Charles, I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with your statement about the spelling of O'Neal. That name change did come about in the early 1700's. There is no question about what O'Neal's were protestant or catholic. Since north Ireland have been in dispute with the Catholic's long before we came along. It has been no secret about the spelling of the O'Neal's being Protestant. Charles have a nice day. Curtis O'Neal, MBA, J.D. ----- Original Message ----- From: Charles O'Neill <cponeill@ix.netcom.com> To: <ONEALL-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2000 11:25 AM Subject: Re: [ONEALL-L] re: O'Neill vs Oneill > You will find Catholic Oneils and Protestant O'Neills in the records. > My own Catholic O'Neills had their name spelled variously O'Neill, > O'Neil, ONeill, ONeil. In the baptismal register for my ggrandfather, > Hugh O'Neill, his name is spelled ONeil by the good Catholic priest. > O'Neal, though, does seem predominantly "Protestant" - but spelling was > often phonetic and of names whose owners couldn't spell themselves. So > how the name was spelled was often a function of who was doing the > spelling. There ain't no hard and fast rules about name spellings in > Ireland - or anywhere else back in the 1700s - 1800s. > > Charles O'Neill > > Epanske@aol.com wrote: > > > > I've always been told that O'Neal was Protestant and any O'Neill spelling was > > Catholic. > > Emma > >