Early Family History

There is some debate as to when the first Cloete arrived in South Africa. 

Initial records indicate that the family stamvader (progenitor), Jacob Cloete from the area of present-day Cologne, arrived in 1652 along with Jan van Riebeeck and other members of the Dutch East India Company to set up a way station on the maritime route from Europe to the East. This set in motion the South African branch of the Cloete family of well over 350 years encompassing 13 generations.

There is, however, research that contends that Jacob hailed from the border town of Oedt, near Kempen, and instead arrived in the Cape on 13 July 1657. 

Documentation related to the early history of the Cloete family in South Africa is included below.