Van 't Wout

Van ’t Wout is a Dutch lineage. The earliest known ancestor is recorded as living in Stolwijk from the early 1400s onward, with early generations active as farmers, clergy, and millers. ^[1] Current notable individuals include Rotterdam entrepreneur Willem van ’t Wout, politician Bas van 't Wout, and speed skaters Melle and Jens van 't Wout.

Nicolaas van ’t Wout

Nicolaas (1896–1942) was a rope-making factory executive from Maassluis who turned into a resistance member of the Geuzen during World War II. He was arrested and eventually died in the Buchenwald concentration camp. Van ’t Wout was posthumously awarded the Dutch Cross of Resistance by the Dutch royal family; a street in Maassluis is named in his honour. ^[2]

Nicolaas van ’t Wout

Nicolaas (1920–2012) was a Dutch politician (ARP, later CDA) who served as mayor of Valkenburg, South Holland, from 1969 to 1985.^[3]

Willem van ’t Wout

Willem (born 1932) began his entrepreneurial activities in Rotterdam during World War II, when he diverted yeast from the occupying German authorities and supplied it to local bakers. In the 1950s he entered international scrap-metal trading, focusing on “politically complicated countries”. After meeting Fidel Castro, he purchased large quantities of Cuban nickel, then one of the country’s key exports. Willem described his stance toward Castro as apolitical, arguing that as a trade organisation, they could not realistically bring about regime change. Indiana Finance was his billion-euro trading company, originating from his early scrap-metal ventures. Willem was listed by Quote (magazine) as a notably affluent Dutchman and was named Rotterdammer of the Year in 1991. He also maintained longstanding ties with, and is a strong supporter of, Feyenoord. In the 2000s he began transferring the business to relatives and arranged the sale of two hundred used Rotterdam buses to Cuba. He later served as a Cuba expert for the investigative program Netwerk. ^[4]

Bas van 't Wout

Bastiaan "Bas" (born 1979) is a Dutch politician of the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). He served as Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy in 2021 and earlier as State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment.^[5]

Melle and Jens van ’t Wout

Melle (born 2000) and Jens (born 2001) are Dutch short-track speed skaters. The two brothers have competed internationally as part of the Dutch skating program, with Jens also participating in the Winter Olympics.^[6]