Dumb Dutchman In Pennsylvania the term Dumb Dutchman is hardly nonsense though not heard nearly as often as in past generations The Wikipedia article on Pennsylvania German people says that they are also known as Pennsylvania Dutch and Pennsylvania Deitsch I am of heavily Pennsylvania German ancestry and should know about what is meant by a Dumb Dutchman The name reflected a dated stereotype of the ethnic group as being simple minded and uneducated Today there are Pennsylvania Germans in all walks of life