Early Bergen County Families, by Pat A. Wardell
PLEASE NOTE—Bergen County Families is a milestone collection for our Society and for Bergen County researchers. Ms. Wardell transferred the copyright and maintenance of this Collection to the GSBC to manage. After the initial public launch of these materials, we received a few complaints about the contents of some of the files which contain unedited research notes. While addressing these issues, we discovered other information which required additional review. This has taken hundreds of hours of work for the Committee overseeing the Collection—but our careful actions and new policies will allow us to keep this Collection, all 15,000 pages, open to researchers.
The PDF files below were taken offline while the Committee completes its important review work. Once the GSBC Board approves the final files and processes this summer, we plan to re-launch the collection in early 2023.
“Early Bergen County Families” (the “Collection”) is the life work of Pat A. Wardell, an Allendale, New Jersey, genealogist and historian and a long-time GSBC Member and contributor. This Collection consists of un-edited research notes created by Ms. Wardell over decades of research.
The Collection is organized by surname, with all available research notes for that name collected into one PDF file. There are 968 electronic PDF files in the Collection, 14,997 pages. This Collection is a milestone collection for the GSBC and will be an invaluable new resource for family historians and local history researchers. Please note that research notes may contain errors. Always confirm the information by reviewing the original source material.
The GSBC thanks Ms. Wardell for her lifetime dedication to Bergen County history and genealogy and her generosity in compiling and sharing her research with others. The GSBC also thanks Peggy W. Norris, Bolger Heritage Center, Ridgewood Public Library, who secured the donation to the GSBC; and GSBC Trustee Afina Broekman for processing the collection. Thank you for all for your hard work in securing and preparing these materials for all to enjoy.
General Notes for Bergen County Research
Bergen County's Changing Boundaries
The borders of Bergen County have shifted significantly since its founding and, in earlier times, once included all or parts of what is today Passaic, Essex, and Hudson Counties. In addition, the boundary between New York and New Jersey was not finalized until after the Revolution, so records for families who lived near the border may be in one state—or both!
For additional information, history, and descriptions of Bergen County place names, see Pat Wardell's, A Dictionary of Place Names in Bergen County, New Jersey and Vicinity, online at Dutch Door Genealogy. In very early Bergen County and vicinity, throughout the Colonial era and even later, before locations came to be called by the distinct names given to cities and boroughs, geographic areas were generally referred to by the nearest public landmark, usually—in very early times—a church. Thus, families who lived in what is today Allendale, for instance, were said to be “of Paramus.”
Houses of Worship and Dutch Naming Patterns
Until after the Revolution, churches in Bergen County were nearly exclusively Dutch Reformed or Lutheran.
For families of Dutch descent, throughout Colonial times in New York and New Jersey, it was customary for parents to name the first two boys after the husband’s father and the wife’s father; and to name the first two girls after the husband’s mother and the wife’s mother. This practice can provide clues to identifying individuals and placing them in correct families. In general, when they were available, it was customary for baptisms to be witnessed by grandparents, aunts, and uncles of the child.
Dutch custom was for the wife to keep her maiden surname, and wives were usually known and recorded under those names. Usually, throughout Colonial times and sometimes later, a man’s middle initial might indicate his patronymic (his father’s given name); for instance, John L. Ackerman might be the son of Lawrence Ackerman. The middle name might also be written out, for instance, John Lawrenszen Ackerman. Keep in mind that in early handwritten records, it is sometimes impossible to distinguish certain letters from one another; for instance the upper-case letter “J” looks much the same as the upper-case letter “I” and when used in stand-alone situations, out of context, such as middle initials, it is often impossible to tell them apart.
Click here for a summary diagram of naming patterns (diagram from a presentation by GSBC Trustee, Michelle Novak).
Early NJ Land Records
One large area of northwest Bergen County was known as the Ramapo Tract/Patent and this area, until after the Revolution, was controlled by the East Jersey Board of Proprietors. Very early land transactions (deeds), may be found recorded in the Bergen County Courthouse or recorded with the Board of Proprietors (some people recorded their deeds in both places). Some early deeds were not immediately recorded, the lands passing down within families for generations, often to be recorded many years after the date of the transaction.
The original deeds and records of the East and West Jersey Proprietors are held by the New Jersey State Archives and are being conserved and indexed; 225 West State Street, Trenton, NJ 08625; 609-292-6260; NJ State Archives Proprietor Deed Indexes.
