What was the name of Rembrandt’s mother?

Rembrandt’s mother was Neeltgen Willemsdochter van Zuijtbrouck.

She was born into a Catholic family in Leiden and married Harmen Gerritszoon van Rijn, a miller. Rembrandt was born in Leiden in 1606 as one of their children. His family background is important because biographical accounts often discuss the coexistence of Catholic and Protestant communities in the Dutch Republic during his youth.

The patronymic form “Willemsdochter” means “daughter of Willem,” following Dutch naming customs of the period. Historical spellings vary, so her name can appear with forms such as Neeltgen, Neelgen, or alternative spellings of Zuijtbrouck. These variations do not indicate different mothers.

Rembrandt’s family name came through his father’s line, while his mother’s identity is preserved in archival and biographical records. She appears less often in popular summaries than Rembrandt’s wives, Saskia van Uylenburgh and Hendrickje Stoffels, but she was part of the Leiden family environment in which he grew up.