An interesting story. I wonder how many others of us have similar roots to our surnames? Dave icq#4202467 -----Original Message----- From: MR MICHAEL FLANAGAN <JBDR00B@prodigy.com> To: worsham@ave.net <worsham@ave.net> Date: Friday, July 17, 1998 7:00 AM Subject: Westmoreland-Neville >Dave - A researcher asked me recently if I had ever heard a story about >the Westmoreland family having changed their surname from Neville. I >sent him the following: > >According to info published by Olin V. Mapes in "Westmoreland Ne� >Neville", the Nevilles were Earls of Westmoreland County in jolly ol' >England going back to William the Conqueror. But be careful in repeating >this tale, because I'll guarantee you'll have people polishing up their >tiaras in a New York second. Mr. Mapes writes: > >"On 12-29-1624 the 'Earldom' of Westmoreland passed from the Neville >family to the Fane family when Sir Francis Fane was appointed as the 1st >(Fane) Earl of Westmoreland - based partly on the fact that Charles >Neville and Edmond Neville, the 6th and 7th Earl of Westmoreland, both >fled from England in disgrace. Charles was involved with the Earl of >Northumberland and Mary, Queen of Scots, in a 1560's conspiracy to >invade England. Charles fled in 1570, and Edmund went to Belgium in 1612 >. Sir Thomas Neville of Milburn felt in dishonor and reacted by changing >his name to Westmoreland, the county in which he was born. His son James >, at age 17 (born 1635), left home and sailed for America, landing in >Boston, Massachussetts, moving on south to Virginia where he settled >down and married, and had a son named John .... His brother, Thomas, >remained in Milburn, Westmoreland County (in England)." > >Regards, Michael >