Surnames  J - Page 2:  Shetland Y-DNA Surname Project
Surname             DYS Markers and Allele Values:  for 26 to 37 See
Spreadsheet                         
and (Kit#)             3  3  1  3  3  3  4  3  4  3  3  3  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4  4
                       9  9  9  9  8  8  2  8  3  8  9  8  5  5  5  5  5  4  3  4  4  6  6  6  6
                       3  0      1  5  5  6  8  9  9  2  9  8  9  9  5  4  7  7  8  9  4  4  4  4
                                      a  b             +      +     a  b                         a  b  c  d
                                                         1      2
Haplogroup; Probable Origin: Surname - Y-DNA Signature; Meaning and Early Occurrences of
Name - Shetland (Beattie), Orkney (Lamb), Scotland (Black); Traditions; Earliest Kown Paternal
Ancestor; DNA Matches; Comments
Project Home Page
JOHNSON         13 23 14 10 14 15 11 14 11 12 11 28 15 08 09 08 11 23 16 20 29 11 14 14 16
(14,225)
I1a; Shetland Aboriginal - Norse; Patronymic; None Reported; Archibald JOHNSON, born 1802,
Unst, son of Magnus JOHNSON; YSTR Database: 305 matches - mostly from Eastern Europe and
Scandanavia; None in Project as yet; however 24/25 match with a GORDON, and also a BUCHANAN in
FTDNA database whose ancestors supposedly hail from Galloway (but the match diminishes to 29/37),
Mainland Scotland; 23/25 matches with e.g., Clendennen and Campbell.  The only match at the
highest resolution is 34/37 with a YATES.  It is known that the surname GALT has been in Yell since
1572 and that some of that surname changed their name to YATES; Haplogroup I is considered by
researchers to be a Viking signature in Shetland and Orkney.  Considering this participants series of
matches in the FTDNA databases (12/12 matches with those from Norway and Iceland), in conjunction
with the historical settlement of Shetland, the evidence points clearly to an origin in Norway.
To Data Index Page
JOHNSON          13 24 14 11 11 14 12 12 13 13 13 29 16 09 10 11 11 25 15 19 29 15 15 16 17
(16911)
R1b;  Shetland Aboriginal - (Northern Norway); Patronymic; None reported; Robert JOHNSON, born
1774, Collafirth, Northmavine and son of John JEROMSON.  From this point names in the direct male
line are Jerome ANDERSON, Andrew MANSON, and Magnus ROBERTSON who was born before 1675
likely at Hellyrsness, Fetlar; In the Customer Database of FTDNA (about 30,000) there are 93 exact 12
/ 12 matches (a very high number); including 3 participants in the present study - JOHNSON (21823),
HENDERSON (20795), and WALTERSON (23841); and is a 23/25 match with HENDERSON (20795) of
the present study and a RIRIE whose origin is unknown.  The high resolution match with
HENDERSON (20795) does not hold up at the 37 marker level - but there still may be a more distant
relationship.  In the FTDNA Haplogroup Database 12 / 12 matches occur with individuals from England,
Germany, Iceland, and two from Wales.  At the 11 / 12 level the matches are also found with
individuals from France, Spain, Italy, Germany and others.  In the YHRD database this participant's
signature is an exact match for the most common haplotype for R1b in Northern Norway; This
particular profile is indistinguishable from the many Scottish, Irish and Welch patterns observed
previously.  It is also what is typical of those with a Scottish Celtic / Pictish heritage.  However it is also
identical to that seen most frequently in Northern Norway, so it is likely that the signature is
Norwegian - but the element of uncertainty requires the use of brackets around what amounts to the
"best guess".  Also, according to the genealogy, this participant should have matched ROBERTSON
(22714).  There is no immediate explanation for this discrepancy.  See JOHNSON (21823) for further
details.
JOHNSON          13 24 14 11 11 14 12 12 13 13 13 29
(21823)
R1b;  Shetland Aboriginal - (Northern Norway);  Patronymic;  None reported;  Charles JOHNSON,
born 1772, Feal, Northmavine, son of John JEROMSON and Elizabeth GIFFORD.  Line goes back to
Jerome ANDERSON, and his father Andrew MANSON, in turn the son of Magnus ROBERTSON;
There are 93 exact 12/12 matches in the FTDNA customer database, with three of them being
participants in the present study (see above 16911);  Without more markers it is impossible to know
how meaningful the 3 matches with other participants are - but all have Aboriginal Shetland
surnames and all may descend from the same extended family.  The participant reports that the
Laurence Williamson Papers indicate that his earliest ancestor is Olaf NICOLSON, a udaller from
North Dale, Fetlar, who was an elderly man in 1629.  There is a discrepancy here in that according to
the genealogical data, this participant has the same ancestor as JOHNSON (16911), whom he matches
12/12 (their ancestor in common being John JEROMSON), but also should have the same DNA
signature as ROBERTSON (22714) since all show descent from Magnus ROBERTSON - the later
participant via son John MANSON, and the former two participants via son Andrew MANSON
(brother of said John).  Clearly there are some discrepancies that require further investigation in
that both JOHNSONS noted here match HENDERSON (20795).
JOHNSON                  13 23 14 10 14 15 11 14 11 12 11 28
(N4109)
I1a;  Shetland Aboriginal - Norse;  Patronymic;  None reported;  N/A;  Of the 33 exact 12/12
matches, one is  with JOHNSON (14,225);  See above for further information.
JOHNSON                  13 23 14 11 11 14 12 12 11 14 13 31 17 09 09 11 11 25 14 21 31 15 15
16 17
(68854)
R1b;  Shetland Aboriginal - (Northern Norway);  Probably patronymic;  None reported;  Thomas
JOHNSON, born 1823, Duncansclate, Burra son of Thomas JOHNSON and Margaret SMITH; Rare
haplotype.  Matches with only 4 in FTDNA databases.  A pattern analysis does not point in any
particular direction.  Two with surname Townsend, one Cozzens, one Preast.  The country matches
in each database do not offer much assistance - largely a scattering of British countries and for
example Switzerland.  A search of the YHRD and SMGF databases for close matches appear to point
toward Germanic haplotypes.  The closest haplotype in the Dupuy Norwegian database is found in
the North, Middle and West of the country; This is an instance where there is no actual evidence of
Norse or patronymic naming patterns.  The earliest known ancestor of this participant is Johnson
and so there has not been a verified surname change as would be expected in Norse families until
the end of the 18th Century.  The profile of scores do not strongly suggest any particular connection
- which is not at all unusual in those who are R1b.  It would be helpful to ascertain whether the
participant is S21+ or S28+ which would point to a Norse background in Shetland in those with
aboriginal surnames.