County deeds may be found at the Office of the Bergen County Clerk, One Bergen County Plaza, Hackensack, NJ 07601; 201-336-7000; www.bergencountyclerk.org)
Name Variants and Spellings
Spellings, especially of names, varied in the early years and names were written by the record-keepers in various ways and at the discretion of the records keeper. It is not unusual to find two different spellings of the same name in one document. Often, the names were rendered more or less phonetically (for instance, “Hansapick” for Hans Jacob; See Hertje, Hans Jacob).
Surname spellings sometimes differed even within the same family group. One brother, for instance, spelling the surname one way, and another brother spelling the same surname differently. It was not until after the Revolution that spellings of names began to be standardized. Be sure to check alternative variations of given names, for instance Dirck/Richard, Jacobus/James, Joris/George, Claes/Nicholas, etc. Also watch for Anglicized given names, for instance, Gysbert becoming Gilbert, Geertje becoming Charity, etc.
A B C D A F G H I-J K L M N O P-Q R S T U-V W Y-Z
A | Abeel | Abrams, Abramszen |
Achenbach | Ackerman A-G | Ackerman H-Z |
Adams | Aertse | Albertson |
Allaire | Allen | Allison |
Alsop | Alyea | Amory |
Andries, Anderson | Androvet | Angevine |
Anthony | Archer | Armstrong |
Auriaense | Austin | Avery, Evere |
B | Babcock | Backer |
Badeau | Bailey | Baird |
Baker | Baldwin | Bamper |
Bancker | Bandt, Bant, Bond, Bont | Banta A-I |
Banta J-Z | Barbarow | Barcalo, Berkalow etc. |
Barents, Barentszen | Barheit, Barheyt | Barmore |
Barnes | Bartholf, Bertholf | Barton |
Bartow | Basset, Bisset | Baxter |
Bayard | Beam, Beem | Beasle,y Baisley |
Beaty, Beatty | Becker | Becraft |
Bedell, Berdell | Bedlow | Beeck, Beek |
Beekman | Beer | Bell |
Belyea, Boulier | Bender | Benedict |
Benjamin | Bennett | Bensen, Benson |
Berdan | Bergen | Berrian |
Berry | Betts | Bevier |
Bicker | Billiou, Biljou | Bishop |
Blackledge | Blanch | Blanchard |
Blank | Blauvelt A-H | Blauvelt I-Z |
Blauw | Bleeker | Bloemendaal, Bloomingdale |
Blom, Bloom | Bloodgood, Bloetgoedt | Bloomer |
Board | Bodine | Boeckhout |
Boele, Boelen | Boerum, Van Boerum | Bogardus |
Bogert A-G | Bogert H-Z | Boggs |
Bokee | Boon, Boone | Boudinot |
Bouton | Bovie, Beaufils | Bowman, Bouman |
Bowne | Boyd | Bradt |
Bras | Brasier, Breser etc. | Brestede |
Brett | Brevoort | Brewster |
Brickell | Bries, Bressee, Bresser, | Briggs |
Brink | Brinkerhoff | Britton |
Broadhead | Brokaw | Bronk |
Brooks | Bross | Brouwer |
Brown, Bruyn | Brundage | Brush |
Bryant | Buck | Buckbee |
Budd | Bunce | Burdett |
Burger | Burhans | Burling |
Bush | Bussing | Butler |
Buys, Boyce | Byvanck | C |
Cable | Cadmus | Cairn, Kern, Kearn |
Call | Cammeger, Kammeger | Campbell |
Canniff | Cannon, Canon | Carlough, Carlock |
Carpenter | Carr, Carre, Kerr | Carsten, Kersten |
Carsteng, Karsteng | Casier | Cavelier, Chevelier |
Chadeayne | Chambers | Chappel, Chapelle |
Christie | Christopher | Claes, Claeszen |
Clark | Clearwater | Clendenny |
Cleveland | Clopper | Clute, Cloet |
Codwise | Coe | Coeymans, Koeymans |
Colden | Cole | Colfax |
