Always check the possibility that there can be around ten different surname spellings, for various reasons. Within only one original Colonial document, for instance, I found four variant spellings of my maiden surname, written by the same clerk, in the same paragraph--and he was supposed to have been among the most educated men in the county. Since then I found the proverbial (at least) six more spelling variants. And that's only for *one* of my surnames. This is typical, if you look long and hard enough. --Carol (Huffington > Carlisle > Bowen > Truitt > Barnes) Menges ----- Original Message ----- From: "Regena Lally" <jrl91@worldnet.att.net> > I find this interesting as I have wondered if the BARNS is not the correct > spelling (for my family anyway) of the two? Perhaps this is why I am having > so much trouble finding the parents of my brothers, Alanson and Edwin? Who > is to say which enumerator, etc...made the mistake in spelling, or when the > spelling was changed. Thank you for letting me know this. > > Gena