Weerbare mannen are able-bodied men. Some towns kept lists of weerbare mannen to know whom to count on in case they needed to defend themselves. If they exist, you can typically find them in town records, or in the archives of regional government bodies who required the towns in their region to supply these lists.
About Yvette Hoitink
Yvette Hoitink, MLitt, CG®, QG™ is a professional genealogist, writer, and lecturer in the Netherlands. She has a Master of Letters in Family and Local History from the University of Dundee, and holds the Certification of Genealogist and Qualified Genealogist credentials. Yvette served on the Board of Directors of the Association of Professional Genealogists and won excellence awards for her articles in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly. Yvette has been doing genealogy for over 30 years. She helps people from across the world find their ancestors from the Netherlands and its former colonies, including New Netherland. Read about Yvette's professional genealogy services.