shetlandislandsYdataTtoZa

Surnames T to Z - Page 1: Shetland Y-DNA Surname Project

Surname             DYS Markers and Allele Values: For 26 top 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; Proposed Origin: Surname - Y-DNA Signature; Meaning and Early Occurrences of Name
- Shetland (Beattie), Orkney (Lamb), Scotland (Black); Traditions; Earliest Known Paternal
Ancestor; DNA Matches; Comments

Project Homepage

To Data Index
Page

TAIT 14 24 14 11 11 14 12 12 12 13 13 29 18 09 10 11 11 25 16 18 28 15 15 17 17
(21892)
R1b1c10; Aboriginal Orkney - Medieval Norse; A name common in Scotland and the Border Regions.
The origin is in doubt, but may represent the old Norse personal name Teitr meaning "happy". Lamb
does not believe that it is a native family name - although this does not seem to be entirely clear.
There was a William Tait in Orkney in 1547. Beattie notes that family tradition has it that the
surname is from Norway (as Teit) and arrived durng Medieval times in Shetland. In favour of this
hypothesis, the Icelander Ari Thorgilsson (1067 - 1148) noted that for his "Book of the Icelanders" he
obtained much of the information from his foster father Teit, son of Bishop Islief. The earliest record
of the surname in Shetland is 1575 with one Jacob Tait. Apparently the family was associated with
Fetlar and Tingwall in early days, then fanned out across Shetland; None recorded; John TAIT,
born 1765, Levenwick, Sandwick, son of John TAIT born about 1725 of Nesting and Jean
WILLIAMSON; The participant matches BLANCH (17400) at 12/12 markers in the FTDNA customer
database, but at the 25 marker resolution level the relationship diminishes to 22/25 - however one of
the markers explains most of the variance. The match hold at higher resolution being 34/37. It is
interesting to note that in a private Orkney database this participant matches a Tait there 9/9,
suggesting that we are looking at the same lineage; The question that typically occurs is whether what
we are seeing is in fact the TAIT of Shetland and Orkney signature. The answer is found in tests of
others with the same surname. The S28+ finding supports a Norse connection, perhaps from Vestfold
or Hordaland, as per the family tradition.

THOMPSON 14 22 15 10 13 14 11 14 11 12 11 28
(21830)
I1a; Aboriginal Shetland - Norse: European; Patronymic; None recorded; William THOMASON,
born before 1739, Houlland, South Yell, married to Grizel CLARK, and son of Thomas WILLIAMSON;
There are five 12/12 matches in the FTDNA customer database with individuals with apparent British
surnames. In the Haplogroup Database there are no exact matches, but at the 11/12 level the matches
are Norway (2), Romania (1), and Sweden (1). In the FTDNA customer database the only match is 11/12
with JAMIESON (22737).

WATT 13 25 16 10 11 14 12 12 10 13 11 30 15 09 10 11 11 24 14 20 31 12 15 15 15
(22188)
R1a; Aboriginal Orkney - Norse: European; Place name in Orkney from the District of Twatt, in the
parish of Birsay. In Shetland the first of this surname on record are John Twait of Hammersland,
Tingwall, and an Olaw Twait in Northhouss, Aithsting in 1577; None recorded; Gilbert TWATT, born
1690, Papa Stour, son of Hendrie TWATT, born 1665, Papa Stour; There are 32 exact 12/12 matches in
the FTDNA customer database. There are four 23/25 matches including one to a FLATT. This is the
same individual who is a close match to MOODIE (18672). The surname Flatt is a variant of FLETT
seen outside the place of origin - Orkney. This individual has not been tested at 37 markers. The R1a
match profile of this participant is dramatically different from those seen in local Shetlanders with
patronymic names. Almost all matches are European; It appears that as the database increases it is
becoming apparent that there is a difference between R1a who originated in Orkney and those whose
place of origin is Shetland. This possible differential migration pattern will be further investigated.

