Thank you Phillip for sharing that information. I have discovered several families that started out with proper ethnic surname who eventually changed them to shorter English translations (Aukstakalnis to Hill for example). But for the life of me I cannot figure out how a surname like Alexander relates to a German/Swiss word. The best I can come up with is that an Alexander family migrated to Germany well before coming to the U.S. or were strongly influenced by marriage into a German family. Either way I am thankful - since their appearance in the early Maryland German Church Records have been such a help. If the family had belonged to one of the religions associated with the early U.K. I would be struggling with Alexanders even more than I am. You were lucky to discover the name change in your research - or perhaps it just adds to the confusion? Susan Phillip Little wrote: >Hi Susan: > The Kleins of Germany and/or Switzerland changed their names to Little as they established the town of Littlestown, Adams Co., PA. Klein and Little both mean little or small. Phil Little, KS > > > >