Andrea's suggestion about using the IGI is an excellent one. Two other vehicles that I find very useful are the search engine "all the web" - http://www.alltheweb.com and Ancestry.com - http://www.ancestry.com. By simply typing "Whelpdale" in the former, I managed to find a very large quantity of references to WHELPDALE. The earliest reference was to ROGER WHELPDALE, provost of Queen's College, Oxford and elected bishop of Carlisle in 1420. He was born near Greystoke (probably in the latter half of the 1300's). The Ancestry.com website provides some free information and also "paid information". Once again, I simply typed "Whelpdale" into "search". I then clicked on the GenPage Finder (free) and found a reference to a woman who has traced the Whelpdale family back to the 15th century. She "would love to hear from other people researching the name". Using the search engine "all the web" or any other search engine takes lots of patience as one sorts through many pages of irrelevant information, but there are gems to be found if you take the time to look. As for Ancestry.com, I paid the annual fee to have unlimited access and have found it very useful, but that may not be everyone's experience. Do try the free bits of it and make up your own minds. Is WHELPDALE a Huguenot name? From what I have read in the last 30 minutes, I have my doubts. However, it wouldn't surprise me if Lynne's Huguenot family connection might have been from a female ancestor marrying into the Whelpdale family. I don't know if this has helped anyone, but I enjoyed the surfing! Regards, Jan Zwarick Researching: LEPINE, L'EPINE, DE L'EPINE, LE PINE in London (Westminster, Soho, Bishopsgate, Bethnal Green) DE L'EPINE in Canterbury circa 1640-1660 (to establish possible relationship with ISAAC DE L'EPINE of London born circa 1640 - 1660)