Hello to anyone interested in ancient ancestors, As you may recall Leycester reported, "The ancient Roll of the Barons of Halton saith that with Hugh, Earl of Chester came one Nigel, a nobleman; and with Nigell came five brethern, to wit: Hudard [Odard], Edard, Wolmere, Horswyne, and Wolfaith...." (Cope:12) This same sentence is also reported by Dugdale in the Monasticon Anglicum (vol6:pg? somewhere in my stacks!!). Where there is smoke there is fire!!! I have been in communication with a man who has studied name origins for over 10 years and he has reported to me that the names above are likely of Continental Germanic origin with Odard and Edard being Old French. Wolfaith was the hardest name for him to track down because of the English spellings being applied to it. Below is a link that tells a good deal more about Hugh [d'Avranchin], Earl of Chester. An interesting read, if I do say so myself. http://www.patpnyc.com/avranche.htm carole