This is pretty basic book but thought some of Chapter four might be of interest...there is another book on Evidence which I'll check out as well... Discovering your Female Ancestors by Sharon Carmack: Chapter four: Probably the most common problem in researching women is that of identiy. What was her maiden name? .... In some circumstnaces, a woman chose to keep her maiden name instead of using her husband's name....A respected Virginia genealogist noted that in some Virginia marriage and parish records, "ladies' names (were) entered in an almost unexplainable manner. I understand that in certain Quaker recordings the maiden names of brides have been used when they were widows."....another genealogist added "The practice here discussed is very common in Dutch records, maiden names and espcially patronymics being used after many years of widowhood" As mentioned in chapter two under Passenger Arrival lists, Catholic French and Italian women in particular were known by their maiden names on all legal documents in their native lands. While this custom may not have been practiced once they came ot America, all records generated in the Old Country - such as passenger lists and emigration papers - will record the woman by her maiden name.... ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com