Jan Romeyn was born of English lineage back to the early 13th century, when an Italian immigrant married an English girl. Jan Romeyn emigrated from England to Amsterdam, Holland. Two of his sons, Claes and Christofer, emigrated with the Dutch expedition going to colonize in Brazil under Prince Maurice of Nassau, but when they found Brazilians in control upon their arrival, they immigrated to Long Island, New York in 1661. Descendants and relatives lived in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Florida and elsewhere.