I joined the mailing list specifically to ask a question of all you German orthographers, but I'm enjoying it immensely--from pickled eggs to Poker Alice. I'm reseaching a family that was recorded as "COW" by the English speaking clerks. They settled in the Cumberland Valley. Some were Evangelical Lutherans of the Conococheague District; others were German Baptist Brethern. Any thoughts on what the original German name could have been and why the name eventually evolved into "COY"? There's no sense in searching on "COW". It brings up everyone who ever left his widow a cow, which is practically everyone! Bonnie Coy (searching for COW and linked families WELBAUM, HOFFMAN and GRISAMER)