Hi Jim - Sure hope you can fill us in on more than just a surname. Need full name, spouse's maiden name, siblings and children, religion, as many dates as you have proof for, occupation sea captain? That's one good clue. But I do not know of a way to take a surname and find his birthplace in Europe. So perhaps we can zero in on Boston and thereabouts. You didn't mention where you have been looking, but over 40 years, that has to be a long list and many documents. Brick walls don't go on forever - we're Prussian! In Bahlow's book, Würmeling is a place name in Holstein. There is a reference to Vormann (or Fuhrmann) Low German, wagoner, in Hamburg around 1263. Hanks & Hodges' dictionary shows Old English origins for Wormald, Wormal, Wormhall, Wormell, Wormull, Warmoll. No Wormelle. So - please give us some more of your ammunition and let's see what happens to that brick wall. Maureen In a message dated 8/2/2009 3:41:10 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: According to my great grandfather's naturalization papers, he arrived in Boston, from Prussia, on 29 FEB 1856. He was 15 years old. Family story says he worked his way over from Germany as a cabin boy on a ship. He never spoke about the "old country". My father said he thought his grandfather came from Essen or Stettin. In looking at a map of Prussia of 1850, Essen was not part of Prussia so it appears that Stettin, now Szczecin, Poland, is possibly a starting point for my research. This is my last line and brick wall of my tree which I have been researching for 40 years. I have only come across WORMELL as an English name and any records I have seen for Germany/Prussia do not show the name. If anyone can point me in the right direction as to where to start based on this information, it would be greatly appreciated. I have gone so far as taking a long shot and joining the Germany DNA group to have have my DNA tested, in hopes that there might be a match. No 37 marker matches. Interestlingly, the both witnesses on his naturalization papers were from Denmark. Both worked in shipping industry...one as a captain, the other as the owner of a "employment agency" for the shipping industry. Both also lived near him in East Boston. My great grandfather was a sea captain. Thank you, Jim Wormelle ("e" added on early 1900's) ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222846709x1201493018/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=115&bcd =JulystepsfooterNO115)