Eldert family of New Netherlands

The Eldert family of New Netherlands takes its name from its progenator, Eldert Lucaszen Van Voorhees (1651-1722). Eldert married Styntje Hendrickson (1657-1733) in New Netherlands around the year 1676. Their first children were baptized in Flatbush, Kings County, New York, until the family moved to Jamaica in Queens County in 1684. The descendants of Eldert and Styntje adopted the surname Eldert.

First Generation
The first generation consisted of the following known children: Their intermarriage with the Smith family led to unusual naming patterns among their descendants, where English names like Samuel, James, Bejamin and Abigail are alongside Dutch names such as Hendrick, Lucas and Phoebe.
 * Lucas Eldert (1677-1756) who married Jane Smith of Hempstead and moved to Queens County
 * Johannes Eldert (1681-?) who appears to have married several times including once to Marretje Bergen, and once to Martha or Grace Smith, sister of Lucas' wife Jane. However, Marretje Bergen may have been the wife of his son Johannes II.
 * Hendrick Eldert (c1691-1768) who married three times to Margreitje Wyckoff, Elizabeth Ryder, and Tryntje Nostrand
 * Rachel Eldert (bef1700-?) who also married several times including once to Adam Smith, brother of the other two Smiths.
 * Annetje Eldert (bef1700-?) who married Johannes Bergen
 * Egbertje Eldert (bef1700-?) who married Abraham Covert
 * Hendrickje Eldert (bef1712-bef1712) who died young

18th Century
As there was no census until the year 1790, researchers have traced the family from church records, and used subsequent census data to reveal the following descendants leading up to the first recorded census. All male descendants of the Eldert surname who appear in the 1790 census (including all minor children appearing only as tick marks) are included in the following tree (more female lines will be added pending further research):

Descendants of Lucas

 * Lucas
 * Eldert Eldert (1704-?) (married Abigail Messenger)
 * Lucas Eldert (1733-1815) (married Martha Mott and Jane Suydam)
 * Samuel Eldert (1758-1828) (married Catalina Ditmars)
 * Martha Eldert (1783-1851) (married cousin Lucas Emans (1783-1850))
 * Abraham Eldert (1783-1834) (married Elizabeth Doughty)
 * Luke Eldert (1786-1845) (married Femmetje Van Wicklen)
 * Elizabeth Eldert (1787-?) (married John Rem Snedeker)
 * John S. Eldert (1788-aft1871) (married Ann Lott)
 * Samuel Eldert II (1790-1828) (married Catherine Van Wicklen)
 * Maria Eldert (1791-1857) (married Cornelius Vanderveer)
 * Eldert Eldert (1793-1847) (married Mary Ryder)
 * Ditmas Eldert (1796-1876)
 * Johnson Eldert (1799-1844) (married Phoebe Ryerson)
 * Henry Eldert (1800-aft1860) (married Sarah Coles)
 * John Eldert (1762-1844) (married Sarah ?)
 * Abigail Eldert (c1765-aft1791) (married Benjamin Sammons)
 * Elnathan Eldert (1767-1853) (married Hannah Norstrand)
 * Abigail Eldert (c1735-?) (married Charles Cornell)
 * Rachel (1735-1824) (married Thomas Van Wyck (1728-1815))
 * Grace Eldert (bef1705-?) (married George Bates)
 * Jannetje Eldert (bef1712-?) (married Joseph Barnes)

Descendants of Johannes

 * Johannes
 * Johannes Eldert II (bef1705-?)
 * Martha Eldert (1729-1805) (married Increase Pettit)
 * John Pettit (1746-1820)
 * Martha Pettit (1749-1817)
 * Joshua Pettit (1751-1813)
 * William Pettit (1754-1813) (married Catherine Ryder)
 * Increase Pettit (1777-1866)
 * Elizabeth Pettit (1780-1854)
 * Barnabas Pettit (1782-?) (married cousin Sarah Eldert (1789-?))
 * Mary Anne Pettit (1785-1850)
 * William Pettit II (1788-1860)
 * Abigail Pettit (1790-?)
 * Jesse Pettit (1793-1842)
 * Phoebe Pettit (1795-1873)
 * Joseph Pettit (1800-1833)
 * James Pettit (1757-1846) (married Mary Ann Sealey)
 * Elizabeth Pettit (1761-1775)
 * Abigail Pettit (1771-1785)
 * Benjamin Eldert (c1731-bef1790) (married Mary Smith)
 * William Eldert (bef1765-aft1820) (married Ruth Looker)
 * Benjamin Eldert (1786-?) (married Jane ?)
 * Shadrick Eldert (c1788-aft1850)
 * Mary Eldert (1795-?)
 * Abraham Eldert (bet1765&1784-aft1820)
 * (son) Eldert (bef1790-?) (either died childless or reported as under 10 in 1800)
 * William Eldert (bef 1790-aft1800)
 * Smith Eldert (bet1765&1774-aft1810)
 * Rachel Eldert (c1733-?) (married Thomas Van Wyck)
 * Israel Eldert (c1734-aft1763) (married Anna Totten)
 * Samuel Eldert (bet1755&1760-aft1830)
 * John Eldert (bef1775-aft1820) (married Mary Birdsall)
 * (son) Eldert (bef 1790-?) (either died childless or living with grandfather Israel in 1800)
 * (son) Eldert (bef 1790-?) (either died childless or reported as under 10 in 1800)
 * Israel Eldert (bet1780&1790-aft1830) (married Ruth Hulstz)
 * William Eldert (c1765-bef1790) (died without male descendants)
 * Sarah Eldert (c1767-?)
 * Jane Eldert (c1769-1846)
 * Mary Eldert (c1782-1794)
 * Abigail Eldert (c1737-?)
 * James Eldert (bef1755-aft1800) (either a younger brother or oldest son of Benjamin)
 * Richard Eldert (c1775-aft1860)
 * Nicholas Eldert (bet1765&1780-aft1810)
 * (son) Eldert (bef 1790-bef1800) (died childless)
 * (son) Eldert (bef 1790-bef1800) (died childless)
 * (daughter) Eldert (bef1790-?) (died or married prior to 1800)
 * Abigail Eldert (c1790-aft1850) (died childless)
 * Grace Eldert (bef1707-?)

