Cara, Your mention on April 11 about the ARIS names rang a bell, and I looked up some copies I had made from the "Index to the Public Records and State Papers of Ireland" (FHL film 1363995) some years ago. The reason I noted them is the frequency with which that name appears in my own family. In addition to the will for Martha Aris, as you mention, the index lists a will for Peter Aris, farmer, Blackditch, Co. Wicklow, in 1712; a note of Peter Aris, Merchant, Dublin, in 1734 [must not be the same Peter] who died intestate; an original will for Thomas Aris, Blackditch, in 1724; an original will for Thomas Aris, Blackditch, in 1746 [must be 2 different persons named Thomas]; a marriage license for Margaret Aris and Thomas Pigeon in 1727; and a marriage license for Martha Aris and Thomas Hamilton in 1736. This is just in my "miscellaneous" file but follows up on your thought. Cheers, Suzanne Revell message dated 4/11/2011 3:33:04 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, irl-wicklow-request@rootsweb.com writes: Message: 4 Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2011 15:22:52 +1000 From: "Cara_Links" <cara_links@bigpond.com> Subject: [IRL-WICKLOW] ARIS To: <irl-wicklow@rootsweb.com> Message-ID: <ACA38196319F44A4AA66BA55180A4512@Madden> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original As we all know from researching Church of Ireland families that the maiden name of the mother was often moved across as a either a joint name of the child or the child was named the mothers maiden name. So therefore I am now asking what is the likelyhood of the Revell, Brass, Sherwood family having had in its forebears a woman namd ARIS Dublin Grant Book shows Martha Aris /Blackditch Co Wicklow 1746 ( widow ) most likely the widow of the gentleman below or of Thomas Aris of same parish 1724 and his will dated 1746 same address. Peter Aris a merchant of Dublin 1734 So the surname existed, whats the input to this then? Cheers Cara Peter Aris same address a farmer in 1712 (will) ------------------------------