Collard, Collerd | Collier, Colyer | Collignon |
Collins | Conklin | Conover, Kowenhoven |
Conyn, Konyn, Conine | Coock, Cock | Cooper |
Corby | Cornelison | Cornell |
Cornwall, Cornwell | Corsen, Korsen | Cortelyou |
Cossart, Cousseau, Casjou | Cosyn | Couquillet, Cokelet |
Courter | Covert, Coevert | Crankheyt, Kronckeyt |
Crawford, Crowfoot | Cregier | Crocheron |
Croesen, Kroesen | Crom | Cromwell, Crommel |
Crooke | Crouter | Cunningham |
Cure | Curry, Currey | Cuyler |
D | Daly Daily Dally | Damen |
d'Angola, Van Angola | Dater | Davenport |
Davids | Davis | Day, Dey |
Dean | DeBaun | DeBevoise |
DeBoog, DeBow | Decker | DeClark, Clark |
Dee, Day | DeForest | DeGarmo |
DeGraaf, DeGroof | DeGraw | DeGroot |
DeHart | DeKey | DeKleyn |
Delameter | DeLancey | DeLange |
DeLanoy | Demarest A-G | Demarest H-Z |
DeMill, De Mille | DeMott | Denniston |
DeNoyelles | DeNyse | DePew |
DePeyster | DeReviere, Rivier | DeRiemer |
DeRonde | DeVoe | DeVoersne, DeVausney |
DeVries | DeWint | DeWitt |
Dewsnap | DeYoe | Diedericks |
Dissoway, De Sauchoy | Ditmars | Dixon |
Dobbs | Dodd, Dodds | Doremus |
Dorland | Doty | Douw, Dow |
Drake | Drummond | DuBois |
DuMont | Durie | Duryea |
Dusenberry | Dutcher, Duytser | Duycking |
Dyckman | E | Earle |
Ebels, Abels | Ecker | Eckerson, Ackerson A-I |
Eckerson, Ackerson J-Z | Eckert | Edison |
Edsall | Edwards | Egberts |
Egmont, Van Egmont | Ellis | Ellison |
Elmendorf | Elsworth | Elting |
Ely | Emans, Emmans | Ennis |
Esler | Everson | F |
Farrington | Fell | Felter |
Ferdon | Ferguson | Ferris |
Field | Finch | Fisher |
Flierboom | Folk | Folly |
Fonda | Fonteyn, Fontaine | Forbes |
Force | Forshay | Fort, Feurt |
Fowler | Fox | Francisco |
Frans, French | Fredericks | Furman |
G | Gamble | Gardinier Gardiner |
Garrabrant | Garrison, Gerretsen | Gautier |
Gedney | Genung | Geroe |
Gesner | Gilbert | Glen, Glenn |
Glover | Goderus | Godwin |
Goelet | Goetschius | Gould |
Gouverneur | Graham | Green, Groen |
Gregory | Grevenraet | Griffin, Griffen |
Griggs | Groesbeek | Guion |
Gurnee | H | Hagadorn |
Hagen | Hagerman | Hagwout, Houghwout etc. |
Hall | Hallenbeek, Haulenbeck | Hallock |
Halsey | Halstead | Hammond |
Hancock | Hansz, Hansen | Hardenbergh |
Hardenbroeck | Haring A-G | Haring H-Z |
Harmensen | Harned | Harris |
Harrison | Harsing, Hassing | Hart |
Hasbrouck | Hatfield | Hathaway |
Havermeyer | Haviland | Hedden |
Helm | Hendricks | Hennion, Hemion |
Hermans, Heermans | Herring, Harring | Hertje |
Hessels | Heyer | Hibon |
Hicks | Higgins | Hill |
Hilleker | Hitchcock | Hoes, Goes |
Hoff, Huff | Hoffman | Hogenkamp |
Holdrum | Holmes | Hooghteeling |
Hoogland, Hoagland | Hopper A-G | Hopper H-Z |
Hornblower | Horton | House |
Houseman, Huysman | Howard | Hoyt |
Hubbard | Hunt | Hutton |
Huyk, Huygen | Huyler | Hyatt |
I | Iderstein | Iserman |
J | Jackson | Jacobs, Jacobus |
Jarvis | Jaycocks, Jaycox | Jenkins |
Jeralemon | Jersey | Jewell |
Johnson, Jansen | Jones | Jongbloedt |
Jordan | June | Jurianse |
K | Kelly | Kennedy |
Kent | Kermer, Carman | Ketcham |
Keteltas | Keyser | Kiers, Kiersen |
Kierstead | Kieselar, Geslar | Kingsland |
Kip, Kipp | Kirk, Kerk, Verkerken | Kissam |
