STRs (short tandem repeat) and SNPs (single nucleotidepolymorphism) are two different types of Y-DNA marker. STR markers are tested by FTDNA in panels of 12, 25, 37, 67, and 111 markers. Approximately every few generations, randomly, a variation occurs in a marker (which is passed on to subsequent generations), and analysis of variations allows us to predict how closely related individuals with matching Y-DNA marker results are. For this reason analysis of STR markers is the main focus of a surname study. In contrast to STR markers, new SNP markers occur with much less frequency. All samples that are subjected to Y-DNA STR marker testing will be provided with a basic haplogroup and SNP prediction. Deep clade testing can refine the haplogroup by testing further SNPs downstream of the predicted SNP (i.e. newer than the predicted SNP). At the current time few SNPs of age less than 1000 years are known, and therefore people who share a common SNP are likely to possess a wide variety of surnames since the SNP may be thousands of years old signifying that the individuals who share that SNP may not have shared a common paternal ancestor for thousands of years. Each SNP developed first in a single individual, and all people with that SNP descend directly from him. More recent SNPs are of some use to a surname study (e.g. R-L226 in Group E discussion below), but as new SNPs are discovered regularly SNPs may one day equal or surpass STR markers in their utility within the context of a surname project.

Bray is a name that was assumed by a number of unrelated individuals and in a number of different locations. As this study progresses, we will have a growing number of unrelated groups who share the Bray name by coincidence, rather than by genetic descent.

----------------GROUP A----------------

Kit#234971, kit#B138536 and kit#N79606 have all been submitted by male-line descendants of Henry Bray and Sarah Yokley. Henry Bray was born c.1741-2, possibly in Maryland, USA, although in his youth (c.1754) he moved with his parents to Orange County, North Carolina. The southern part of Orange County became Chatham County in 1771, and it was in Chatham County that a prosperous Henry Bray died in 1812. These three kits have a genetic difference of 0 at 37 markers which indicates a relatively recent common ancestor. This falls within a range of timescale that supports Henry Bray(b.c.1741-2) to be their most recent common ancestor. Only two have provided trees, #B138536 and #N79606 and these indicate descent from different sons of this Henry. Henry’s parents were a Henry Bray Sr., and Mary Wilson. Trees provided by various members of this group do not agree on where or when this Henry Bray Sr. was born and it is also quite possible that this is the generation that immigrated to America. He lived in Maryland until, as mentioned above, he moved to Orange County, North Carolina in c.1754. He died in 1794 in Chatham County, North Carolina.

Kit #931695 has a genetic Distance of 1 at 37 markers to the above 3 kits however the tree he has submitted indicates descent from a third son of Henry Bray and Sarah Yokley. The result he obtained would support this.

Kit #881988 has a genetic distance of 0 at 37 markers to the first 3 men and 1 to #931695, however his tree indicates a descent from Edward Bray, (a son of Henry Bray and Mary Wilson), the brother of the Henry Bray, (m. Sarah Yokley), above. Kit #859905 has a genetic difference of just 1 at 37 markers with the first 4 kits and a GD of 2 to #931695. His tree also claims a descent from this Edward Bray, with the nearest common ancestors with kit # 881988 being Henry Bray and Keziah Jones, (the son of this Edward Bray). The results of his DNA test would support these persons to be his nearest common ancestor with kit #881988. Kit#135033 and kit #881988 have the same distance of 2 at 67 markers and 0 at 37 markers to kit #859905. Although kit #135033 does not provide a tree, this result suggests the nearest common ancestor to kit #881988 may be a generation or two later than Henry Bray and Keziah Jones.

Kit#18523 and kit#300662 each have a genetic difference of just 2 at 37 markers to the above kits. Although they have not provided trees, kit#18523 claims decent from Henry Bray and Sarah Yokley and kit#300662 claims a descent from Henry Bray Sr. and Mary Wilson. However, comparing these two results shows a genetic difference of 4 between them at 37 markers and they do not share any marker differences in common from the above kits even when taken to 67 markers which suggests that they may not have descended from the same son of Henry Bray Sr. and that their common ancestor may actually predate this generation. However mutation rates are variable and unpredictable and SNP testing may help to resolve this uncertainty.

