Frank, FlashNet has apparently changed the way it represents its origin again, so this message didn't make it to the list as it should have. I am making adjustments so that it will work. In the meantime, here it is.... ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- Date sent: Mon, 13 Sep 1999 19:49:03 -0700 (PDT) From: "F.M. LAIRD AA5DT" <fmlaird@pop.flash.net> To: LAIRD-L@rootsweb.com Subject: {not a subscriber} Re: [LAIRD-L] Sinclair digest posted 12 Sep DEAR IAN: When you reference "FIRST" notations of Lairds being in (TWEEDSIDE)Berwick and Peebleshire: 1. what official documents are being referenced and are there possibilities of duplications of those records? 2. even though the marriage and church records arent extant? 3.WHEN YOU REFERENCE " Renfrewshire" IS THIS THE SAME AREA AS TWEEDSIDE ETC AS WELL AS CAITHNESS AND IF NOT WHAT DISTANCES ARE REFERENCED FROM POINT TO POINT. 4. AM I CORRECT THAT CASTLE BERWICK WAS JUST BARELY IN THE HIGHLIGHLANDS?--YET STILL IN THE HIGHLANDS? thanks francis marion laird FATFINGERFRANK INSLaird@cs.com wrote: > > Dear Craig > > Tweedside or Berwick and Peebles is the oldest reference to the surname > Laird in Scotland, and in conventional publications, the only reference > to Lairds in Scotland. There are also a very large number of references > going a long way back in Renfrewshire. Until now the presence of a > large number of Lairds in Caithness and Orkney, sometimes spelt Leard or > Leird has been ignored. To create further confusion, there are > references to the Lairds in the South being of German origin, while in > the North we are of Norse origin. What is certain is that where the > Lairds are found in Caithness is very much in Sinclair country. The > Clans and Septs and Tartans enjoyed a real revival in the 19th Century, > and by this stage the numbers of Lairds in Caithness had begun to > diminish. This is why I am inclined to believe that the Lairds in > Caithness have been overlooked. I do not know exactly how long Lairds > had been in the North, because church records (OPRs) do not start until > about 1650. We keep looking. > > Yours aye > > Iain > > ==== LAIRD Mailing List ==== > Laird Family Association Website: http://www.qcsi.net/lfa