EARLY  FAMILIES  WITH  TIES  TO  THE  RYKERS  &  RIKERS

LENT -- Ryck ABRAMSEN, first son of Abraham and Grietie RYCKEN, was born in 1638. He adopted the name of LENT and became the ancestor of the family of that name. A will executed in the Netherlands in 1661 shows Abraham's full name as Abraham RYCKEN VAN LENT.

SUYDAM -- The Suydam family descends from the Flatbush, NY settler who signed his name Hendrick RIJKEN and Heyndrick Reycke van ZUTPHEN, his son signing as van SUYTDAM. Contrary to statements in James Riker Jr's Annals of Newtown, the Suydams are a family distinct from the Rikers and Lents, although the latter two are related, since they both descend from the immigrant Abraham Rycken.

ABRAHAMSZEN -- Some of Abraham Rychen's children used the patronymic name Abrahamszen, as could be expected under the Dutch naming conventions. His two middle sons, reacting to the English preference for established family names, also used versions of their father's patronym and were known as Jan ABRAHAMSZEN or Jan RYCKER, and as Abraham ABRAHAMSZ RYCKE or Abraham RYCKE; they are the progenitors of the RYKER or RIKER family.

HARMENSEN -- Hendrick HARMENSEN, another early settler in New Amsterdam, was the first man to turn a furrow on his bouwerie (farm). He had been an armorer in the Dutch service; so, adding a profitable sideline to his agricultural interests, he forged tomahawks for the Indians. HARMENSEN, however, wrought for the Indians one axe too many, and one morning he was found dead. His skull bore marks of his own brand of tomahawk!

Abraham Rycken married Grietie, daughter of Hendrick Harmensen and Tryntie (Tryon) Catherine Herxer (Heryker), and together they founded the family that was to play a prominent part in the early settlement of New Amsterdam.

DEMAREST/DEMAREE -- The modern form of the French family name, DES MAREST.  Jean DES MAREST, the g-g-g grandfather of Rachel DEMAREE (who married Gerardus RYKER) was born in Picardy, France in the early 1600's.

Other early families related to the Rykers include (in alphabetical order):