Mike, Don't recall if we have discussed this surname previously or not. I have been in touch with quite a few Githens researchers. Will forward your email to them. There are various spellings on this name. Whether they are all the same name or not is a big question. One particular problem I have had to deal with is my 3rd G.Grandmother who was Mary Grapevine of whom one researcher has informed me that the Grapevine name was changed from Giffins/Githins when they arrived from Ireland. The really interesting thing on her is that quite a few descendants have family lore that Mary Grapevine was an indian. Wes Hayman