Hi Len, I wonder if this is what you really mean - did you mean to use the indefinite article in "the HEXT family of Devon, and indeed also the YEO family ..."? By doing so you imply that there is one HEXT family and one YEO family, and moreover that in each case their descent from Charlemagne it was by an ancestor common to all of that family. When I look at Stoates transcription of the Devon lay subsidy rolls of 1524-7 I see that by then both surnames were widespread. Given the lack of evidence for most families from the start of surnames to the C16th or even later I doubt you have been able to show that all share a common ancestor and that that early common ancestor was descended from Charlemagne. If I am wrong I too would be very interested to hear how you have doen this, particularly as I too have HEXT ancestors (from Stokenham). That you have evidence that some HEXTs, i.e. a particular HEXT family and some YEOs, ditto, were descended from Charlemagne I find entirely believeable. I too have a gateway ancestor who I have recently (earlier this year) found. This seems to take me back to Hugh de Courtney who married Margaret de Bohun, the latter apparently daughter of Edward I and Eleanor of Castile, but through the de Bohuns descended from Charlemagne. Needless to say I have not been able to check out all the supposed links in a little over 3 months. What concerns me, and you haven't so far mentioned, is that I have heard several times since then comments by professional historians that there was a time when all the European Royal families wanted to be descended from Charlemagne and so there were some 'invented' genealogies to show this. I wonder what you make of this? Teresa On 21/05/2016 07:52, [email protected] wrote: > Date: Sat, 21 May 2016 01:43:36 +1000 > From: "Len Heyward"<[email protected]> > Subject: [DEV] Charlemagne 742 > To:<[email protected]> > Message-ID: <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > Hi listers, > > > > In the process of gathering additional info on a number of my associated > Devon ancestry lines, I have become aware that the HEXT family of Devon, and > indeed also the YEO family, are "blood descendants" of Holy Roman Emperor > Charlemagne, born about 742. > > > > If any other lister has similar interests, I would be more than willing to > share the information I have. > > > > This was a surprise to find and has sparked my interest even further. > > > > Best regards > > > > Len Heyward > >