I'm going for the Frideswide explanation and the double ff being the 16th century way of expressing capital F. If you go to the following website it gives alternative spellings: http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~oel/givennames.html#F This website has been developed by the people transcribing early parish registers for Free Reg. best wishes, GAY Gay J Oliver, Stalybridge, Cheshire gayandmike.co.uk tamesidefamilyhistory.co.uk ashtongrammar.co.uk www.tamesidehistoryforum.org.uk www.fhsc.org.uk/fhsc/dukinfield.htm