WALTERSON 13 24 14 11 11 14 12 12 13 13 13 29 16 09 10 11 11 25 15 19 29 15 15 15 18
(23841)
R1b1c; Aboriginal Shetland - (Northern Norway); Patronymic; See Georgeson (16830); Arthur
WALTERSON, born 1810 Gardie, Dale of Walls the son of Walter WALTERSON (born circa 1770) who
was in turn the son of Walter THOMASON (born circa 1740); There are 83 exact 12/12 matches
including three who are in this project, Henderson (20795), Johnson (16911), and Johnson (21823). The
match has now moved to 37/37 with the above Henderson. Clearly these matches require further
investigation since in particular the latter numbers point to a close genetic relationship, but as yet a
genealogical link has not been located; There is some confusion as to the earlier generations of this
family. Some believe that the above Walter WALTERSON was Walter THOMASON. Also, It has been
reported by others that the father of the above Walter (born circa 1770) was Walter THOMASON born
circa 1740, died 1801. This Walter apparently had sons James, George, Thomas, Laurence, and Walter
- the later being the ancestor of the participant, and George being the ancestor of GEORGESON
(16830). The hypothesis that Georgeson (16830) and the present participant are related in the male line
and connect to the story of the origins in the Faroe Islands was not confirmed. It remains to be seen
how this Faroe connection relates to either participant. This was to be accomplished via testing of a
man from Faroe named Poulsen who, it was hypothesized, should match Georgeson and the two
Waltersons. Testing to date has ruled out a relationship of Mr. Poulsen to Georgeson (16830) or
Walterson (23841). It remains to be seen if there will be a match with Walterson (31063). The
negative readings on the DNA testing for S21 and S28 do not provide any evidence for a Germanic /
Scandinavian connection.

THOMSON 13 25 16 10 11 14 12 12 10 14 11 31
(24673)
R1a; Aboriginal Shetland - Norse: Asian; Patronymic; None recorded; John THOMSON, born 1804,
Unst, son of Laurence THOMSON of Skaw, Unst and Christian ANDERSON; Three 12/12 matches in
the 30,000 FTDNA customer database - one to a MacKay. In Haplogroup Database matches to
individuals from Indonesia, Italy and Sweden. Variety of one step matches, but most are Central
Asian. The largest number of matches being with 4 Altai.

WALTERSON 13 24 14 11 11 14 12 12 13 13 13 29
(31063)
R1b; Aboriginal Shetland - (Northern Norway); Patronymic; None recorded; Arthur WALTERSON
born 1810 Gardie, Dale of Walls the son of Walter WALTERSON (born circa 1770) who was in turn the
son of Walter THOMASON (born before 1740); See WALTERSON 23841 above; This participant is a
descendant of the above Arthur's son Robert James, born 1851, whereas WALTERSON 23841 is a
descendant of Arthur's son Walter, born 1839. Thus there is every reason to suspect that they should
match; and both should match GEORGESON 16830 as per the tradition noted in the in the write ups for
both participants; but it has already been determined that GEORGESON 16830 and both WALTERSON
23841 and WALTERSON 31063 do not match. See entry above.

WALTERSON 13 24 14 11 11 14 12 12 13 13 13 29
(37215)
R1b; Aboriginal Shetland - (Northern Norway); Patronymic; None recorded; George WALTERSON
born 1801, Walls, the son of Laurence WALTERSON born circa 1765 married Hannah GEORGESON,
the said Laurence being the son of Walter THOMASON, born circa 1735; See WALTERSON 23841
above; This participant was chosen in order to shed further light on the relationship between the
WALTERSONS and GEORGESONS whose DNA signature should match since genealogical records and
tradition indicate that all descend from the same Walter THOMASON. All three WALTERSONs match
each other but not GEORGESON 16830 which fails to support a proposed connection between
individuals of the two surnames. The consistency of the haplotypes of all three gives credence to all
being descendants of Walter THOMASON. If so then GEORGESON 16830 cannot be of the same
lineage descending from THOMASON as the haplogroups are different. What remains to be
determined, however, is which lineage is linked to the oral tradition relating to the Faroe Islands.
Probably here a Norse motif but the DNA signature is "generic" and does not offer hints as to deep
ancestry.

