This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/topics.researchresources.lookups.lookups/2830.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: According to the 1910 census records he immigrated in 1845 and was naturalized. Your best bet is to find his naturalization records. If you know his father's name it might be under it as children were automatically naturalized with their parents. Try the lookup pages at genforum for "Germany" Someone there can probably help with the German name.