Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

patroon

noun
puh-TROON
Definition
A patroon is a person in the Dutch colonial period who was granted land and the legal authority to promote settlement in that land.
Examples
  • The patroon system was essential for encouraging the migration of settlers to New Netherland.
  • Many patroon estates were eventually absorbed into the growing settlements of Albany and New York.
Meaning
The term refers specifically to a landholder in the New Netherland colony, where they acted as lords of the manor and had the responsibility of bringing colonists to settle their large estates.
Synonyms
  • landowner
  • landlord
  • settler lords