TAIT 14 24 14 11 11 14 12 12 12 13 13 29 17 09 10 11 11 25 16 18 29 15 15 16 17
(40388)
R1b1c10; Aboriginal Orkney - Medieval Norse; See above; Hugh TAIT, born 1797, Aithsting, son of
John TAIT and Eispeth BALFOUR; There is a family mystery which could be solved by
particpation in this DNA study. John Tait, son of the above Hugh Tait, died suddenly in 1871
in Canada. His wife Isabella remarried 9 months later to Frederick Hallett. There have been
family rumours for years that John Tait was not the father of Isabella's youngest child,
Andrew, and that Andrew in fact was the son of her second husband, Frederick Hallett.
Frederick Hallett's paternal line goes back to one Thomas Hallett, born 1710, in Battersea,
Surrey, England. The family would like to have this rumour supported or put to rest; See above.
A 12/12 match with TAIT 21892 and BLANCH (17400). At the higher resolution the only match is
23/25 with BLANCH (17400) and 22/25 with the above TAIT. At 37/37 matches there are no matches
closer than 34/37. The closest matches are 31/37 with the above TAIT and 32/37 with the above
BLANCH; A classic example of a situation where the only clear answer could come via genetic testing.
The evidence clearly indicates that this participant's ancestor Andrew TAIT was as son of John TAIT
not Frederick Hallett. To up the certainty factor to 100% a Hallett could also be tested, but this
would seen to be unecessary as the TAIT signature is uncommon. The genetic distance from TAIT
21892 and BLANCH suggests that the connection might be distant, but these values are sometimes
seen in second cousins so it is impossible to say how closely that the three individuals are related.

TAIT 14 24 14 11 11 14 12 12 13 13 29
44413
R1b1c10; Aboriginal Orkney - Medieval Norse; See above; See above; William TAIT, born 1763, son
of John TAIT born about 1725 of Nesting and Barbara MOUAT; This participant and 21892 share the
same male ancestor in John TAIT but via a different wife; This participant matches 12/12 with both of
the above TAITs as well as BLANCH 17400; The data suggests that all four of the individuals noted
above share the same ancestor. This appears to be "the" TAIT genetic signature.

TAIT 13 24 14 10 11 14 12 12 11 13 12 29 19 09 09 11 11 27 15 19 30 15 15 17 17
79214
R1b1c9; Aboriginal Orkney - German / Scandinavian; See above; The tradition in this branch of
the family is that the original ancestor to the Northern Isles arrived about the 13th Century
from Norway, having left due to a disagreement with the local ruler about taxes; The earliest
known ancestor in the direct male line is Jacob TEIT, born before 1570. who married Christian
Edwardsdaughter. The lineage then goes via son Gilbert TEIT, his son Jacob TEIT, and then the
latter's son Gilbert TEIT born about 1657 Bigton, Strand, Fetlar; This is a very rare DNA signature
with only two 12/12 matches in the entire FTDNA database (one England; one France), no 25 marker
matches but 33/37 and 60/67 with a GUNN (country of origin unspecified). The original spelling of the
surname in this family was TEIT, which is the Norwegian spelling of the name. It would appear that
this participant can trace his lineage to the first recorded Teit / Tait in Shetland. The high resolution
match to GUNN may be significant in that Lamb notes that this surname is associated with
Caithness, but is also apparently a native Orcadian surname - sometimes recorded as GUNERSON.
In Shetland Jon GUN was a mariner living in Scalloway in 1628. There was a John Gun in Ska,
Whalsay in 1715; and an Olla GUNN said to have excaped the Battle of Culloden in 1746 and settled
in Grossbrough, Yell. The signature of this participant does not match the other TAIT participants so
there are at least two signatures for this family in Shetland. Based on the DYS492=13 finding (in the
67 marker testing) the participant has been tentatively assigned to the R1b1c9 category which is
common in those of Anglo - Saxon or Scandinavian heritage.