The story of the Van Allen (sometimes Van Alen) family of early Albany may begin with one Johannes Van Allen who brought his sons to New Netherland about 1658. A younger son, Pieter Van Allen became an Albany resident but died in 1674. same-named contemporaries complicate the assignment of qualitative information for this individual. Lourens Van Allen went on to establish the Kinderhook branch of the family.

Pieter's sons, Willem and Johannes, became Albany mainstays. In 1720, Johannes was listed among Albany freeholders. By that time six Van Allens were included among the freeholders of Kinderhook and Livingston Manor. William Van Allen was listed in Rensselaerswyck.

In 1756, only the home of "Mrs.Van Allen" was included on a census of Albany householders.

In 1763, six Van Allen men were named on a list of Kinderhook freeholders.

In 1766, 1767, 1779, 1788, and beyond, the Albany properties of brothers Barent and Johannes, and sometimes of their widowed mother were valued on Albany assessment rolls.

By 1790, only one Van Allen-named household was left in the city of Albany. However, it most likely included the three adult children of the late skipper Pieter Van Allen.

In 1800, three Van Allen named households were configured on the city census. Two were headed by widows.

By 1813, no Van Allens were listed in the city directory.

Although not an Albany resident, city surveyor Evert Van Allen was responsible for a number of historically important maps made during the nineteenth century.

Throughout the eighteenth century, the small but consistent presence of the Van Allen family in the city stood in contrast to their much more prominent occurrance in greater Albany County - particularly in the Kinderhook area.