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Archiver > RHEA > 2002-10 > 1035142564


From: Norma Lewis <>
Subject: [RHEA] Re: RHEA-D Digest V02 #103
Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 12:39:08 -0700
References: <200210201401.g9KE10Ou015116@lists5.rootsweb.com>


In doing some research on my Coiners I had occasion to do a national
census search ~ don't remember which site it was, but when I typed in
Rhea and Rea and Ray I found these numbers.
Rhea=400, Rea=800 and Ray=8000 - also found these spellings in that
search ~ Wray, Wrey, Rae, Reay, and Raye ~
Time period was about 1880.

I think the Rheas and Rays are like one of my Coiner spellings. Conrad
Keinadt stayed in PA when the rest of the family moved to VA and he
spelled the name Kyner ~ however, when his children and grandchildren
went west they resorted to Kiner in many cases. In 1880 a tremendous
number of Swiss Kieners came over and they spelled their name primarily
Kiner ~ So, when I researched the midwest census records I kept running
across these Swiss Kiners mixed in with my German Kyners, and found it
impossible to follow some families.

The same thing has happened with the Rheas and Reay and Rays ~ many
different groups have come over at different times and mixed in with the
earlier immigrants so that by 1880-1920 it is sometimes impossible to
find their roots. For this reason, you will more success in earlier
records than in later ones. If you have a later ancestor it will be most
beneficial to search the roots back as far as you can go and try to
connect those early records to the earlier families. Something like
that. I have had success doing that with some of my families.

Only trying to help, this surname seems to be very difficult to
research, especially the Rays, maybe because there are so many more of
them.
Norma

<SNIP>

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