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.


 

List of Wardell Family Files

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