This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.canada.newfoundland.notredamebay/17.19.13.1.1.2.1.2.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Yes, we have those silly French monks to blame for "Beaulieu", but anyway there's no point in looking to modern French to decide what the pronunciation should be; our Frenchies spoke medieval Norman French. You can come across all sorts of weird spellings for it in old documents. Anyway it's no more of a surprise than finding out the Sioux are really called Sue. Burley in old docs is often Burleigh (and if you didn't visit the village you really don't know what you missed). Oh, and Christchurch used to be called Twynham. The other thing set up to confuse the unwary is that most of the placenames in the New Forest begin with B: Burley, Brockenhurst, Beaulieu, Buckler's Hard, two spots called Blackbush, Boldre, the completely separate Boldrewood, Bashley, Berkeley, Bransgore. . . . I could go on.