This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/YWC.2ACI/546.945.2.1.1 Message Board Post: <<I don't understand how you came to the conclusion that all these surnames are the same. DUIGNAN,DEGNAN,DEIGNAN,DIGNAM for example all come from the Gaelic name O DUIBHGEANAIN, which is a Leitrim,Roscommon,Longford name. I was unaware that they are the same sept as the other names you group them with.>> contrary to all the experts names dont come from one source. names never did all the bates are not related as are the diegans so they didnt dirive that way some did but not all names change in families because of many reasons not the least of which is ignorance.People who cant spell cant write their names that might be ok in some small settlement in ireland. but at the boat dock and at the massachusetts govt office it doesnt cut it. one great example is in search of books by neghs the adds were written by someone with the name or dictated sent to the pilot.where some bostonian had to decifer it and put it in the paper. those names and especialy locations are way off. now i do dennings i have tons of them maybe 5000 in some places they have denning haveing 6 kids dennen dannin dinning denning denning dinnan on state records . how start with a brough ad bostonian accent and you say the names now lets look at your recent accout of the name lets go back before galiec when the irish used olgham.it had no vowels so my name was dnnng dgnn dinnan is dnnn dennen is dnnn dunning is dnnng dineen is dnn but you probably dont want to go that far back how can i prove this DNA very few of the names being done are all the same most are a wide range of DNA .Definatly unrelated Names came quickly proably when a king took a census for taxes . they needed to separate all the seans of locksley. so they needed to take a name they identified with usually an occupation weaver hunter farmer carpenter or smitie[smith] maby they wanted the tribal name but that would of made a town full of sean o'briens not exceptable to the king.so you see those storys of irish names well they are nice . ps did you notice i mispelled deigan with the i first thats how it happened in 1846 when a boatload unloaded :) and by the paper trail i mean i have found kids of dennings being diegans there i go again gezz