Well, this is the second time it has happened.....someone looking for their ancestor thinking they were from Denmark cause that is the family history....and they were really from Holstein. This time it is a German speaking family in Illinois, the first time someone in Texas. You know that German speaking people went to Texas thru coastal Texas ports before and after Civil War in 1860-1865. There were quite a few of them. But if your family history says your family is from Denmark, but does not have a Danish name, and they came to American ca 1840-1850 - then think about Holstein. It was under Danish rule and sometime ca 1850 broke away, sometime in 1860s was taken over by Prussia. So watch out for those German kingdoms, your ancestor might have mentioned something about the Danish government, but that does not mean he was Danish. I just read something on one of the Texas lists about a group of home guard during 1860s who killed a whole group of Germans who were trying to escape to Mexico. That was the first I had heard of that. Anyway - be aware that Holstein was for a while part of Denmark. Heck, I guess at one time Denmark, Norway, and Swedan had the same queen. Good luck with the European stuff. Mary