Associated Clan MacLeod Society Genetics Study

Group Administrator: - Email: jasbmacl@yahoo.com

Project Background

The concept of a genetics study for Clan MacLeod was first proposed to the Associated Clan MacLeod Societies [ACMS] in 1974 as a chromosomal analysis, definitive DNA analysis not being readily available at that time. The proposal was declined because in the minds of the leadership at that time such would be "an invasion of privacy." Now, thirty years later, the ACMS has completed a study involving over 550 initial volunteers under the auspices of University College London [UCL]. This Study had two arms: an investigation of possible surname DNA linkages and a search for Viking DNA linkages. The results of this study can be found at the ACMS Web Site, www.clanmacleod.org.

Two Group Names are sponsored by the Associated Clan MacLeod Societies [ACMS], one for the surname, MacLeod, however spelled, and one for the Sept surnames of Clan MacLeod. An initial Genetics Study with two arms, one seeking surname linkages and the other Viking DNA evidence, was completed by University College London [UCL]in 2004. The samples from that Study will be included in these Group Name results in due course. The surname, MacLeod, has multiple variations and spellings and only the main ones have been included in this listing, although others are eligible to participate. There are two ancient branches of Clan MacLeod, the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan and the MacLeods of Lewis and Raasay. Each of these branches has many Sept names associated, these names also with multiple variations and spellings. The UCL study included only the surname, MacLeod, with its varient spellings. Under the FTDNA continutation of our Study, Sept names are encouraged to participate by please going to the following address:

http://www.familytreedna.com/surname_join.asp?code=V53661&special=true