Dutch name lived, by the suffix -ma or -stra ( of Frisian), or -ing or -ink (of Low Saxon origin). Examples: Dijkstra (after a dyke near the place they came from); Halbertsma ( after an ancestor called Halbert); Wiebing ( after an ancestor called Wiebe); Hesselink ( after an ancestor called Hessel). After 1811, many patronymics became permanent surnames such that Peeters, Jansen, Willems are common surnames today. The most common Dutch surnames in the Netherlands (as of 1947) and Flanders in Belgium are listed to the right. Meertens' Dutch surname database lists 94143 different family names; the total Dutch speaking population
Parliament of the German-speaking Community Parliament of the German-speaking Community The Parliament of the German-speaking Community ( or PDG) is the legislative assembly of the German-speaking Community of Belgium based in Eupen. The most important tasks of the Parliament of the German-speaking Community include the election and the supervision of the Government of the German-speaking Community, the adoption of decrees for the German-speaking Community and the preparation and adoption of the annual budget. The Parliament of the German-speaking Community has 25 members who are directly elected every 5 years, to run in tandem with the European Parliament elections. These are the only members who have