Kit#10888 gives a descent from a Henry Bray b.c. 1640 in Virginia, USA although he does not provide a tree. However, he has a genetic distance of 4 to the first 4 kits at 37 markers, a distance of 5 to kit# 859905 and a distance of 6 to both kit#18523 and kit#205631. A date of 1640 for his earliest known ancestor would be supported by FTDNA’s statistical calculations of the probability of number of generations to a common ancestor with the others, although the calculations could also suggest a possibility that his common ancestor with the others may actually predate the family’s migration to America.  Surprisingly, this kit has a genetic distance of just 2 with kit#300662 (just 3 at 67 markers), they share two markers, DYS458=16 and CDY=35 that differ from the others. Despite the closeness of kit#300662 and the distance of kit#10888 to the others, which may suggest a possibility that these markers are shared by coincidence in that these mutations could have occurred twice independently (once in each of these two lines), the sharing of two off modal markers by coincidence would be particularly unusual and would suggest a more recent common ancestor than Henry Bray (b.c.1640) for these two kits with the generations of #10888 changing at a faster rate than those of kit #300662.

Kit#387341 (12 Markers tested with FTDNA) is a good match at this level with the above men. Ideally he should upgrade his test to at least 37 markers but as he also claims a descent from Henry Bray and Sarah Yokley, this is not necessary to be able to confidently place him in this group.

Kit#205631 traces his paternal ancestry in England to William Bray who was born in c.1772 and who lived in Tottenhill, Norfolk. Determination of the earlier generations of this family has presented some problems, since no birth for William Bray can be found in the Tottenhill area for the appropriate period. A William Bray was born during the appropriate period approximately 40 miles away in Horringer, near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, and, if this is the correct person, then the line can be traced back further in the Horringer area to John Bray who was born c.1680-90. Both Norfolk and Suffolk are within the region known as East Anglia. Kit#205631 has a genetic distance of just 1 at 37 markers to kit#859905 and a genetic distance of 2 to the first 5 kits. FTDNA statistical calculations would suggest a nearest common ancestor no more than one or two generations earlier than Henry Bray Sr. above which also suggests the family’s immigration to America would not be earlier than this generation.

Eight of the members of Group A have been confirmed to be I-M253+, and I-M253 is the SNP that defines haplogroup I1. The others have been estimated by FTDNA, on the basis of their STR markers, to be I-M253+. I-M253 is believed to have first occurred approximately 4000-5000 years ago (previous estimates that it is 15,000 years old are now widely regarded as inaccurate). There is strong evidence that I-M253 originated in Scandinavia. It seems certain, therefore, that all of the Group A Brays can claim Scandinavian paternal ancestry. However, as Bray, (in this case), is considered to be a toponymic surname, which implies that they lived near or came from a place known by this name, it is likely that their direct ancestors had already settled in Britain when they assumed the Bray surname – possibly from Normandy where there are several places called Bray. Surnames came into use in Britain between 700 to 900 years ago, so, although the Y-DNA of these men originated in Scandinavia, their Bray surname is presumably British (or French) and not Scandinavian.

Although 11 of the 12 members of Group A cannot trace their paternal ancestry to before the arrival of their Bray ancestors in North America, the fact that one member (kit#205631) can very reliably trace his Bray ancestry in England to East Anglia makes it very plausible that it was also in East Anglia that the Bray ancestors of the 11 American members may have lived prior to emigrating to North America. 

---------------GROUP B-------------------

The four members of Group B also belong to haplogroup I1, but while the members of Group A and B share a common paternal ancestor in the last 4000-5000 years(since I-M253 first occurred), it is very unlikely that the members of Group A share a common ancestor with the members of Group B in the last 1000 years, and therefore they presumably share the Bray surname by coincidence rather than by descent from a common ancestor who lived sufficiently recently to have used the surname Bray. The one exception is kit#43107 in Group B (only 12 markers tested with FTDNA). This sample is an exact 12 marker match with one of the other Group B members (kit#219187, 67 markers tested with FTDNA), and the latter is calculated by FTDNA TiP analysis to have a probability of just 2.53% of sharing a most recent common ancestor within 24 generations (allowing 30 years per generation, 24x30=720 years) with his closest match in Group A (kit#18523). So while kit#43107 probably belongs in Group B since he is a 12/12 marker match with another Group B Bray, kit#43107 is an 11/12 marker match with five of the six Group A Brays, so testing of kit#43107 at a higher number of markers is required to definitively assign this kit to a Group.

