When my English ancestors immigrated to the USA, (a couple with eleven children, some of them grown), two of the four daughters changed their first name: From Hannah to Marie and from Jemima to Ann. When my Irish ancestors immigrated to the USA, one son dropped the name with which he was baptized, and began using another first name. It has always been my belief that those who were dissatisfied with their given name took the opportunity of their immigration to make changes. Re the Katherine/Catherine discussion earlier, my grandmother (born in 1864 in USA) was named Katherine. She "married well", and when her husband began campaigning for political office (after 1900), she became Catherine. Perhaps the latter spelling seemed more "upscale" and probably less like she was the daughter of famine immigrants - which she was. Judy Hello. I don't think this helps, but i had a cousin born in Galway, Ireland and her name was Catherine, but when she arrived in the states in 1923 she wnet by the name Kathleen. Can anyone explane why she would of changed her name to Kathleen? Best wishes Bob