How do I determine where my New Netherland ancestor came from?

Look for these documents for clues:

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Ship's Lists
     These lists often give the origins of the passengers and are found in the following primary sources:
  • Van Rensselaer Bowier Manuscripts- this is a list of those who came over under contract with Kiliaen Van Rensselaer to work on his manor, Rensselaerswyck; see History of New Netherland by E.B. O'Callaghan or Van Rensselaer Bowier Manuscripts by A.J.F. Van Laer.
  • Account Book of the West India Company- this gives a list of New Netherland settlers whose passage was paid by credit; see The Year Book of the Holland Society of New York, 1902, pgs. 1-37 or The Documentary History of the State of New York by E.B. O'Callaghan for translations. 
  • Amsterdam Notarial Abstracts- contain some information on those who were going to New Netherland; a card index located at the Amsterdam Municipal Archives.
    In addition, many of these lists are online at Olive Tree Genealogy.

Example (with the place of origin in bold)

Memorandum for Dominie Johannes Megapolensis, this 3d June, 1642, proceeding to the Colonie by the ship De Houttuyn, skipper Adriaen Dircksen Houttuyn...
...Johan Carsterssen, van Barltt, N. Brabant,
Jeuriach Bestvaell, van Luydendorp,
Claes Jansen, van Waalwyck, N. Brabant...
(From The Documentary History of the State of New York by E.B. O'Callaghan)
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Church Records
    Marriage records of the earliest Reformed Dutch churches in New Netherland often offer a good source of information about the origins of the bride and groom. Check the records of each region.

Example (with the place of origin in bold)

JACOB JANSEN, j. m. of Etten, in Brabant, and ANNETJE ARIANS, of Amsterdam, deserted wife of AERT PIETERSEN TACK, both resid. Here (in Wildtwyck, now Kingston). First publications of Banns, 28 Dec., 1664; second, 4 Jan.; third, 11 Jan. 1665.
(From the Kingston Marriage Register)
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Court and Civil Records
    Court and civil records and minutes of New Netherland settlements frequently provide good clues about settlers' origins. In some cases, wills and even a few civil marriages are recorded in these records. Check the records of each region.

Example (with the place of origin in bold)

Interrogation on which this court is to examine Lourens Jansz,
burgher and inhabitant of Beverwyck
1 How old is he and where born? 
Answers, 48 years and born at Hoesem.
(From the Fort Orange Court Minutes)
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Words that Indicate a Place of Origin
Van, van de, van der, van ter, ver- from
Uyt den, uyt der, ten, ter- out of
Ten, ter, te'-at (or to)

    For information on finding the origins of Dutch Colonial ancestor and beginning research in Europe, see New Netherland Roots by Gwenn Epperson, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1994 (available at Amazon.com).

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To contact me:  michelle@boydhouse.com
Last updated 15 Nov 2003.
© Michelle Boyd, 2003.