Hi folks, much of "The Book of Ulster Surnames" is abstracted and in our archives (www.rootsweb.com, scroll to 'Mail Lists" click on 'Interactive Search", type in Scotch-Irish and search for your surname. It's a good gift to give yourself for Christmas. Here's a 'classic': McCaughey (Caughey, Hackett, MacCaughan, MacGahey, MacGaughey). These are from the same Irish name, a personal name anglicized to Aghy. You also find Cahey, MacAghy, and MacCaghey from the same). Though MacCaughan and MacCahon derive from a different name, they have become MacCaugheys (plus all the variants). They are all Ulster names but are from different regions. MacCaughey and MacCahey are from Tyrone and Antrim. Caughey is in Down and some in Antrim. MacGahey is Monaghan and Antrim and MacGaughe in Armagh and Antrim. So the spelling can help you guess where the family came from. MacCaughan and MacCahan are from nothern Antrim and Derry but some claim they were O'Cahons of the Route. (The Route O'Cahons are the source of some of our Kanes, McKain, O'Kanes, etc though some are Scots and English in origin). This is why we drink a lot!!! Hackett is Englihs but in Ulster in Tyrone and Armagh it is a synonym for MacCahey and MacGahey. He doesn't tell us why....Usually he does but here he doesn't. SO that means a guy could use Hackett or McCahey interchangably. WOuldn't confuse his neighbors and friends, but could confound the descendent trying to do genealogy. The book is full of clues to where precisely your ancestors came from based on spelling as well as alternative names to try if you are coming up blank. Because of the mix of Irish, Scots, English, and Welsh names (a 'lost' English colony in the late 1500s by Marcher lords) Ulster is probably the most diverse and complex place to research surnames, outside of London. Linda Merle ________________________________________________________________ Sent via the WebMail system at mail.fea.net