History of Belgium

1795 - October 1 - Belgium is conquered by France.

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1800 - Population of Belgium (French Republic) - 4,000,000

1815 - March 16 - Willem I proclaimed king of the Netherlands, including Belgium

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1830 - October 4 - Provisional government declares secession of Belgium from Netherlands

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1831 - July 21 - Belgium gains independence from Netherlands, Leopold I made king

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1839 - April 19 - Treaty of London constitutes Belgium an independent kingdom & Luxembourg a Grand Duchy

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1868 - Belgium needs school-masters. Not one in ten of her artisans can read and write.

St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
December 19, 1868

1870 - A terrible accident occurred on a railroad, near Luxembourg, Belgium, on the 9th. It is reported that twenty persons were killed.

St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
May 21, 1870

1880 - Ladies who wear sealskin sacques are very liable to not wear them,
for in Belgium rabbit skins are successfully prepared to resemble sealskin, and thousands of rabbits are annually killed in England whose pelts go to Belgium, and leave that country as genuine sealskins.
St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
May 22, 1880

1889 - DISASTER IN BELGIUM.
A Railway Accident in Which Fourteen Person Were Killed and Fifty Others Injured.

BRUSSELS, Feb. 4. - A railway train from Brussels to Namur was thrown from the track while running at a high rate of speed near Groenendael Sunday. Fourteen persons were killed and fifty injured. The bodies of all the persons killed by the railroad accident have been brought here. Fifteen persons, all mortally injured, lie at Hoeviaert near the scene of the disaster. Among them are several children. The Minister of Railways has visited the injured, most of whom are suffering from fractured legs. Masses of masonry block the line, and they will probably have to be removed by the use of dynamite.

It has been ascertained that the train struck the pillar of a bridge near Namur causing the bridge to collapse. The train was carried down with it and completely wrecked.
St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
February 9, 1889

1890 - December 25 - The coal mining companies of Belgium have decided on a general reduction of wages, and the miners threaten to strike.

The Toronto Daily Mail
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
December 25, 1890

1895 - Belgium
"Belgium, a small kingdom of Western Europe, is bounded on the N. by the Netherlands, on the E. by Luxemburg, Rhenish Prussia, and the Netherlands, on the S. and S.W. by France, and on the N.W. by the German Ocean. It lies between lat. 49° 30' and 51° 30' N. and lon. 2° 32' and 6° 7' E. Its greatest length, on a line drawn from Ostend to Arlon, is 174 miles. Area, 11,373 square miles. It is divided into 9 provinces, Antwerp, Brabant, East Flanders, West Flanders, Hainaut, Liege, Limbourg, Luxembourg, and Namur. Capital, Brussels. Pop. in 1889, 6,693.798.

Physical Features.—The surface is mostly level, but in some parts is diversified by hills, the most elevated of which are about 2000 feet high and are in the southeastern Provinces of Liege, Luxembourg, and Namur..."
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott

1900 - Population of Belgiuim - 6,693,500

1918 - November 21 - 2 German ammunition trains explode in Hamont Belgium, 1,750 die

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2023 - Here's a list of places to go and things to do in Belgium:
Brussels:

Grand Place: This UNESCO World Heritage site is the central square of Brussels and a must-visit. The architecture is stunning, especially during the evening when it's beautifully lit.

Manneken Pis: This iconic statue of a little boy peeing is a quirky symbol of Brussels. It's often dressed in different costumes, and the story behind it is quite interesting.

Atomium: A futuristic building and museum that was originally constructed for the 1958 Brussels World's Fair. The spheres house various exhibits and provide panoramic views of the city.

Bruges:

Belfry of Bruges: Climb to the top for a panoramic view of the city. The medieval architecture and charm of Bruges are truly enchanting.

Canal Cruise: Explore the city's picturesque canals by taking a boat tour. It's a romantic way to see the city and learn about its history.

Choco-Story: If you have a sweet tooth, don't miss this chocolate museum. Belgium is renowned for its chocolate, and here you can learn... Read MORE...

Surnames in Belgium
Since Belgium has three national languages — Dutch, French and German — Belgian names are similar to those in the neighbouring countries: the Netherlands, France and Germany. Place names (regions, towns, villages, hamlets) with a particle meaning "from" (de in French, del in Walloon, or van in Dutch) are the most numerous. An uncapitalised particle sometimes indicates nobility.

The twenty most common French surnames in Belgium are respectively Dubois, Lambert, Dupont, Martin, Dumont, Leroy, Leclercq, Simon, Laurent, François, Denis, Renard, Thomas, Lejeune, Gérard, Petit, Mathieu, Lemaire, Charlier, and Bertrand.

Some surnames have an unclear origin, like Berger, meaning shepherd in French, and mountaineer in Dutch and German. The particle De also means From or From the in French and means The in Dutch, which does not help finding the origin.

Flemish surnames are also common, due to Flemish economic immigration from 1850 to 1950. See Flanders name.

There are also a lot of... Read MORE...