Remember Us
Sometimes their names are the only evidence of individual enslaved lives found in written records. As you read the names of some of the enslaved women, men and children who lived, worked, were born, and died at Leeuwenhof between 1714 and 1833, take a moment to reflect upon the lives they represent: lives worthy of remembering and honouring.
On landing at the Cape of Good Hope enslaved people were stripped of everything, even their names. As 'property', they were renamed as slaveholders chose.
Sometimes their 'owners' gave enslaved people classical names such as Julia, Adonis, Cupido, or Cesar. This was an inverted joke as these were names of powerful people or mythical figures. They were also given Old Testament names like Adam, Eva, Rachel, and Job. Others were given insulting names such as Eenoor and Patat.
Some enslaved people were named after calendar months (from January through to December) which were called out by the auctioneers selling them.
These naming practices are visible in records of Leeuwenhof's slaveholders.
Many locals are descendants of formerly enslaved people and have surnames or names directly linked to the period of slavery at the Cape such as April, September, October, Africa, Damon, Maart, Cupido, December, Samson, Adam, Moses, Esau, and Goliath.
The Dutch naming system for enslaved people gives us an indication of where they came from. The following people were forced into slavery and brought to work at the Cape:
Patientie of Batavia, born in the present Jakarta, Indonesia around 1746. Died at Leeuwenhof on 30 April 1830.
Mey of Batavia, born around 1771. Died at Leeuwenhof on 26 December 1818.
September of Batavia, born around 1771
Baatjie of Batavia, born around 1766. Died at Leeuwenhof on 3 December 1823.
Cato of Batavia, born around 1746. Died at Leeuwenhof on 10 October 1824.
Snap of Batavia, born around 1766. Died at Leeuwenhof on 7 January 1825.
Dam of Bengal, born in the present Bangladesh-India around 1776
Simon of Macassar, from the present Ujung Pandang, on the island of Celebes, Indonesia
Sara of Madagascar
Pieter of Madagascar, born around 1788
Caesar of Madagascar, born around 1771
Azor of Madagascar, born around 1780
Patientie of Madagascar, born around 1771. Died at Leeuwenhof in about 1830.
Sabel of Madagascar, born around 1766. Died at Leeuwenhof on 20 March 1817.
Philida of Mosambique
Januarij, Februarij, Maart and April of Mosambique
Domingo of Mosambique
February of Mosambique, born around 1776. Died at Leeuwenhof on 12 June 1824.
Scipio of Mosambique, born around 1786
Africa of Mosambique, born around 1786
January of Mosambique, born around 1780. Died at Leeuwenhof on 9 January 1824.
Pietjie of Mosambique, born around 1776. Died at Leeuwenhof in about 1820.
April of Mosambique, born around 1792
Pero of Mosambique, born around 1771. Died at Leeuwenhof on 31 December 1822.
Mozes of Mosambique, born around 1788
Francois of Mosambique, born around 1771. Died at Leeuwenhof on 31 December 1822.
Michel of Mosambique, born around 1781. Died at Leeuwenhof on 20 June 1831.
Joseph of Mosambique, born around 1794
Louis of Mosambique, born around 1771
Simon of Mauritius
Francois of Mauritius, born around 1776
Apol of Mauritius, born around 1776
Sericus of Mauritius, born around 1756. Died at Leeuwenhof in about 1824.
Children born into slavery at the Cape were given first names, followed by 'van de Caab', Dutch for 'from the Cape.' Under British rule this became 'of the Cape.'
Cathrijn van de Caab
Adonis van de Caab
Philip of the Cape, born around 1788
Frederik of the Cape, born around 1790
William of the Cape, born around 1806
Carli of the Cape, born around 1800
Louis of the Cape, born around 1802. Died at Leeuwenhof on 30 April 1830.
Siloa of the Cape, born around 1794
November of the Cape, born around 1771. Died at Leeuwenhof on 5 April 1834.
Spasie of the Cape, born around 1766
Regina of the Cape, born around 1804. Died at Leeuwenhof in about 1825.
Christina of the Cape, born around 1790
Sara of the Cape, born around 1774
Doortjie of the Cape, born around 1793
Marietjie of the Cape, born around 1796
Diana of the Cape, born around 1771
Rosina of the Cape, born around 1792
Moses of the Cape, born around 1775
Unlike their mothers, the fathers of these children were not recorded. Born into slavery at Leeuwenhof:
Saartjie of the Cape, born around 1807
Pierre of the Cape, born around 1810
Lena of the Cape, born around 1815
Coba of the Cape, born on 20 January 1817 to Marietjie
Adriaan of the Cape, born on 17 January 1817 to Doortjie
Christina of the Cape, born on 20 March 1819 to Marietjie. Died at Leeuwenhof on 4 August 1819.
Isaac of the Cape, born on 8 April 1820 to Doortjie
Albert of the Cape, born on 15 May 1820 to Rosina
Jacob of the Cape, born on 9 June 1820 to Regina
Frans of the Cape, born on 15 June 1820 to Marietjie
Christiaan of the Cape, born on 24 June 1822 to Marietjie
Carolina of the Cape, born on 26 June 1822 to Rosina
Ram of the Cape, born on 2 December 1822 to Doortjie
Lucrees of the Cape, born on 23 December 1823 to Regina
Louisa of the Cape, born on 2 December 1824 to Rosina. Died at Leeuwenhof in about 1832.
Elias of the Cape, born on 16 May 1825 to Doortjie
Frits of the Cape, born in June 1825 to Marietjie
Sara of the Cape, born on 4 August 1828 to Doortjie
Thomas of the Cape, born on 28 June 1831 to Doortjie
Regina of the Cape, born on 30 July 1833 to Doortjie