Actually, though, the PA Dutch spelled phonetically, using any spelling that was phonetically correct or sometimes phonetically close by the time vowells shifted and sometimes weak consonants got omitted - but Kn for N, though I believe correct, is a new one. I don't even think it is a German spelling - I think it's an English one, not found in modern German not even of the low dialects. I suppose it's possible some English official or clergyman, or schoolteacher, got going on it. Yours, Dora --- TMETTER2@aol.com wrote: > How about Kniss, found in Oley area Berks > County > > > ============================== > Search ALL of RootsWeb's mailing lists in real > time. > RootsWeb's Personalized Mailing Lists: > http://pml.rootsweb.com/ > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get Yahoo! Mail � Free email you can access from anywhere! http://mail.yahoo.com/