New York State History

The majority of early settlers used no surnames, and it was customary to prefix the child's to the father's Christian name, terminating in se for a girl and sen for a boy. Ke, je or ken added to a name sig­nified little so-and-so. But one name was given in baptism. The Jufvrouw* had the privilege of resuming her maiden name at pleasure to show her descent, and on other occasions she would affix her husband's first name to hers, add­ing se. The use of surnames increased among the Dutch from the time the prov­ince was occupied by the English, in 1664, and after the first quarter of the follow­ing century few names were written with­out the addition of the family name.

* Wife.