How right you are! However capitalizing the word, most of the times it is referring to a family name. And yes it can be capitalized, i.e. at the beginning of the sentence and refer to rabbits. I suspect most people understand that. It happens in English also. José -----Original Message----- From: prt-madeira-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:prt-madeira-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Luis Beal Sent: November 13, 2006 7:10 PM To: prt-madeira@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [PT-MADEIRA] Book - Familias da Madeira e Porto Santo FYI - Coelho always means rabbit whether it is capitalized or not. The capitalized form refers to a family or place name but the meaning does not change :) My maiden name is Rocha and it still means rocha. Luis Beal "Fernandes, Jose" <jose.fernandes@yrdsb.edu.on.ca> wrote: Janette, I can only attempt to answer the first question. Calaça is a well-known family from Porto Santo and so are the Coelhos. Now there is a story about the colonization of Porto Santo that refers to a rabbit plague. Coelho means rabbit but not when the C is capitalized. There are many Coelhos also in the island of Madeira. I have not read this book and therefore I don't the context but I do know if you are a Calaça you do come from the original families. Although this is limited for at one time it is said that there were only less than 30 persons in the island. And there is the connection to Morocco but I am not getting into that! Cheers, José -----Original Message----- From: prt-madeira-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:prt-madeira-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Janette Chun Sent: November 13, 2006 1:09 PM To: prt-madeira@rootsweb.com Subject: [PT-MADEIRA] Book - Familias da Madeira e Porto Santo Hello, I recently received a couple of pages from the Families of Madeira e Porto Santo book with details of some of my ancestors. It's been a very exciting discovery but I'm wondering if anyone can help me answer a couple of questions. 1) Frequently after entries, there is a reference - e.g. em to de Calaca or em to de Coelhos, etc. - what does this reference? 2) I've looked for the book online but have only been able to find it at antiquarian book dealers - at a hefty price - title stipulates Vol. 1 - how many volumes are there? 3) Is this book available online similar to the TOMO I, II, III and how does this book differ from the TOMOs? Suggestions/feedback welcome. Thanks, Janette Chun (Canada) ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PRT-MADEIRA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PRT-MADEIRA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message "Not to know what happened before we were born is to remain perpetually a child. For what is the worth of a human life unless it is woven into the life of our ancestors." Cicero, Roman orator --------------------------------- Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PRT-MADEIRA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message