As much as I dislike including the whole list on responses to a few, I'm too busy right now for individual responses. Malcolm, I am aware there are many Sharp families. I apologize for my sloppy writing. What I intended was to separate the earliest major division. Curiously, my Sharp name came from what is commonly referred to as "Borders" i.e., those who bounced back and forth between Scotland and England depending upon who won the latest war. I SHOULD have said, Germany and Great Britain. As for how do you know, there are several possibilities, (assuming it is too late to ask your grandparents). 1) Most obviously, what port did the ship sail from that brought your family to US. 2) Religion often gives a hint. Presbyterians from Scotland, Anglicans from England, Lutherans from Germany. Unfortunately, Quakers could be from most anywhere, but they kept very good records. However, many of all denominations were married by the first circuit riding preacher who came by, no matter the denomination. 3) Given name can help in the first generation or two, even the spelling, (always risky in genealogy). Georick, Joseph, Jacob, or other obvious German names; William, Robert, John, Charles, Elizabeth, Great Britain, Archibald, from Scotland. I have not researched names. However given names were used repeatedly in the early generations. 4) Who did they marry. Remember they spoke different languages. Where I now live (PA "Dutch" country) they still speak with a German accent -- when they even speak in English! 5) Where did they settle. NO British settled among the PA Dutch. The Scotch were sent further west to fight the Natives, or they went down the Shenandoah Trail. Deep South (Carolinas) was settled by Highland Scots. Georgia by English. 6) As I suspect all of you know, Northern Irish were Scots and indistinguishable from Lowland Scots and rabidly (still today) Presbyterian. 7) And finally, what kind of music did they like. What we call "country music" is Scottish in origin. The term "hillbilly" refers to Scots. George A Sharp, III (A Hillbilly from WV)