Barbara, Thank you for your time, you have been a big help to myself & I am sure others, also. I enjoy history, but all I have at this time to work with, is; "Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia" But soon would like to get others...(Dictionary of Surnames / New Dictionary of American Family Names) Thanks be to the Blessings of you & your's. C.J. Kennedy. Sacramento, Ca ----- Original Message ----- Sent: Sunday, February 02, 2003 8:51 PM Subject: Re: [SURNAME-ORIGINS]= Brightman, Alsup, Lewis > BRIGHTMAN (English) Variation of BRIGHT, 1- from a Middle English > nickname or personal name meaning "bright, fair, pretty", which is from > Old English "beorht" (bright, shining). ______________________________________________________ > ALSUP (English) The same as ALSOP and ALSIP, "one who came from Alsop en > le Dale, listed as Aleshop in 1241 (Aelle's valley), in Derbyshire." _______________________________________________________ > LEWIS > 1. English: from "Lowis, Lodowicus", a Norman personal name composed of > the elements "hold" (fame) + "wig" (war). The name is recorded in Latin > chronicles as "Ludovicus" and "Chlodovechus" (the latter form becoming > Old French "Clovis, Clouis, Louis", and the former becoming the German > name, "Ludwig"). The name was introduced into England by the Normans. > 2. Welsh: Anglicized form of LLYWELYN. > 3. Scots: from the Hebridean island of "Lewis", and seems to have come > from the Old Norse word for "silent, melancholy" or from one for "song" > + "house". However, this is not fact and these forms may well represent > folk etymology on some more ancient name. > 4. Scots and Irish: Anglicized form of "Mac Lughaidh" (son of Lugaidh). > This is one of the most common Old Irish personal names. It is derived > from "Lugh" (Brightness"), which was the name of a Celtic god. In > Scotland the name was taken as a Gaelicized form of "Lewie", a pet form > of "Lewis". > 5. Jewish (Ashkenazic): patronym form of LEVI or Anglicization of some > like-sounding Jewish surnames. > ---Sources: A Dictionary of Surnames by Patrick Hanks and Flavia Hodges > and New Dictionary of American Family Names by Elsdon C. Smith. > Barbara