I would have to see that record to tell you with more certainity, but from what you say I suppose it is Joam (João). That name was then writen with the J looking like a Y (or was it a Y?), so you could easily mistake it for an F. Who was the mother of Maria, BTW? I don't believe she was Francisca Lourenço, unless she had a 3rd marriage that I'm not aware of... Manuel Lourenço and Maria Martins were my 11th great grand parents too. :) Paulo On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 20:53:04 -0600, Cece Camara <cece@soccer4all.com> wrote: > At least that's what I wrote down from a baptism record in Porto da Cruz > abt > 1605. > It says something like... > Maria, filha de foam....Francisca Lourenco, comadre Guiomar Lourenco.... > These two women are sisters, daughters of Manuel Lourenco & Maria Martins > (my 10th great grandparents...and Ed's too!!!). > > Can anyone tell me what this means? > > Cece -- " Pallida mors aequo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas regumque turres." -- Horacio