Volkert Overlander was born in Amsterdam, the son of Nicolaes Overlander († 1607) and Catharina Sijs (also: Chijs) (1536–1617.[1][2] Nicolaes was a grain merchant in Amsterdam's Warmoesstraat, and in 1580 a captain in the schutterij.[3] He studies law at the University of Leiden and finished at the University of Basel in 1595.[2] In 1599 he married Geertruid Jansdr Hooft (1578–1636). His sister Gertruid Overlander (1577–1653) married Geertruids brother Pieter Jansz Hooft. The couple had ten children, among other:
Claes (Nicolaes) Overlander (van Purmerland), died unmarried in 1627; the inheritance thus passed to his sister Maria[4]
Geertruid Overlander van Purmerland (1609–1634) became the first wife of statesman and burgomaster Cornelis de Graeff[2] who remarried in 1635 to Geertruids cousin Catharina Hooft, daughter of her paternal aunt Geertruid Overlander Geertruid Overlander (1577–1653)
Quartered: I and IV in blue an antique plow bar, placed diagonally right with the point upwards and a shield angle of silver, charged with a cross of red; II In blue a swan of silver, beak and legs of red (Lordship Purmerland); III In blue a quartered shield head, I and IV in gold a walking lion of black, II and III in gold a walking lion of red (Lordship Ilpendam).[5]