Thanks so much, Andrea, for your detailed reply to my request for information about the Nicholas family mentioned by John Peters. I have been blessed with seven replies to date, all illustrating what a very good list this is to be on. One gave me the specific information I asked for from the book but not the background Andrea gave. Two others promised to send it soon and one other was from a NZ librarian who felt I had maligned library staff ( which I apologise for doing), saying her University library's copy had been stolen. Another told me about two websites where I could buy the book secondhand and another about a book called "French Huguenots" by Dr Lavender, an American, which has a map of France in 1598 showing where places Hugs. could worship were then. It appears from Peters' book that a Nicholas family probably did live in Flanders for some time. Samuel Smiles ( considered by some unreliable) wrote that there was an ancient family of the name in Brittany, one of whom settled in Cornwall and started a line there. Grace Lawless Lee wrote that one well-known Nicholas soldier in Ireland who fought in Flanders came from the Saintonge area in south-west France. It seems likely therefore that Nicolas is a French surname found in different parts of France which seems to apply to several other of my Huguenot or Walloon names found in Ireland ie. Clements, De la Hay, Nelis, and Cottin. Thanks to every one on the list who responded so quickly and especially Andrea, Regards Barbara.