From Boechout to Roucourt, Recourt and variations

The family tree starts with Dirk van Roucourt (Rockourt, Rokou), who was mayor of the Belgium city Halen in 1633. At that time, Halen was under control of the Spanish forces. In the night of July the 10th 1637, soldiers of the Prince of Orange attacked the city by surprise. Dirk was shot and killed. His house was burnt and the taxes he collected to improve the dykes at the river Demer were stolen.

After residing a short period in Leuven (Belgium), grandson Hendrick (Henricus) moved to the city of Dordrecht in the Netherlands. Hendrik married Cresia (Lucretia) van den Blieck in 1697 and they got 12 children. Grandson Theodorius married Anna Vrancken at Diest in Belgium, became brewer and their Roucourt descendants still reside in Belgium. 

From the 17th century until now, descendants of Cresia and Hendrik moved to other regions in the Netherlands and also immigrated to the USA, Germany, France and Belgium. The family name altered into Recourt, Recoert, Rekourt, Rekoert and Rikkoert. Family members became gardener, miller, carpenter, waiter, plumber, goldsmith, estate agent, artist, hotel owner etc.

The family most likely originates from “vanden Rouchout” alias “van Roechout” (Rook-howt), who lived in Sint-Truiden (Saint-Trond) from about 1350 until 1500. The Recourt roots may lie in the Duchy of Brabant, as descendants from one or more natural children of knight Jan van Boechout. Further investigations should support this hypothesis. Recent Y chromosomal  DNA analysis suggests that the family is of Celtic origin. To learn more on some of the previous and current activities of the family, please click on the stars of the map. To enter the site, click on the “Roechout” coat of arms near Sint-Truiden. Contact information: info(at)roucourt.eu (replace (at) by @). Please also visit Bouchout Castle at Wikipedia, and the Blog which I recently updated.  Latest modifications: December 2011

Right: proposed development of the surname from about 1700 until 1350. Hendrick Roucourt (1698, Dordrecht), Dierick van Rockourt (1623, Halen), Wouter vanden Rochout (1519, Berbroek), Wouter van Rouchout (1482, Stokrooij), Joannes de Rouchaut (Latin, 1358 Sint-Truiden)    

Above: in 1358, “D:Johanni de Rouchaut” (Latin) received the right on the taxes of Baardwijk, which is a small village now part of Waalwijk (Brabant, The Netherlands). In Dutch, his name was lord Jan van Roechout. At about the same period, “Domno Johanni de Boechout“ is mentioned as the receiver of the taxes of Baardwijk. Most likely, this is the same person and natural (grand)children of knight Jan van Boechout changed the family name from “Boechout” to “Roechout” between 1370 and 1400.

Right: proposed origin of the Flemish/Dutch family Roucourt, Recourt and variations. The name “Bouchout or Boechout” originates from the castle of Bouchout which has been founded about 1150 as part of the defences of the Duchy of Brabant (Belgium). The first lord “Willem van Craainem” originated from the area of Sterrebeek, Zaventhem, Crainhem a few miles eastern of Brussels (yellow).

A second fortification is Diepensteyn, from which the first parts were built by Daniel van Boechout. His grandson Jan van Boechout (1320-1391) married Johanna van Hellebeke. The couple did not get any children, but it is known that Jan was the father of many natural descendants, most likely also in Sint-Truiden from which the family Roechout, Rochout, Rockourt, Roucourt and finally Recourt originates. Jan van Boechout fought at Baesweiler (1371) and Grave (1386) against the Duchy of Gelderland, which is now part of the Netherlands.

Welcome at the website about the ancestry of the Belgian, Dutch, German, American and French families Roucourt, Recourt, Rekoert, Rikkoert, Recoert and Rekourt.   

R1b-U152 (Z36+)