In a message dated 17/11/2007 08:34:49 GMT Standard Time, [email protected] writes: Greetings form NZ, researching SMITH in Nbl Staring with Henry c1757 Others include: Gale - Middis - Robson - Jackson - Hedley - Ramsay - Quenet - McLeod - Hudson - Tomlinson - Davidson - Seery - Race - Hibbert - Carrington - Renwick - Cheesbrough - Clark - Waldie - Haigh - Tarbox - Sadler - Faas - Blyths - Rutherfords - Chris Smith Chris: No, this isn't going to be a helpful "this is all about them" response! However, it may be of interest to you and to others on this List to think about the first reactions of an old codger when given this list of surnames. First, "Henry Smith c1757". Presumably you mean that was when he was born, but as you seem not to know his parentage and only have the approximate date, perhaps you have either worked it out from a census (unlikely considering the age he would have had ot be) or from a stated age at death (notoriously unreliable). In any case the number of Smiths in Northumberland, as elsewhere, was far too many for this to help pin him down. The other surnames produce various reactions: Gale - found in Northumberland but not in any great numbers. There were Gales on the Yorkshire coast (that was a genealogical observation, not a weather report!) Middis - I have never come across it before. Possibly a mis-reading of the Northumbrian surname Fiddis/Fiddes. Robson - Jackson - Hedley - Ramsay - All very, very common in Northumberland. You would have to provide a lot more detail than just the surname if we are to pin them down with any accuracy. Robson and Hedley are from Border areas, mainly Redesdale, a district notorious for Border Reiving in the 16th century. Ramsay is common all over the county but probably originated in Scotland. Jackson is found all over the north of England. Quenet - Sounds like it is from the Isle of Man. McLeod - Scottish Highland (west coast and Hebrides). Of Norse origin. Hudson - Common throughout the north, including Northumberland Tomlinson - Also common in northern England, perhaps slightly more so in Northumberland than elsewhere Davidson - A good old, and very common, Northumberland surname. Beware: Davidson is effectively the same as Davison and that spelling can easily be confused with another Northumbrian surname, Dawson. Seery - Irish. Many families who now consider themselves Northumbrian actually arrived from Ireland during the 19th century, especially during the 1840s. Race - Co Durham. One of those surname found to a great extent, but only, in Weardale and Teesdale. Hibbert - Uncommon. Found in mid-Northumberland. There was a locally prominent family named Hibbert-Smith. Carrington - Some found all over but not particularly common. Renwick - To be found throughout the NE. Possibly originated in Renwick in Cumberland. There were/are Renwick landowners in Coquetdale and Renwick blacksmiths employed at the Crowley Iron Works in Winlaton. Cheesbrough - No particularly local. Sounds Yorkshire to my ears. Clark - Found all over Waldie - There was a group of Waldies around Rothbury. Haigh - From the Scottish side of the Border Tarbox - I've never come across it before Sadler - Common. In the age of the horse every town would have needed its saddler. There is a Sadler Street in Durham City. Faas - Blyths - Faa or Faw is a Border name for a Gypsy and one of the main Gypsy families were the Blyths, The main Gypsy centre near the Border was at Yetholm, just on the Scottish side. Rutherfords - A good old Scottish Border name, though Rutherfords have been in Northumberland (Rudchester) and Co Durham (Blackhall MIll near Chopwell) from at least the days of the Reivers. I don't know whether this will have been helpful, but you might find it interesting to know which of your surnames are very Northumbrian and which are not! Geoff Nicholson