Update on Mallo-Mallow yDNA test results as of June 16, 2011

Intense research on human yDNA is rapidly yielding new data which gives us new genealogical clues. It's very difficult for the non-specialist to follow the changes and understand the implications. But, as a practical matter for four of our members (all descendants of Melchior Mallo who d. 1668 in Griesbach, Bas-Rhin, now France), there is change in haplogroup from J2a4b3 to J2a3b3.

It's expected that there will be additional changes and that those will primarily be from newly discovered SNP's which will eventually give us more and better data regarding the time and location of ancestors in the male line.

Currently, the data we have suggests that Melchior Mallo was of Sephardic origin. If so, this means his male ancestral line was Jewish and the family had lived on the Iberian peninsula (most likely in Spain) for a significant period of time. Some broad generalities from Sephardic history include a presence in Spain as early as the 3rd century A.D., persecution and the forced conversion to Christianity between the late 1300's and early 1600's and the fleeing of many Sephardic families to Holland and Italy (from where some eventually made their way to the Rhineland).

Genealogical research in medieval Spain will not be easy. What materials survive on Sephardic families in this time frame are in several languages (medieval Spanish, Hebrew, Ladino, Arabic, etc.) and often not accessible to anyone but credentialed researchers. It is also likely that there would have been additional records in another place - like Italy and/or North Africa - for the family for one or more generations before the documented appearance of Melchior Mallo in the Bas-Rhin.

I would ask that members consider testing for new SNP's as the tests become available. Also, it would be greatly helpful, for genealogical purposes, if we could test yDNA for a Mallo or two who are documented to have descended in the direct male line from Mallo males who lived in Spain in the 14th or 15th centuries. As a matter of interest, it might also be helpful to test yDNA on a Mallol (Malal, Meloul, and variations) line which is documented in various Church records in Spain in the 14th and 15th centuries.

My thanks to those who have tested. We have been extremely lucky to date because of the test results of distant cousins whose participation have proven the yDNA of the common ancestor, Michael Mallo (b. ca 1643, d.1735 Griesbach). We need another volunteer from any male line of descent from Melchior Mallo other than Michael (1643-1735) to scientifically prove Melchior's yDNA. In the US, there are multiple lines of interest but we'd particularly like to see a volunteer from the line of Adam Mallo (Mallow) b. 1751 (d. in Ohio) and George Mallo (Mallow) b. 1727 (d. in Rockingham Co, Virginia).

We encourage all Mallos and Mallows who have interest to test. We would love to see additional activity for those with the same surname who do not descend from Melchior and we invite you to tell your family story.

Sandra Keltner

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Previous news:

We have great news for Mallo-Mallow family researchers - on both sides of the Atlantic this time.

The yDNA test results are back for a descendant of Peter Mallo who immigrated to Pennsylvania circa 1792. The 12 marker results are identical within the statistical allowance (a variance of 1 on 1 marker) to the yDNA results for three lines of male descent from Michael Mallow (aka Mallo) b. 1720 Griesbach d. 1772 Virginia (now WV). The common male ancestor is an earlier Michael Mallo b. ca 1643 d. 1735 Griesbach.

Twelve marker results are best used to determine if further testing is desirable. However, the family's well-documented genealogy, both in the US and back through several generations in Europe, combined with the uncommon surname as well as the relatively uncommon haplogroup, put us on the fast track to having a base-line yDNA profile for the male lineal descendants of Michael Mallo b. circa 1643.

Test results for 3 of the 4 descendants can be viewed here:

http://www.familytreedna.com/public/Mallow/default.aspx?section=yresults

Top line is from the descendant of Peter Mallo who immigrated ca 1792 to PA.
Second line is from the descendant of Michael Mallow Jr (1762-1830 d. Allegheny Co, VA) son of Michael Mallo the immigrant (1720-1772).
Third line is a full 67 marker panel from a descendant of Henry Mallow (1758-1834 d. Pendleton Co, now WV) also a son of Michael Mallo the immigrant (1720-1772).

Further testing of additional descendants is expected to confirm these results. For practical purposes, we'd expect other lines of descent to match these results within the allowances. That means other lines of male lineal descent in the US which includes descendants of George Mallow of Peaked Mountain (Rockingham Co., Virginia) and Adam Mallow (who moved to Ohio from now WV in the early 1800's) - and the same for the other European lines of descent from Michael Mallo b. 1643.

Previous News:
The first results posted on this site (click on the yDNA results) are for a descendant of Henry Mallow b 1758 through his son George Mallow Sr's line (wife Catharine Bush). A 2nd line from Henry's son Michael has been tested and the 37 marker results match with three slight variations. This should mean that the DNA from all male Mallows in a direct line of male descent from Henry b. 1758 should be the same as the posted results within the acceptable slight variations at a few markers. For practical purposes, this probably means that all male Mallows (unless adopted or otherwise from a line in which the genetic chain has been broken) in the Pendleton, Hardy, Grant and Randolph county areas carry this yDNA.

There is a test in the works for a descendant of Michael Mallow of Alleghany Co, VA whose descendants mostly moved west to Arkansas and Texas. This Michael, married to Christina Baer, has often been associated with George Mallow Sr b 1727 of Peaked Mountain (brother of Michael b 1720 of Pendleton Co). However, an article recently surfaced which was written by a visiting Lutheran minister, Rev. Miller, in which Henry b 1758 and Michael of Alleghany Co. are described as brothers. DNA is unlikely to help with his paternity so further documentation is being worked. Assuming Rev. Miller was correct, Henry b 1758 and Michael of Alleghany Co probably b ca 1762 were the sons of Michael Sr b 1720 in Griesbach, Bas-Rhin, now France.

Attempts will be made to reach descendants of Adam Mallow b. 1751, son of Michael b 1720, whose male descendants were primarily in Ohio for several generations and candidates in Europe who descend from Melchior Mallo who d. 1668 in Griesbach and is the earliest known progenitor of the Mallows of Virginia and West Virginia.





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