Knapp | Knight, Konnight | Koning, King |
Kortright | Kough | Kuykendaal |
L | Labagh | Laforge |
LaGrange | Lake | Lakerman |
Lamb | Lamberts | Lamoreaux |
Lane | Langestraat, Longstreet | Lansing |
LaRoe | Lassing | LaTourette |
Lawrence | Layton | Le Roy |
LeComte Le Count | Lee | Lefferts |
Legg, Legge | Leggett | Lent |
Lequier | Levinus, Leviness | Lewis |
Litcholt | Livingston | Lobdell |
Loockermans | Loosie Loyse | Lott |
Lounsberry | Loveridge | Low, Louw |
Lozier | Ludlam | Ludlow |
Lutkins | Luyster | Lydecker |
Lynch, Linch | Lynsen | Lyons, Lines, Lein |
M | Mabie | Machette |
Mackey | Mallinson | Mandeville |
Mandigo | Mann | Mannel |
Manning | Many, Magne, Manny | Mapes |
Marinus | Marks | Marschalk, Marshall |
Marston, Masten | Martin, Martine | Martlings |
Masseker, Masker | Matthys, Mathews | May |
Maysinger | McCall | McClean, Mac Lane |
McElroy | McEvers | McMurtry |
Mead, Meet | Meeker | Meeks |
Melyn | Merrill | Merritt |
Merselis | Mersereau | Meserole |
Mesier, Messier | Messenger | Metselaer |
Meyer, Myers | Michaels, McKeel | Mickler |
Middagh | Miller | Minnelay |
Minthorne | Mitchell | Mix |
Moll | Monfort | Montanye |
Montross | Moore | Morgan |
Morris, Mourisse | Mott | Mount |
Mowerson | Murray, Morrey | N |
Nagle, Naugle | Nevius, Neafie | Newkirk |
Nichols, Nicolls (on request) | Nix, Nixon | O |
Oakley | Oblenis | Odell |
Ogden | Oldis | Oliver |
Onderdonk | Oosterhout | Osborn |
Ostrander | Ouderkerk | Outhouse, Uythuysen |
Outwater | P | Packer |
Paine Payne | Palding | Palmer |
Park | Parliman | Parmentier |
Parsell | Paul | Paulus, Poules, Powell |
Paxton, Pickstoon | Peek | Peers, Pearce, Pearson |
Pell | Pelletreau | Perrine |
Perry | Petitt | Phillips |
Phoenix | Pier | Pierson |
Pietersen | Pillsbury | Pinckney |
Platt | Poillon | Polhemus |
Post A-H | Post I-J | Post K-Z |
Prall | Price | Probasco |
Provost, Prevost | Pryer, Prior | Pulis |
Purdy | Pye | Q |
Quackenbush | Quick | Quidore |
Quinby | R | Ramsey |
Rapelje | Rapp | Ray, Rhee |
Raynor, Rayner | Remsen | Requa |
Reynolds | Richard, Ruyschow | Rider, Ryder |
Ridnar | Riker | Ringo, Rinckhout |
Robinson | Rockwell | Roe, Row, Rau |
Roelofse | Roger, Roeger, Ruger | Rogers |
Rohrbach | Roll, Rall | Romer, Roemer |
Romeyn | Roome | Roos, Rose |
Roosa | Roosevelt | Root |
Rosenboom | Rosencrantz | Ruland, Rowland |
Rutan | Rutgers | Ryckman |
Ryer, Ryers | Ryerson | S |
Sackett | Salisbury | Salomonse |
Salyer | Sammans | Sanders |
Sandford | Sands | Schaets, Skaats |
Schenck | Schepmoes | Schermerhorn |
Scholl, Scull | Schoonhoven | Schoonmaker |
Schout, Schouten | Schryver | Schut, Schuts |
Schuyler | Scott | Scudder |
Seaman | Sebering, Seubering | Secor |
See, Sie, Cie | Seegers, Zeegers | Seely |
Selover | Serven | Shapter |
Sharp, Scharpenstein | Sherman, Scheurman | Sherwood |
Shoemaker | Shuart | Shute |
Sickels | Sidman | Sigler |
Simkins, Simpkins | Simmons | Simons, Simonsen |
Simpson, Simson | Sindel, Sindle | Sip |
Sisco | Skidmore | Skillman |
Slecht, Sleght | Slingerland | Sloat, Slot |
Sluyter | Smack, Smock | Smith A-I |
Smith J-Z | Snedeker | Sneden |
Snider, Snyder | Somerendyk | Soper |
Sorley, Sarley | Spier, Speer | Springer |
