Hi Karla - Sounds like you're on a roll with the 1900 census - not gospel, but very, very good. I wouldn't worry about multiple spellings for Sophie. If you pronounce that as a German it sounds a bit more like Sophia anyway. As to Staudt, Bahlow's dictionary says: Staude: (frequently in Liegnitz) in Silesia, which see, Slavic family names Staudak, Staudke and place name Staude in Upper Silesa (Slavic stem stud-). But Staudt Upper German (this means south, towards the Alps, High German), also Stäudle, Steudle, Steidle, and Stäuder, also Staudenmeyher; from a dwelling place in the Stauden = bushes, thickets, Alemannic (this is SW Germany/Switzerland/France) Stüder (Switzerland). Johan Stud, Villingen 1346. Also related is Staudacher. Middle High German stûdach "bushes"; also place name Stauigl (Würz. 1284) see Feldigel, Holzigel (Igel = Hedgehog), Studengast in Alem. 13th century - bush robber. Metzger: general Upper German term for a butcher (Middle High German metzjer, metziger, from metzjen "to slaughter' - metzje 'meat counter', also metzeler. From Latin macellarius (butcher) and macellum 'meat counter, market. See in Zurich 1258 Burch vor der Mezzje, in Konstanz 1259 Conrad hinder der mezzje. So now, if you can get back to 1346 and 1259, then you can rest on your laurels! These definitions are from only one source - there are others. Maureen