Duffel

Municipality in Flemish Community, Belgium

Flag

Coat of arms

Location of Duffel

Duffel

Location in Belgium

Location of Duffel in the province of Antwerp

Coordinates: 51°06′N 04°31′E / 51.100°N 4.517°E / 51.100; 4.517Country

BelgiumCommunityFlemish CommunityRegionFlemish RegionProvinceAntwerpArrondissementMechelenGovernment

• MayorSofie Joosen (N-VA) • Governing party/iesN-VA, CD&VArea

• Total22.6 km² (8.7 sq mi)Population

(2020-01-01)^[1]

• Total17,664 • Density780/km² (2,000/sq mi)Postal codes

2570

NIS code

12009

Area codes015, 03Websitewww.duffel.be

Duffel (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈdʏfəl] ^ⓘ) is a municipality in the Belgian province of Antwerp.

The municipality comprises the town of Duffel proper. On 1 January 2020, Duffel had a total population of 17,664. The total area is 22.71 km² which gives a population density of 778 inhabitants per km².

The area is name-giver to a coarse woolen cloth, manufactured in this area from the 11th century, mainly used to make blankets, outdoor (army) coats, and tote bags. Duffel became a household name during and after World War II in the meaning of a coat designed with toggle-and-loop fastening and roomy hood.^[2]

The etymology of Duffel is from "dubro" and "locus", from the Gaulish dubrum, dubron – "water".

In 1836, the Duffel railway station opened on the Brussels-North to Antwerp railway line.^[3]

Duffel cloth

The town gives its name to a type of heavy woolen cloth generally used to make blankets and overcoats, especially for the armed forces, and a type of luggage.^[4] In the middle ages, an important part of the region's industry was the manufacturing of Flemish laken (a broadcloth), while the cloth produced in Duffel was a thicker variation. The manufacturing process was brought to England by Flemish emigrants in the 1500s.^[5] The name for the cloth was so well-known that a type of overcoat made from the cloth and manufactured in England got the name Duffel coat.^[6]^[7]

Notable natives

Jan Van Der Roost, composer
Kevin De Weert, cyclist
Andreas Pereira, footballer
Metejoor, singer
Cornelis Kiliaan (1528–1607), lexicographer and poet
Hendrik Hondius I (1573–1650), engraver, cartographer and publisher
Rocky Bushiri, footballer for Hibernian FC
Gaëtan De Knyff, racing driver

Climate

Climate data for Duffel (1991−2020 normals)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	6.7 (44.1)	7.7 (45.9)	11.2 (52.2)	15.5 (59.9)	19.0 (66.2)	21.8 (71.2)	23.9 (75.0)	23.7 (74.7)	20.1 (68.2)	15.4 (59.7)	10.4 (50.7)	7.1 (44.8)	15.2 (59.4)
Daily mean °C (°F)	4.0 (39.2)	4.4 (39.9)	7.1 (44.8)	10.3 (50.5)	14.1 (57.4)	17.0 (62.6)	19.1 (66.4)	18.7 (65.7)	15.4 (59.7)	11.5 (52.7)	7.4 (45.3)	4.5 (40.1)	11.1 (52.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	1.3 (34.3)	1.1 (34.0)	2.9 (37.2)	5.3 (41.5)	9.2 (48.6)	12.2 (54.0)	14.3 (57.7)	13.8 (56.8)	10.7 (51.3)	7.5 (45.5)	4.3 (39.7)	1.9 (35.4)	7.0 (44.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	68.0 (2.68)	60.3 (2.37)	54.1 (2.13)	40.8 (1.61)	55.4 (2.18)	72.6 (2.86)	76.3 (3.00)	81.6 (3.21)	69.3 (2.73)	64.4 (2.54)	74.3 (2.93)	84.2 (3.31)	801.3 (31.55)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	11.9	11.1	10.4	8.5	9.5	9.8	10.2	10.1	9.6	10.6	12.1	13.4	127.2
Mean monthly sunshine hours	61	77	134	188	218	218	223	210	163	117	66	51	1,726
Source: Royal Meteorological Institute^[8]

Gallery

Fort van Duffel
Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van de Goede Wil church
Betlehem Convent
Pub in Duffel

References

^ "Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2020". Statbel.
^ "History of the Duffel Coat". Retrieved 10 September 2022.
^ "L. 25 : Brussel-Noord - Antwerpen". Belgische Spoorlijnen. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
^ "Duffel". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
^ Jarvis, Joanne (January 2009). "Braintree is reborn". Essex Life. Archant.
^ "The History of the Duffel Coat". Retrieved 10 September 2022.
^ "Duffel Coat History". Retrieved 12 September 2022.
^ "Luchttemperatuur en neerslag Referentieperiode: 1991-2020" (PDF) (in Dutch). Royal Meteorological Institute. Retrieved August 10, 2022.