According to Urbain Boerjan, who has written a book about the Boerjans, the earliest members of the Boerjan family, circa 1630, were Joannes and his wife, Theresia Coreman. Three surnames are associated with Joannes; on the birth of his 1st child, the child's last name was recorded as "Briant" in his baptism book. For his second child, the surname "Broyan" was used. For his third child, "Brejan", and for his fourth child, "Bruhans" were used.

Six generations later, Desire Boerjans was born at Lembeke on May 23, 1826. He married Sophia Taets (born February 9, 1832) in Lembeke on August 13, 1853. They had 12 children, one of whom was Bernardus (Ben) Boerjan, born at Lembeke on April 16, 1870.

Ben married Nathalie Gaelens (Schalenz) on August 12, 1893, who was born at Oost Eeclo on July 28, 1870. They emigrated to the United States and they had four living children. Their eldest son, William, died in childbirth. The next child was also named William, a common practice then, and this William is my grandfather. Nathalie also gave birth to Tayfield, Joseph and Marguerite.

My grandfather, William, was born in Kewanee, Illinois on August 8, 1896. He married Valerie Marie Boucher on July 14, 1918. Bill and Valerie had three children, Anita, Blanche and Viola.

For a detailed story about the early members of the Boerjan family, see Early Boerjans.

A detailed story about this family can be found at The Belgians.

For information on cousins of the Boerjans, see Boerjan Cousins.