When Arie Berkhof was born on 1 March 1810, in Holland, Netherlands, his father, Jacob Berkhef, was 45 and his mother, Jannetje van de Slik, was 33. He married Cornelia van Rumpt on 20 November 1839. They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 3 daughters. He died on 30 December 1879, at the age of 69.