De Flines was a Dutch Mennonite family, originally from Flanders, from where they emigrated to the Netherlands because of their faith. In the 17th century they are found in Middelburg, Amsterdam, Haarlem, and Leiden, as members of the Waterlander (Amsterdam, Haarlem) or the Flemish branch (Middelburg, Leiden). Especially at Amsterdam, where they now have died out, they were very numerous in the 17th century and related by marriage with a number of other Mennonite families like Willink and Leeuw. Some of them were deacons of the Amsterdam Toren Waterlander congregation—Gillbert de Flines 1625-1648, Gijsbert Philips 1649-1654 and 1660-1671, and Sibrand after 1663, while Jaspar de Flines was a deacon of the united Lamist and Toren congregation 1674-1679 and 1680-1685.

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 340. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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