Van der Walt family

The father of the Van der Walt famiy in South Africa, Gaele Andries van der Walt was born in the Friesian town of Veenwouden, the present day Friesland in The Netherlands. He arrived in 1727 in the Cape of Good Hope after working on a ship of the VOC (Vereenigde G’octroijeerde Oost-Indische Compagnie). He got married with the 18 year old Johanna Weijers, daughter of Heinrich Weijers from Eppe, [Germany]? and Anna Elizabeth Gerrits in 1742. The couple settled on the farm Uijtkijk in the Roggeveld area where Gaele used to farm before his marriage. Gaele Andries' van der Walt died in February 1757 at the age of 52. Eight children were born out of the marriage, five sons and three daughters.

b1 Andries b2 Hendrik b3 Renske b4 Tjaart b5 Johannes Petrus b6 Anna Maria b7 Johanna Catharina b8 Nicolaas

In the next generation, 86 grandchildren, 43 sons and 43 daughters were born. Out of the sons´s families, one of the biggest documented families in Southern Africa was established. From the Roggeveld, the families have moved to the East and North of South Africa until they have reached the northern Cape where they finally settled permanently behind the Sneeu and Renosterberg Mountains. It is also from this area where the family name has spread to other parts of South Africa and the rest of the world.

On the 24 November 1758 , Johanna Weijers married again this time with Christian Godlieb Lessing, the father of the Lessing family in South Africa. This makes Johanna Weijers both the mother of the Van der Walt and Lessing families.

The history of the Family crest

The Friesian eagle and the Fleur-de-lis are shown in their original colours. The blue and the orange back ground on the shield reflects some of the colours of the VOC’s (Vereenigde G’octroijeerde Oost-Indische Compagnie) flag. There are two variations of coat of arms shown on the web site. Both colour variations are exceptable. Printing cost was probably the reason for using the design without any orange. This design is most commonly used by the ‘Bond’.

The half eagle represents the Friesian eagle which appears on their national coat of arms. The Fleur-de-lis represents France, Johanna Weyers’s country of origin at the time of registration. Research done at a latter stage on her back ground revealed that her family was not from France but possibly from Batavia.