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Updated June 9, 2019

Family name origins & meanings

  • Dutch : occupational name for a bleacher of textiles, a launderer, or the owner of a public bleaching ground.
  • Jan Jansen Bleecker and his wife came to New Netherland in 1658 and settled in Beverwijck (subsequently renamed Albany, NY). They had 10 children, two of whom (Johannes and Rutger) went on to become mayors of Albany.

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