Laatadel

Laatadel is a Dutch historiographical term used to describe the portion of the nobility that was ennobled at a later stage in history, as opposed to the ancient or old nobility. The word literally means “late nobility” and functions as a descriptive category within the broader study of noble estates. In practice, laatadel comprises families that gained noble status through grants of nobility or royal favor in the later Middle Ages and in early modern periods, often for service in the military, administration, diplomacy, or governance.

The concept is closely related to, but distinct from, other noble classifications. Uradel refers to the old or ancient nobility inherited from medieval lineages, while Briefadel (or patent nobility) denotes nobility conferred by a formal grant or letters patent. Laatadel thus covers those who entered the nobility after the formation of the old aristocracy, sometimes from non-noble or lower-noble origins, and whose status became hereditary through the granting authorities of their time.

In the Low Countries and neighboring regions, laatadel families contributed to social mobility within a hierarchical society, helping to shape the composition of the ruling elites in the early modern era. Over time, the privileges traditionally associated with nobility were eroded or abolished in many states, notably during late 18th and early 19th-century upheavals, though the genealogical concept of laatadel persists in historical and legal genealogies.

Today, laatadel is primarily a historical and genealogical category used to analyze the dynamics of social ascent and the makeup of the noble class. See also Uradel, Briefadel, Spätadel, Dutch nobility.