DNA: 37-marker Results
The first two results at 37-markers have now appeared in the Canton Surname Project. These are viewable at the CSP public website:
http://www.familytreedna.com/public/CantonSurnameProject/
and click on the Y Results box.
As you will see there, the two men who were tested match in 36 out of 37 markers. Because they share the relatively uncommon surname of Canton, this indicates a highly probable link between the two - it’s too early, without further data, to say when, roughly, that link occurred. Nevertheless, these results are fascinating to view and compare and we look forward to seeing more.
Please remember to check this blog regularly.
ABOUT THE CURRENT RESULTS:
Kit 107126 (line PM/S01) This is the line which was in Stackpole PEM and nearby parishes from about 1800. It is a very large line with numerous descendants, which is really a sub-division (for convenience) of line PM, the latter having been settled in Martletwy PEM from at least early 17C (tax lists, etc), with greater linkage documented in 18C. Thus, PM/S01 is partly a record of the genetic make-up of line PM.
Kit 107827(PR01) represents a line which descends from a George Canton alive in 1832 in Rhoscrowther PEM. ‘Which George Canton?’ has been the question for many years. There were two likely candidates (given that extensive searching of fairly complete 19C records failed to produce any more), one being my own 3x great-grandfather (born 1809) in line PM/P and the other being a man born 1815 in Manorbier (line PMn). The latter went to industrial Glamorgan in the 1830s and later disappeared from view (emigrated?). He had only daughters, as far as is known. However, there are collateral descendants of this line and a test involving one of them would (a) throw further, possibly confirmatory light on the origin of line PR and - for the wider good - (b) tell us whether PMn is related to other key Pembrokeshire lines.
HAPLOGROUPS
A brief word about the figures in red at the left of the DNA results, at present I1a (that is, capital i, numeral 1, a). As I am learning fast about this myself, I will simply give you some links - you will see that the two Cantons tested so far have their deep ancestry in Nordic Europe.
http://www.familytreedna.com/hap_explain.html
http://www.familytreedna.com/public/yDNA_I1a/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haplogroup_I1a
OTHER NEWS
Kit 108320 (PL01) will, we hope, show us whether this line, in Lampeter Velfrey PEM since the late 18C, is related to any other lines. The kit is at the testing laboratory (University of Arizona) and we can hope for results in a few weeks. The first two results, outlined above, had 16 February as their EDA but were complete by 28 January. Receiving these results is quite exciting as they are sent in three batches: 12-markers, 25-markers, then 37-markers, and the tension mounts.
Kit 113261 (PM/NZ) is a welcome new recruitwho represents the Martletwy descendants who went to Reynalton (or Reynaldston) PEM, then emigrated to New Zealand and set up a veritable dynasty there. Having a test from this line will, we hope, help us to validate connections way back in the 18C - the common ancestor is, we believe, John Canton born about 1730.
PROGRESS
I am personally very satisfied with the progress of the project so far, bearing in mind that we are not researching a prolific surname. The four people who have either tested or will soon be tested represent some key branches of the name. All are descendants of Pembrokeshire lines and I appreciate that the results are of greatest interest to those researching ancestors in that county. The positive aspect of this is that published results may quite soon attract further tests of other Pembs lines, so that some conclusions may be drawn about connections between the various branches. My immediate wishlist is for tests relating to: one (or two) descendants of George born 1809 (PM/P); one (or two) descendants of the Manorbier line (PMn), for the two reasons outlined above; one (or two) members of line PF, which can be traced back, when I last counted, 10 generations and which appeared, as if out of the blue, in the parish of Freystrop in mid-18C. Most other Pembs lines are extinct in the main line. In most main divisions or groupings of lines, two people, not very closely related, are advised but a single test is still worthwhile.
I have been attempting to ‘recruit’ in other lines (outside Pembs) but without success to date. However, I shall wear away at this and feel that, in due course, our published results will attract non-Pembrokeshire Cantons (etc). My first target in this direction is to test GL lines (from Gloucestershire and London) to see if, in fact, they represent migration of a Pembrokeshire line, say in Tudor times. Or not - either way it will be interesting. And then there are the Irish Cantons, who should, logically, share Pembrokeshire genes, for the name was taken to Ireland by Pembrokeshire knights. This is a vast untapped area about which I hope to write when some recent non-genetic research is more complete.
USEFUL LINKS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Canton One-Name Study Guild Profile
http://www.one-name.org/profiles/canton.html
FTDNA page with useful information, Power Point display, etc:
http://www.familytreedna.com/dna101.html
FTDNA Canton Surname Project Webpage
http://www.familytreedna.com/public/CantonSurnameProject/
Canton Blog (for informal news about Canton research and DNA updates)
http://family-tree.co.uk/familyblogs/canton/
Chris Pomery’s DNA Portal
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~allpoms/genetics.html
Worth reading for many reasons. Follow his link to the Mumma website to see some amazing results for Y DNA.