In a message dated 97-06-15 09:12:25 EDT, [email protected] writes: << There are many Bates families of German descent >> Another country heard from. Bates from Russia per this e-mail: "Regrettably, my Bates ancestors are recent immigrants from Russia in the late 1800's. Some clever fellow at the port of entry in Boston gave them the name when he couldn't spell their Russian name." --------------------- Forwarded message: From: [email protected] Resent-from: [email protected] To: [email protected] Date: 97-06-15 09:12:25 EDT There are many Bates families of German descent. The name was originally Betz. I have found several in Wisconsin. I did think they were all 19th century immigrants but perhaps you might find the name earlier than that and with different earlier spellings. We have at least one member of the Bates Association who has an ancestral name of Betz....M J Bates Evans, Pres. the Bates Association