Springsteen | Sprong | Staats |
Stagg | Starr | Steele |
Steenbergen | Steenwyck | Steger, Stager |
Steinmets, Stynmets | Stevens, Stephenson | Stewart, Stuart |
Stillwell | Stockholm | Stols, Stults |
Stoothoff | Storm, Storms | Stout |
Stoutenburgh | Strang | Stratemaker, Straut |
Strong | Strycker, Striker | Sturr |
Stuyvesant | Suffern | Sutherland |
Sutphen, Van Sutphen | Sutton | Suydam |
Swart | Swartwout | Swinn |
Switz Switzer | T | Tallman |
Taylor | Tebow, Tibout | Teller |
Ten Broeck | Ten Eyck | Terhune A-I |
Terhune J-Z | Terneur, Tourneur | Terwilliger |
Thew | Thiel Theall | Thomas |
Thompson | Thorn, Thorne | Thurston |
Tice | Tietsort | Tillotson |
Tillyou, Tillou | Tinkey | Titus |
Toers, Tuers | Tompkins | Totten |
Townsend | Traphagen | Treadwell |
Trumper | Turck, Turk | Tuthill |
Tyson, Thysen | U | Underhill |
V | Vail | Valentine |
Valleau | Van Aken | Van Allen |
Van Alstyne | Van Antwerp | Van Arnhem |
Van Arsdale | Van Atten, Van Etten | Van Benschoten |
Van Benthuysen | Van Blarcom | Van Bommel |
Van Borsum, Van Bussum | Van Brakel | Van Brugh, Verbrugge |
Van Brunt | Van Buren | Van Buskirk |
Van Camp | Van Cleef, Van Kleef | Van Cortlandt |
Van Dalsen | Van Dam | Van de Merck |
Van de Water | Van der Heul | Van der Koeck |
Van der Spiegel | Van der Werke | Van Deursen |
Van Deventer | Van Dien | Van Doesburg, Aten |
Van Donck, Van Dunk | Van Doren, Van Dorn | Van Duyn |
Van Dyke | Van Emburgh | Van Gelder |
Van Giesen | Van Gorcum | Van Hook, Van Hoeck |
Van Horn | Van Houten A-I | Van Houten J-Z |
Van Huysen | Van Keuren | Van Kleeck |
Van Laer | Van Liew | Van Name |
Van Ness | Van Norden | Van Nostrand |
Van Nuys | Van Oosterom, Van Ostrum | Van Orden |
Van Pelt | Van Ranst | Van Rensselaer |
Van Riper | Van Salee | Van Saun |
Van Schaick | Van Schoenderwoert | Van Schyven |
Van Sickle | Van Sise | Van Slyke |
Van Tassel | Van Tienhoven | Van Tilburg |
Van Tuyl | Van Valkenburg | Van Vechten |
Van Velsen, Van Velsor | Van Vleck | Van Vliet, Vander Vliet |
Van Voorhees | Van Vorst | Van Vranken, Van Franken |
Van Wagenen, Van Wagoner | Van Wart, Van Wert | Van Wicklen |
Van Winkle | Van Woggelum | Van Wyck |
Van Yvere, Van Evere | Van Zant, Van Zandt | Van Zile |
Vandenberg | Vander Poel | Vanderbeek |
Vanderbilt | Vandergrift | Vanderheyden |
Vanderhoff | Vanderlinde | Vandervoort |
Vandevere | Varick | Veeder, Vader |
Verbryck | Verlet Varlet | Vermeulen |
Vermilye | Vernoy | VerPlanck |
Vervelen | Verwer | Viele |
Vincent | Vonck, Vonk | Vosburgh |
Vredenburg | Vreeland | Vroom |
Vrooman | W | Waldron |
Walling | Wanamaker | Ward |
Weiant, Weyant | Wels, Welch | Wendell, Wandell |
Wendover | Wessels | Westervelt A-I (unfortunately this file is incomplete) |
Westervelt J-Z | Weymer | Wheeler, Wieller |
Whitaker | Whitbeck | White |
Whitman | Whitton, Witten | Wicks, Wickes |
Wilks, Wilkens | Willett | Williams |
Willis | Wilsie, Willsey | Wilson |
Winant, Wynant | Winne | Winslow |
Winter, Winters | Wisner | Wood |
Woodruff | Woolsey | Wortendyke |
Worthington | Writenour | Wyckoff |
Wynkoop | Yeomans | Yorckse, Jurckse |
Young | Yselstein, Van Yselsteyn | Z |
Zabriskie A-I | Zabriskie J-Z | Zeliff, Uzille, Ceilo |