Origins & Early Life

Dirk Hartog (Dutch: [ˈdɪr(ə)k ˈɦɑrtɔx]; baptised 30 October 1580 – buried 11 October 1621) was a 17th-century Dutch mariner and explorer. Dirk Hartog's expedition was the second European group to land in Australia and the first to leave behind an artefact to record his visit, the Hartog Plate. His name is sometimes alternatively spelled Dirck Hartog or Dierick Hartochsz. Explorer Ernest Giles referred to him as Theodoric Hartog.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The Western Australian island Dirk Hartog Island is named after Hartog. Dirk Hartog was born into a seafaring family. He was baptized on 30 October 1580 in the Oude Kerk ('old church'), Amsterdam, the Netherlands, the second son and one of at least four children of Hartych Krynen, mariner, and his wife Griet Jans. At a time when Dutch spellings were not standardized, his first and family names were variously spelled. "Hartog" included Hartogszoon, Hartogsz, Hartoogs, Hatichs and Hertoghsz as his last name; "Dirk" was also Dirck or Dirick as his first name.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

He signed his name (in several extant documents) as Dyrck Hartoochz. In Australian history, however, he has become known as Dirk Hartog. Hartog received his first...

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