Who am I? In truth, I am a combination of all the generations of persons whose histories are compiled herein. Unique to every male descendant is the Y-chromosome which is effectively a copy of his father's DNA. As a result, surname research can be confirmed through DNA testing. And, I am the donor for the Walden Lewis DNA test listed on the Lewis Surname DNA Project.
What does DNA analysis tells us? DNA is the definitive answer for personal genealogical research. But, it also tells the history of the migration of entire peoples. National Geographic's Genographic Project is an effort to map the migrations of ethnic groups. Through the appearance of individual markers, our ancestor's path out of Africa, into central Asia, and across Europe to what is now Wales has been proven:
Evolution of Haplogroup R1b1b2a1b |
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Marker | Haplogroup | When | Where |
M168 | B | 70,000 BCE | Migration north out of Africa |
M89 | F | 50,000 BCE | Arabian Peninsula |
M9 | K | 40,000 BCE | Migration east to Iran |
M45 | P | 40,000-35,000 BCE | Migration north to Kazakhstan |
M207 | R | 35,000 BCE | Migration north out of central Asia |
M173 | R1 | 25,000 BCE | Migration west to central Europe |
M343 | R1b | 20,000-15,000 BCE | Cro-Magnon Man: Migration west to the Iberian Peninsula |
P25 | R1b1 | c. 10,000 BCE | Across the land bridge to Britain |
P297 | R1b1a | ? | ? |
M269 | R1b1a2 |
7,5000 BCE |
? |
L23 | R1b1a2a | ? | ? |
L150 | R1b1a2a1 |
4,000 BCE |
Wales |
L51 | R1b1a2a1a | ? | ? |
P310 | R1b1a2a1a1 | ? | ? |
P312 | R1b1a2a1a1b Italo-Celtic |
3,500 BCE |
Wales |
Other Lewis Haplogroups |
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M253 | I1a | 6,000 BCE | Viking Europe, the Danish Invaders of York, England |
U106 | R1b1a2a1a1a | 4,000 BCE | Saxon Invaders to England |
M35 | E3b | 20,000 BCE | Middle East to southeastern Europe |
Most importantly, DNA analysis can confirm or deny familial relationships. Prior to completing the DNA test, I had no knowledge of my two Lewis cousins in Virginia. Although no direct connection has yet been found, sharing our family histories is leading each of us to answering questions about our shared ancestry.
Additionally, many researchers believed that our Lewis Family was somehow related to the Councilor John Lewis family (#6D05B). Because of DNA, there is scientific proof that our Lewis Family does not branch from those Monmouthshire Lewises but is a family unique unto ourselves (#6B1):
Locus |
01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | ||
Gp |
DYS # |
3 9 3 |
3 9 0 |
1 9 |
3 9 1 |
3 8 5 a |
3 8 5 b |
4 2 6 |
3 8 8 |
4 3 9 |
3 8 9 - 1 |
3 9 2 |
3 8 9 - 2 |
4 5 8 |
4 5 9 a |
4 5 9 b |
4 5 5 |
4 5 4 |
4 4 7 |
4 3 7 |
4 4 8 |
4 4 9 |
4 6 4 a |
4 6 4 b |
4 6 4 c |
4 6 4 d |
4 6 0 |
G A T A H 4 |
Y C A I I a |
Y C A I I b |
4 5 6 |
6 0 7 |
5 7 6 |
5 7 0 |
C D Y a |
C D Y b |
4 4 2 |
4 3 8 |
H A P L 0 |
Modal |
13 | 24 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 29 | 17 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 25 | 15 | 19 | 29 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 17 | R1b | |||||||||||||
#6Z1 | Planter
John Lewis Albemarle Co VA #12489 |
13 | 25 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 29 | 18 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 25 | 15 | 18 | 30 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 17 | R1b1a2 | ||||||||||||
#3A |
John Lewis Northumberland Co VA #11155 |
13 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 28 | 17 | 08 | 09 | 08 | 11 | 22 | 16 | 20 | 29 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 19 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 17 | 19 | 34 | 36 | 13 | 10 | I1 |
#6D3 | David Lewis Hanover Co VA #159064 |
13 | 24 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 30 | 18 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 25 | 15 | 19 | 30 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 36 | 39 | 12 | 12 | R1b1a2 |
#6D05B | Councilor John Lewis New Kent Co VA #44100 |
13 | 24 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 29 | 16 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 23 | 15 | 20 | 29 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 11 | 10 | 19 | 24 | 16 | 14 | 20 | 17 | 35 | 36 | 11 | 12 | R1b1a2 |
#6B1 | Walden Lewis Spotsylvania Co VA #49497 |
12 | 25 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 29 | 17 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 24 | 15 | 19 | 31 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 11 | 11 | 20 | 22 | 15 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 35 | 36 | 12 | 12 | R1b1a2 |
SG30 |
Henry Lewis Culpeper Co VA #42224 |
13 | 25 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 29 | 17 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 25 | 14 | 18 | 30 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 | R1b1a2 | ||||||||||||
NA | Irish John Lewis Donegal, Ireland & Augusta Co VA #36797 |
13 | 24 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 30 | 18 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 25 | 15 | 19 | 29 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 23 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 37 | 38 | 12 | 12 | R1b1a2 |
NA | Zachary Lewis II Spotsylvania Co VA #309884 |
14 | 24 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 30 | 17 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 25 | 15 | 19 | 31 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 11 | 11 | 19 | 23 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 16 | 38 | 39 | 12 | 12 | R1b1a2 |
1. Somewhere about 10 generations ago, there was a Most Recent Common Ancestor [MRCA] for the Lewis Family of Group 7. The descendants of the MRCA split into two subgroups. The ancestors of James Lewis of Louisa Co VA split on either marker 570 or CDYb, and sometime later the other marker changed also. The ancestors of John Lewis of Caroline Co VA and Walden Lewis of Spotsylvania Co VA continued along a common genetic line.
2. Somewhere about 6 generations ago, the ancestor of John Lewis of Caroline Co VA split on marker 442. And, the ancestor of Walden Lewis continued along the original genetic line.
3. Prior to the Walden Lewis 37 marker test, the difference between James Lewis and John Lewis (34/37) would have been calculated as 13 generations. The new test results allow us to reduce this distance down to 10 generations.
Note: Estimates of generations are based on the .004 FTDNA estimated mutation rate for markers 26 through 37 and a 50% or greater chance of mutation. [MCRA Calculator]