Daniel wrote that Mater is not to be found in current Belgium telephone listings and that Mater does not sound very much like a Belgium name. And I thank him for that. Mater may not be Belgium and that is helpful information. How about de la Mater (and variations) or Mader. We have seen many of the first in the American Colonies from the Netherlands and we are told that Mader is common in Germany. In the American Colonies would Mader sound like Mater? Also, we have references to Mater in Hill Lutheran Church in 1762 Dauphin County, PA. Later this was Quitapohila, Annville Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. And this Mater family is probably Matter of nearby New Holland, Earl Township, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They are documented back to the early 1600's in Alsace, Bas Rhin, Germany/France. This Matter family is not known to have a branch that changed the name to Mater so this may be an error in entry or subsequent transcription, but we do have George Mater and family living in East Pennsboro Township, Cumberland county. Pennsylvania, from 1830 until 1850, and he might be from this Matter lines. May the New Year bring many opportunities (challenges and problems) which will excite your creative juices and bring you the satisfaction of solving one more little puzzle amongst the obscure threads of the tapestry we know our ancestors wove. Regards Hal