when did holland become the netherlands

Holland didn’t “become” the Netherlands at one single moment; Holland was always just one region , while the country’s official name became the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1815.

What changed

• Holland refers to a historical region and, today, to two provinces: North Holland and South Holland.

• The name Netherlands came into official use for the state in 1815 , after Napoleon’s defeat and the creation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

• The old province of Holland was later split into North Holland and South Holland in 1840.

Simple way to think about it

Holland is to the Netherlands what California is to the United States: a major part of it, but not the whole country.

Quick answer

If you mean the country’s official name, the switch happened in 1815. If you mean the old province, it was divided into two provinces in 1840.