In message <!~!UENERkVCMDkAAQACAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgAAAAAAAAAVcclHmL1IU+YnI5B+lQIG8KAA AAQAAAABGrqU9auP0mEq+p9ZaUe7QEAAAAA@btopenworld.com>, Anthony Oliver <anthony.oliveruk@btopenworld.com> writes >Hi > > > >Has anyone come across the Christian name PHEALIG and can they tell me where >its origins lie. I have an ancestor that was christened Phealig Hayton and >although born in South Shields the family originates from the Carlisle area. > > > >Regard, Anthony Hello Anthony, It may be a variant of Peleg or Pheleg/Phelig, which is a name found in the Old Testament, in Chronicles 1, which lists the descendants of Adam to Abraham - chapter 1 verse 19 "Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg because in his time the Earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan." Peleg means division. The use of the name may indicate that the family had a non-conformist background, as adherents of some of these religious groups often used obscure Biblical names for their children! Hope this helps. -- Helen Oram