lived in.
Genealogy has also seen me through many a dark night of the soul.

Rev. Anthony A.J. Bosschaert, Skipton, Victoria, Austalië, 1981

At the start of my genealogical research I systematically noted all the Bosschaerts, together with every imaginable spelling. Spellings which I have found in Birth, Death and Marriage certificates and in the Parish Registers. Thus I have checked the complete registers of the province of Antwerp from about 1600 up to 1870 for as far as they were present in the state archive. All these data have been processed by means of a genealogical computer program. During my research I have added other information from notarial deeds, alderman’s registers and other old documents. I am very conscious that not ‘all’ the Bosschaerts’ are mentioned. I might have missed some whilst consulting so many and varied records. Some registers have vanished altogether, and last but not least some records contain very obvious, and some less obvious, errors.
During my research, I discovered Mr. Anton A. Bosschaert from the Netherlands. He did some most valuable research relating to his ancestors, the nobiliary branch of (de) Bosschaert. He produced his initial findings in a genealogical work in 1950 followed by a second edition in 1982.
Our combined efforts inevitably led to close cooperation with some other genealogists resulting in the book `Zoons & Dochters” seeing the light of day.
Anthony Bosschaert made the results of his work, together with a vast amount of genealogical data, lots of supplements and references available.
Without the help of Mr. Anton and Anthony Bosschaert, the book "Zoons & Dochters" could not have been published; and I am very grateful to them. I also should like to thank everybody who helped me in my research with suggestions and data, or assisted with deciphering the many old manuscripts.
I hope that you will enjoy the fruits of our research, stimulate your interest in the Bosschaerts and that some others can build on our efforts. Furthermore I welcome your observations, criticisms and additions.

Rudi J.H. Bosschaerts, Mortsel, September 1993

Since 1996 our genealogical research can be consulted on the Internet. After ten years our data has been expanded so much, that I was obliged to make an 'update' of our Internet webpage and at the same time add some background information.
I should like to mention that the book "Zoons & Dochters" has been printed in a limited edition and in own management. It was never for sale to the public. Today the stock has been exhausted. A reprint, or another form, has not been planned.

Each supplement or improvement is always very welcome. Thanks in advance.
On request a Gedcom- or text subtraction of our research can be obtained.
For privacy reasons, information regarding living persons has been omitted, unless permission was granted.

Rudi J.H. Bosschaerts, Mortsel, June 2003