This exchange about Mac - Mc name changes sparked an idea about one of my brick walls, Edward Loyd Neil. Edward was b. in Boston, Mass. 24 Jul 1815, according to family records.. I do not know his parent's names, & have not located any confirmation for his date or place of birth. He married Adelaide Antoinette Esther Kaufman in Halifax, Nova Scotia 12 Sep 1846. Does the spelling of the names - Loyd and Neil - with the single "L", signify anything? Is it a common spelling in Ireland or Scotland? and would it likely have once been McNeil or MacNeil? Thanks for any suggestions. Virginia -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.13.8/184 - Release Date: 11/27/2005

Hello Virginia, LOYD is a Welsh name, as is Lloyd. Welsh is a Celtic language related to Cornish (Kernow) in the SW of England and Breton in Northern France. Irish or Erse, Scottish Gaelic and Manx (from the Isle of Man) form the second living Celtic group. Welsh has letters and sounds that English does not have like 'dd' - th and 'll' - cl. LOYD would be pronounced as it looks while LLOYD would be CLOYD. As far as I know those who keep to the old form would use LOYD but LLOYD is the usual one now. The British Prime Minister, born in Manchester, England, of Welsh ancestry was David Lloyd George. Other common Welsh names are POWELL, PRICE and PUGH. The Welsh version of Mc, Mac and O' is ap so ap Hywel, ap Rhys and ap Hugh over time became POWELL, PRICE and PUGH. Rob Doragh, Liverpool UK Virginia Beck <ginia2@san.rr.com> Subject: Name changes Date: Sun, 27 Nov 2005 This exchange about Mac - Mc name changes sparked an idea about one of my brick walls, Edward Loyd Neil. Does the spelling of the names - Loyd and Neil - with the single "L", signify anything? Is it a common spelling in Ireland or Scotland? and would it likely have once been McNeil or MacNeil?