This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/XeB.2ACE/3331.1.1.1.1.1.1.2.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: David, I guess that would be a good assumption. My take on the many spellings is that the name was spelled as the census taker, court clerk, etc. "heard" it. Plus I've found a number of census entries where the final syllable was spelled differently. Ones that first come to mind are Saray for Sarah and Hanner for Hannah. My maiden name is Brandon but in researching that line in TN I've found it spelled Brannon, Branum, and Brandon!