Van Zuylen van Nievelt

Van Zuylen van Nievelt is an old noble Dutch family originating from Utrecht. The family became extinct in 1947 as far as the Dutch descendants are concerned. In the 17th century, a branch settled in the southern Netherlands (later Belgium) and still continues under the name van Zuylen van Nyevelt. 

Van Zuylen in Utrecht

The first known ancestor is the knight Steven van Zulen, who early in the 13th century settled in Utrecht. His descendants married into leading families and built the castle called Zuylen. They later joined Nievelt to their family name, being the name of an estate and castle Nijeveld they had acquired. Their main fortune was a result of their activities in impoldering morasses.

The Dutch family became extinct in 1947. The Belgian branch has many members, until to-day.Genealogy 

The existing genealogy must, certainly for the first generations, be approached with circumspection, being somewhat problematic regarding the chronology of the succeeding generations:

Genealogy

Steven van Zuylen (around 1200), lord of Zuylen-Anholt

Steven van Zuylen (around 1230)

Frederic van Zuylen van Vecht (†Battle of Soesterenge 1282)

Steven van Zuylen

Jacob van Zuylen van Vecht

Steven van Zuylen van Nyevelt

Willem van Zuylen, mayor of Utrecht (around 1430)

Frederic van Zuylen (around 1460)

Steven van Zuylen (1440–1529), dike grave, stadhouder of Leerdam

Frederic van Zuylen (born 1485)

Steven van Zuylen (1530–1596)

Willem van Zuylen van Nyevelt, lord of Snaefburg (†Utrecht 1639)

Pieter-Frederic van Zuylen van Nyevelt (Maarssen 1604–1691), married in Brussels with Olympia Sindico (†1634) and a second time in Utrecht with Gertrude van Voorst. He was an officer in nthe Spanish army.

From the 19th century to the present, the name of the family was written as Van Zuylen van Nievelt. Members received recognition of nobility in 1814 and the title of baron was confirmed in 1822. Several members of the family lived in Barneveld where they built a castle named Schaffelaar.

Van Zuylen van Nyevelt in the Southern Netherlands

Pieter-Frederic van Zuylen (Maarssen 1604–1691) (see above), was the first of the family to settle in the catholic southern parts of the Netherlands. He was an officer in the Spanish army and married Olympio Sindico.

Genealogy 

Pieter-Andries van Zuylen (Oudenaarde 1649 - Bruges 1708), a son out of the first marriage of Pieter-Frederic, became the ancestor of the catholic van Zuylens. He was first an officer in the Spanish army and then in the service of prince Eugène de Tour et Taxis. He was appointed by him as postmaster general for Bruges and its surrounding province. He married Caroline Le Febure (1658–1723).

Their son, Jacques-Rodolphe van Zuylen van Nyevelt (Bruges 1691–1752) was also general postmaster. He married Marie-Anne van Steelant (1693–1722) and they had seven children. Amongst them:

Jacques-Antoine van Zuylen van Nyevelt de Gaesebeke (Bruges 1719–1779) married with Claire de la Coste (1724–1804). His descendants omitted to ask for confirmation of their noble status, after 1814.

Jean-Bernard van Zuylen van Nyevelt (1721–1791), general postmaster, married with Isabelle du Bois (1730–1804). They are the ancestors of all van Zuylen van Nyevelts in de Southern Netherlands, later Belgium.

Confirmation of nobility

Under the Unitedf Kingdom of the Netherlands several children of Jean-Bernard asked for confirmation of their noble status and of their title of baron. This was granted as follows:

1816: Jean-Jacques van Zuylen van Nyevelt van de Haar (he had inherited the estate of de Haar, from a childless member of the Dutch van Zuylens).

1827: Jean-Baptiste van Zuylen van Nyevelt (1755–1837)

1827: Marie-Dominique van Zuylen van Nyevelt (1769–1846)

1828: the sons of Joseph van Zuylen van Nyevelt (1761–1824): Jean-Joseph (1802–1883), Guy (1809–1852), the godfather of Guido Gezelle and Frederic (1814–1881).

1855: de sons of André-Patrice van Zuylen van Nyevelt (1772–1849): Jean-Jacques (1801–1875) and André (1805–1882).

Of the eight sons of Jean-Bernard van Zuylen, only Jean-Jacques (who had thirteen children) has male descendants up to this day. The eldest branch inherited the De Haar estate near Utrecht. They are the branch known as van Zuylen van Nijevelt van de Haar. The last male heir died in 2011.

One of the sons of Jean-Bernard, François van Zuylen van Nyevelt (1764–1835) was accepted within the Bavarian nobility. This branch became extinct for the males in 1906 with the death of François-Ghislain van Zuylen van Nyevelt (1836–1906) and in 1953 the last female member of the family died, Linda van Zuylen van Nyevelt (1874–1953).

Notable members of the Belgian family Van Zuylen van Nyevelt

Jean-Jacques van Zuylen van Nyevelt van de Haar (1752–1846), MP, mayor of Bruges.

Gustave van Zuylen van Nyevelt van de Haar (1818–1890), diplomat, married Julie Visart de Bocarmé (1823–1862) and baroness Leontine van Lockhorst (1830–1906)

Etienne van Zuylen van Nyevelt van de Haar (1860–1934), was able to restore thoroughly the De Haar estate, with the financial support of his wife Hélène de Rothschild (1863–1947). He founded the Automobile Club de France.

Egmont van Zuylen van Nyevelt van de Haar (1890–1960), diplomat. He was married with the Egyptian Marguerite Namétalla (1901–1996)

Marie-Hélène van Zuylen van Nijevelt van de Haar (1927–1996), a society personality and maecenas was married with François de Nicolay (1919–1963) and with baron Guy de Rothschild (1909–2007)

Thierry van Zuylen van Nyevelt van de Haar (1932–2011), last lord of the castle De Haar at Haarzuilens and last male descendant of the branch van Zuylen van Nyevelt van de Haar

Hector van Zuylen van Nyevelt (1833–1915)

Albert van Zuylen van Nyevelt (1870–1936), historian and keeper of the public records.

Literature 

H. Obreen, La maison de Zuylen dans l'histoire des Pays-Bas, (Tongerloo, 1933).

J. Gailliard, Maison de Zuylen, histoire et généographie, (Bruges, 1863).

Nederland's Adelsboek 25 (1927); 46 (1953), p. 547-557 (met stamreeks).

Louis van Renynghe de Voxvrie, Descendance de Jean-Bernard van Zuylen van Nyevelt et d'Isabelle du Bois, Brugge, 1964.

Luc Duerloo & Paul Janssens, Wapenboek van de Belgische adel, Brussel, 1992

Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels 120 (1999), p. 580-581.

Oscar Coomans de Brachène, Etat Présent de la Noblesse Belge, Annuaire 2002, Brussel, 2002, p. 35-56.

from WIKIPEDIA - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Zuylen_van_Nievelt