Rootsweb, which provides the space for this mailing list and handled 100,000,000 [!] pieces of genealogy email through lists in July, has other features including the Roots Surname List at http://www.rootsweb.com/rootsweb/searches/ For June there were 74 people searching for Downing. I know it is now August but I haven't gotten that far -- chances are there are more rather than less. You might want to go to the site and do your own search for Downing [and other names] and put your search on that list. If you become a member of Rootsweb as a sponsor [$24/year] you can have them email you a list of queries for your surnames each month and save yourself some time. Think of it as the PBS or NPR of genealogy. Like PBS and NPR you don't have to be sponsor to use the services. Cheryl Rothwell clrothwell@mindspring.com Logan County, ILGenWeb, coordinator http://www.rootsweb.com/~illogan/loindex.htm Logan County mailing list> LOGAN-L@rootsweb.com Downing mailing list> DOWNING-L@rootsweb.com