To All the Fisher Researchers: I am a Fisher genealogist and I would like to help clarify this idea about the number of Fisher Lines in America. The earliest is Robert Fisher, 1611, who arrived on the East Short of Virginia from Wales on the Elizabeth. He was still living in the time of the first Virginia census in 1625. However, other subsequent Fisher arrivals in 17th century Virginia include: John, Henry, Thomas, Edward, Samuel, William, Gabriell, Richard, Francis, Jeremy, Jonathan, Joseph, Peter, Phillip, Benjamin, Caleb, George and Paul. [cited from Filby's Master Index]. It is unlikely that these Fisher derive from a single Fisher line in England and there is simply no evidence that this is the case. Another major line of Fisher's originated from Sylekham, England and fled England because of religious persecution and settled on the Charles River near Boston. This line is well documented and did not migrate to Virginia. Another line of Early Fishers was John and Thomas Fisher who came over on the Welcome in 1682 to settle in Penn's Colony. Thomas was a son of John and married Maugery Maud. This line is also well documented and is totally different from other early Fisher immigrants. Perhaps yet another important early line is Nicholas Fischer who immigrated to Virginia from Germany and soon changed the spelling of his name to Fisher settling in Brunswick, later Lunenburg, Counties. Simply stated, we just do not know how many independent Fisher lines immigrated to America in the 17th and early 18th century but it is certain they did not derive from one or two Fisher lines elsewhere. George Chrysler Fisher