All my life I was told that the Sandage/Sandridge and variations were Scots-Irish but everytime I seem to come across anything it is England. Recently I did find some things which I thought were interesting so thought I would mention it and maybe someone else can get a grasp on our lineage, etc. http://www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si1998/19982558.htm Above shows that in 1998 the Wards of the parish (this is City of St Albans, England) of Sandridge would be abolished and made instead into 3 parish wards: Marshalswick East, Marshalswick West and Sandridge Village. http://proni.nics.gov.uk/geogindx/counties.htm Above is the Public Record office of Northern Ireland and when you go to the prominent persons index search (search is flaky and if you put Earl and Sandwich or Earl+Sandwich it pulls up every mention of Earl even if has Sandwich or not -- 893 of them) and search on Sandwich it mentions in the Gosford Papers that there was correspondence with the 4th earl of Sandwich. In the National Heritage memorial Fund one it shows that the National Maritime Museum received an award of 40,000pounds towards the purchase of papers of Edward Montague, 1st Earl of Sandwich which includes his journal 1652-71 and other papers including papers of several of Sandwich's contemporaries. Also in these searches shows that Martha Ray was murdered and she was Sandwich's mistress and after this murder he (4th earl) wrote to R. B. Walsingham. Mentioned in another area was comments about the Envoy to Russia in the Macartney Papers -- mentiones that in the spring of 1764 Macartney was offered this post under the Court of Catherine the Great and through the influence "with the Secretary of State for the Nothern Department (Lord Sandwich)" Also mentions that letters passed 1764-1772 between the Lords Sandwich and Holland in 1765, of correspondence of Lord Sandwich 1763-1766 with Lord Ilchester. What interested me was that my ancestors were in America (we think -- found them first 1790 census of Union Co, SC and said to be from the Spotsylvania and Albemarle Co, VA Sandridge/Sandidge but never proven) at this time, but the fact that I had always heard about Earl of Sandwich Edward Montague and figured we probably were descended from that family, yet never knew that any of them had been Lord and never found any connection with Ireland or Scotland before now. Sure wish someone would tell me exactly where the 1st Earl of Sandwich lived and ruled and how he even became this Earl -- have never found much about him in any research I had done. Did see several holdings around London (mainly northeast and northwest of that town) but no pinpoint locations. In searching I did also found a Standish Monteith, the 4th Viscount Gort Prendergast, Standish, Lord Sandys (lots of Sandys) 1st Earl of Sandwich Edward Montagu 4th Earl of Sandwich 1718-1792 John Montagu 5th Earl of Sandwich 1743-1814 was John Montagu http://proni.nics.gov.uk/geogindx/geoghelp.htm Above has some geographical index of terms in Northern Ireland http://proni.nics.gov.uk/geogindx Aboveyou can get the counties in Northern Ireland and description of same; Baronies;Poor Law Unions; Dioceses; Parishes; Townlands As stated at the beginning this is the first connection with Ireland I have ever found and STILL do not understand how Lord/Earl Sandwich is connected with Northern Ireland and did he live there or was this just an area he oversaw for the English government. Anyone who can help me more on this and any other of the USA, Canadian, English, Irish, or Scottish (for that matter ANY country) of Sandage, Sandrage, Sandidge, Sandridge, Standidge, Standridge, Sandage, etc. variations of course. I know everyone here in America seems to keep coming up with the same dead ends. Hope something here can give ya'll some help or at least maybe a bit of info that you did not have before. My best, Judith Sandage Murphy jmurphy@erinet.com