Descendants of Hendrick
All of Hendrick's children but for Antje were born by Margreitje Wyckoff; Antje's mother was Elizabeth Ryder. This list of descendants is believed to be complete through 1737.
 * Hendrick
 * Cornelis Eldert (1718-bef1759) (died childless)
 * Johannes Eldert (1720-c1781) (married Femmetje Snedeker and progenated the Eldert family of Flatbush)
 * Grietje Eldert (1747-1825) (married Jan Vanderveer)
 * Hendrick Eldert (1749-1793) (married Cornelia Cornell)
 * Johannes H. Eldert (1781-1834)
 * Hendrick Eldert II (1783-1829) (married cousin Sarah Emans (1786-aft1874))
 * Maria Eldert (1785-aft1800)
 * Gillam Eldert (1790-aft1800)
 * (son) Eldert (1791&1793-aft1800)
 * Isaac Eldert (1752-1795) (married Maria Wyckoff)
 * Femmetje Eldert (1776-1811) (married Stephen Lott II)
 * (daughter) Lott (bef1800-aft1800)
 * (daughter) Lott (bef1800-aft1800)
 * (daughter) Lott (bef1800-aft1800)
 * Johannes Eldert (1778-1857) (married Sarah Vanderveer)
 * Catherine Eldert (1781-1836) (married Jacob Bergen)
 * Cornelius Eldert (1783-1842) (married twice, to Jane Wiggens and Margaret Ryder)
 * Margaret Eldert (1784-bef1790)
 * Margaret Eldert (c1755-1817) (death date might belong to a different Margaret)
 * Grietje Eldert (1722-?) (married John Stephens)
 * Maria Eldert (1726-?) (married Rem Van Cleef)
 * Styntje Eldert (aft1720-?) (married John Munny)
 * Margaret Eldert (aft1720-?) (married Godfrey Heyn)
 * Margaret Heyn (1761-?)
 * Godfrey Heyn II (1763-?)
 * Eldert Eldert (1729-?) (never married)
 * Antje Eldert (c1732-?) (married Henrick Emmans)

Descendants of Rachel
The descendants of Rachel have not yet been determined.

