An Stofferis | Historian KU Leuven
International Genealogy Services Belgium BV, based near Ghent, Belgium, was founded by the experienced historian An Stofferis. An has been fascinated by genealogy since her childhood. She decided to study modern history at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, specializing in the cultural history of the Middle Ages, the Modern period, and the contemporary history. In 1996, An took her first steps into genealogical research by conducting extensive genealogical research on the lineage of Belgian scientist Joseph Plateau (1801-1883).
A biographical article on Joseph Plateau's father
Frequent visits to the descendants of Joseph Plateau resulted in An gaining access to numerous direct sources about the history of this family. Some of these sources had remained completely unknown and allowed An to uncover a wealth of new scientific and family data. It was through this work that An wrote a biographical article on Joseph Plateau's father, the Tournai decorative painter Antoine Plateau (1759-1815): A. Bergmans & A. Stofferis, One of the Best Flower Painters of His Time – Biography of Antoine Plateau, in Een Belvédère aan de Schelde. Pavillon De Notelaer à Hingene (1792-1797), Brussels, 2010, p.557.
After obtaining a master's degree in tourism and management from the University Business School in Antwerp, An moved to Paris in 2004 to work at the Belgian Embassy. However, her passion for history and genealogy persisted. An decided to further specialize by taking a course in probate research. In 2015, An founded the probate research firm "International Genealogy Services SAS," based in Les-Hauts-de-France (France). In 2019, An returned to her home country, Belgium, to establish 'International Genealogy Services Belgium BV,' a professional probate research company that provides assistance with worldwide probate research.
Royal Decree of March 7, 2024
Upon returning to Belgium, An was quickly confronted with a very complex legislation surrounding probate research, characterized by many inconsistencies, gaps, and ambiguities. In November 2023, she decided to contact various bodies, including the Ministry of the Interior, which oversees population registry legislation, and the Directorate-General for Identity and Civil Affairs, responsible for the Belgian National Register.
Her mission: was to alert them to the impact of vague legislation on the practice of probate genealogists. In collaboration with a lawyer and a digital document archivist, a note was written to outline the inadequate legislative framework in Belgium and the issues faced by both probate genealogists and the administration. It was clear that urgent legislative action was needed. Several discussions with the administration ultimately led to the first legislative initiative, the Royal Decree of March 7, 2024, amending the Royal Decree of July 16, 1992, regarding the obtaining of information from the population and foreigner registers, with regard to heir tracing.
Expertise and Experience
An leverages her expertise and experience in probate research across various fields:
- In addition to her work as a probate genealogist, An worked for many years on the Dutch television show Verborgen Verleden, based on the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are. An is also a member of the International Association of Professional Probate Researchers, Genealogists, and Heir Hunters, and the Association of Professional Genealogists.
- In November 2024, An founded GEN-B, the Belgian Federation of Probate Genealogists, in collaboration with the Honorary President of Genealogists of France and An is now its president.