This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: llinde3 Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.thompson/7774.445.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Hi.My dad was an orphan so there isn't too much I know for sure abt.his/my Thompson family.Dad's female first cousins sd we were from England yet I think that in error.Because I got my gggrandparents as Protestants and Prebsbyterians and they settled in Va in the Cumberland mountain area (now West Va.)early on I believe we hail from No.Ireland and are the people noted as Scots-Irish.Originally from Scotland my ancestors were border "reivers" apparently and raided along the so.border Of Scotland.(See website Clan Thomposn)King Janmes I of England(also James VI of Scotand)needed money so he sold parts of Scotland to wealthy Englishmen.Also,the thinking was these people would convert the Roman Catholic native Irish.Didn't happen.The land rents were exorbitant there as the English and Anglo-Irish owned the land and there was religious oppression as well.I read also there were local crop failures and localized famines also.So the Scots-Irish and Native Irish left in droves.300,00! 0 Irish immmigrated to the American colonies by 1800.I read that 200,000(approx.)were Protestant and 100,000 were Catholic.I wish I could cite sources but this knowledge I acquired over the years.The first waves of them went to Pa.and then to the Cumberland area in Va and thence down into Appalachia.Hope thia helps.llinde3 E Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.