Dear Rose, Thanks for taking an interest. Yes, they could be from Ireland. Sunderland, and indeed many of the industrial northern towns of England, seem to have been a melting pot for people from all over - Scots from the clearances, Irish from the famines, mariners etc. Judy -----Original Message----- From: DCran41266@aol.com [mailto:DCran41266@aol.com] Sent: Saturday, 14 October 2000 4:04 PM To: BORDER-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: BORDER-D Digest V00 #293 Although I trace a separate surname, it too appears in Durham but also in north Ireland pre 1800. They were Scot-Irish. meaning they went from Scotland to Ireland and some went back and settled in England and Scotland. My point being that in tracing this family I found a marriage to a Murray. Could your family be from Ireland? Rose C ______________________________