Descendants of Annetje
All of Annetje's children were baptized in Jamaica, New York.
 * Annetje
 * Jannetje Bergen (1702-?) (married Thomas Stringham)
 * Jannetje Stringham (1727-?)
 * Samuel Stringham (c1730-?)
 * Johannes Stringham (1732-?)
 * Eldert Bergen (1705-?)
 * Jan Bergen (1710-1780)
 * Styntje Bergen (1712-?) (married Johannes Polhemus)
 * John Polhemus II (1735-1816) (married Mary Van Wyck (1735-1805), moved to Nova Scotia in 1783)
 * Van Wyck Polhemus (1763-?)
 * Hannah Polhemus (c1766-?) (married John Vanderbilt II)
 * Jeremias Vanderbilt (1786-?)
 * Mary Polhemus (c1768-?)
 * Eldert Polhemus (1740-c1798) (married Sarah Carpenter)
 * John Polhemus (c1769-1806)
 * Mary Polhemus (aft1769-?)
 * Eldert Polhemus II (aft1769-?)
 * Lucas Bergen (1715-1803) (married Susanna Schenck)
 * Sara Bergen (1749-?) (died childless)
 * Johannes Bergen (1751-1776) (married Magdalena Boerum)
 * Johannes Bergen II (1775-?)
 * Maria Bergen (1777-?)
 * Sara Bergen (1754-1814) (married Hendrick Emans)
 * Ann Emans (1780-?) (married Samuel Waldron)
 * Lucas Emans (1783-1850) (married cousin Martha Eldert (1783-1851))
 * Sarah Emans (1786-aft1874) (married cousin Hendrick Eldert II (1783-1829))
 * Abraham Bergen (1757-1802) (married Antie Springsteen)
 * Susanna Bergen (1783-?)
 * Caspar Bergen (1784-?)
 * Johannes Bergen (1786-?)
 * Phoebe Bergen (c1788-?)
 * Gilbert Bergen (1790-?)
 * Luke Bergen (1792-?)
 * Roelof Schenck Bergen (1795-?)
 * Antje Bergen (1796-?)
 * Abraham Bergen II (1798-bef1800)
 * Abraham Bergen II (1800-?)
 * Roelof Schenck Bergen (1802-?)
 * Ann Bergen (c1760-1846) (married Auris Remsen)
 * Auris Remsen II (?-?) (married Sarah Bennet)
 * Jannetje Remsen (1786-?) (married Anthony Smith)
 * Altie Remsen (1786-1837)
 * Rem Remsen (1793-?) (married Sarah Bennet)
 * John Remsen (1798-?)
 * Jacobus Bergen (1719-c1790) (married Mary Carpenter)
 * John Bergen (1739-1826)
 * Jacob Bergen (1770-?)
 * Isaac Bergen (1772-bef1791)
 * Mary Bergen (1774-?)
 * Jane Bergen (1777-?)
 * John Bergen II (1779-?)
 * Catharine Bergen (1782-?)
 * Abigail Bergen (1788-?)
 * Isaac Bergen (1791-?)
 * Antie Bergen (1740-?) (married John Everit)
 * John Everit II (aft1755-?)
 * Benjamin Everit (aft1755-?)
 * Sarah Everit (aft1755-?) (married John Ludlum)
 * Elizabeth Bergen (c1742-?) (married Ludlam Smith)
 * William Smith (aft1757-?)
 * Patience Smith (aft1757-?)
 * Nathaniel Smith (aft1757-?)
 * Mary Bergen (c1744-?) (married Isaac Bayles)
 * Tabitha Bayles (aft1760-?)
 * Ann Bayles (aft1760-?)
 * Mary Bayles (aft1760-?)
 * Daniel Bayles (aft1760-?)
 * Jacob Bayles (aft1760-?)
 * Isaac Bayles II (aft1760-?)
 * Jacob Bergen II (1746-1816) (married Mary Marsten)
 * Tunis Bergen (1772-?)
 * Thomas Bergen (1773-?)
 * Ann Bergen (1776-1795) (never married)
 * Jacob Bergen III (1782-?)
 * David Bergen (1784-?)
 * Tunis Bergen (1721-1802)
 * Annetje Bergen (1723-?)

Descendants of Egbertje
Egbertje's descendants have not yet been determined.

1790 and Beyond
By 1790, the Eldert family of New Netherlands had essentially divided into 6 separate families (not including the families of the Eldert daughters who no longer bore the Eldert surname). The groups are likewise split up into separate detailed articles based on the regions to which they migrated, as follows:

Queens County, New York
Samuel Eldert (1758-1828), son of Lucas Eldert (1733-1815), remained in Jamaica, Queens, and pogenated the 19th century Eldert family of Jamaica, New York.

Kings County, New York
Hendrick Eldert (1749-1793) and Isaac Eldert (1752-1795), sons of Johannes Eldert (1720-c1781), ended up settling in Flatbush, New York, and surrounding areas, progenating the Eldert family of Kings County, New York.

South Hempstead
All of the Eldert families that lived in South Hempstead, New York in the 1790 census can be traced back to Johannes Eldert II (bef1705-?), with the exception of the household of Lucas Eldert (1733-1815), who was a son of Eldert Eldert (1704-?). These branches, which include the descendants of Israel Eldert (c1734-aft1763) (son of Johannes II), Benjamin Eldert (c1731-bef1790) (son of Johannes II), James Eldert (bef1755-aft1800) (brother or son of Benjamin), and Lucas Eldert (1733-1815), are discussed in greater detail in a separate article on the Eldert family of South Hempstead, New York.

North Hempstead
James Eldert took his children to North Hempstead prior to his death, where his sons Richard and Nicholas progenated the Eldert family of North Hempstead, New York.

Eldred families of upstate New York
In addition to these 6 documented family branches, in 1790, there was a James Eldred living in Stephen Town, Albany County, New York, and an Elisha Eldred living in Minisink, Orange County, New York. It is very likely that these two individuals are members of undocumented branches of the family. Further research is required to attempt to connect them to the family tree.

Eldred family of New England
It should also be noted that there was a large colonial Eldred family of New England. However, it appears these Eldreds are of English ancestry, their name possibly being a shortening of Eldridge.

Research Administrative Tasks
The following research and administrative tasks are of top priority:
 * Organize the family's three sub-pages and extend the articles' scope through the 19th century
 * Add the missing descendant branches of the Eldert daughters' lines
 * Create individual biographies of family members
 * Find living descendants for DNA testing
 * Trace the family's ancestors further back into the Netherlands
 * Create pages for the family's collateral ancestral lines including the Smith family and others
 * Continuously monitor and improve the quality of Eldert articles