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The Story of Turkeye

Now a hamlet in the municipality of Oostburg, but until 1970 the border of the municipalities of Waterland-kerkje and IJzendijke divided it in two parts. Most likely received its name from the people in neighbouring hamlets, who called the residents ‘Turks.’ Following through on this, their community thus became Turkeye, so called because of perceived or real misbehaviour of its inhabitants and based on the 17th century stigmas. In 1840 Turkeye numbered 27 homes and 159 inhabitants.