On 07/12/2013 02:47, George Tawes wrote: > > My earliest known Tawes ancestor first appeared in the Pocomoke hundred > of > > Somerset County, Colony (now state) of Maryland about 1740 and I believe > > may have been indentured to a Porter. I do not know who his parents > were our > > where they were from. Since I have found the name in the OPR's of Banff > and > > Aberdeen I am assuming that this is likely the area where he came from? Black's "Surnames of Scotland" suggests that the surname TAWS/TAWSE is derived from the Gaelic 'Tamhas' or Thomas, so could well have come into existence anywhere in Scotland. Gavin Bell