Actually both spellings are found in the British Isles - historically and now. Peter Massie of New Kent Co., VA used MASSIE. My folks used MASSEY when they began to read and write. The US census takers didn't necessarily start the confusion, but they certainly added to it! You also find Masy, Massy, Macy, Marsey, Macee, etc. There is a bona fida US Macy family for which Macy is the proper spelling. There was a Barachiah Macy [a Quaker] that Judge Massey and I first thought might be a close cousin or ancestor of my 3-great gf Barachias Massey. We were wrong! Interesting is that Barachiah is the Hebrew and Barachais the Greek form in the New Testament of the given name of a prophet's father in the Hebrew scriptures. ----- Original Message ----- From: <gemass@bellsouth.net> To: <massey@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, February 02, 2009 8:55 PM Subject: Re: [MASSEY] Massey,Massie > Patti, > The spelling of Massey and Massie, started with the Census Taker's. > Some people didn't know how to spell. > > George W Massey