Kit#43107(12 markers tested with FTDNA) traces paternal ancestry to Joseph Bray, who was born on Christmas Day 1861 in Lancashire, England.

Kit#216852(111 markers tested with FTDNA) traces paternal ancestry to George Washington Bray, who was born in Georgia, USA, in 1828 (some sources record a birth year of 1823). He married Martha Ann Hortman in 1870. He worked as a farm manager, and lived in Knoxville, Georgia. He died in Crawford County, Georgia in 1893.

Kit#219817(67 markers tested with FTDNA) traces paternal ancestry to Samuel Burgess Bray,who was born in Camden County, North Carolina, USA, in 1815. He relocated to Montgomery, Alabama, in about 1844, where he died in 1852. He married Mariam Emma Perkins in 1839.

Kit#N35188(12 markers tested with FTDNA through Genographic Project) traces paternal ancestry to John Bray born c.1774 in North Carolina, USA. He was married to Frances Horn.

Three of the members of Group B have been confirmed to be I-M253+, and I-M253 is the SNP that defines haplogroup I1. The fourth member (kit#N35188) has been estimated by FTDNA, on the basis of his STR markers, to be I-M253+. Refer to Group A for discussion on the origin of haplogroup I-M253.

Comparing kit#216852 and kit#219817 on the 67 markers for which they have both been tested, they have a genetic distance of 14. Using FTDNA TiP methodology, we can calculate a probability of 59.92% that the two sample providers share a common paternal ancestor within 24 generations (allowing 30 years per generation, 24x30=720 years). Therefore it seems likely that the most recent common ancestor of these two men lived recently enough to have used – and passed on – the Bray surname (surnames came into use in Britain approximately 900 years ago).

Because kit#43107 and kit#N35188 have only tested to 12 markers, their inclusion in Group B is somewhat speculative. Kit#43107 matches kit#219817 exactly on 12 markers, while kit#N35188 matches each of the other three kits in Group B on 11/12 markers, with a one-step variation on one marker from each. It is necessary to test further their inclusion in this group by testing to a higher number of markers.

Of those kits in Group B with sufficient markers tested (i.e. 67 markers) for robust comparison with Group A Brays, kit#219187 is calculated by FTDNA TiP analysis to have a probability of just 2.53% of sharing a most recent common ancestor within 24 generations (allowing 30 years per generation, 24x30=720 years) with his closest match in Group A (kit#18523). Kit#216852 in Group B is calculated by FTDNA TiP analysis to have a probability of just 3.72% of sharing a most recent common ancestor within 24 generations with his closest match in Group A (kit#205631).

-----------------GROUP C------------------------

Kit#112968 (37 markers tested with FTDNA) traces Bray ancestry to Thomas Bray who was born in 1604. He is believed to have been born in England, although precisely where is not known. He was a ship carpenter and a farmer. He died in 1691 in Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA. The sample is predicted to belong to haplogroup R1b1a2 (shorthand R-M269).

Kit#B329094 (67 Markers) traces Bray ancestry to John Bray born about 1733 in Cornwall but resided and had many descendants in the St Teath area of Cornwall. He is a close match, 2 steps Genetic Distance, to Kit#112968 which would suggest that this area of England would be the origin of Kit#112968’s family in the UK. He descends from William Bray, born St Teath 1798, the son of William Bray, born 1768 St Teath, by his first wife, Esther Barber.

Kit#N81468 (12 markers tested with FTDNA) traces Bray ancestry to a Richard Bray who was born in St Teath parish, Cornwall, England, in 1818. He was the son of William Bray, (born 1768), by his 2^nd wife Ann Kett who married 28 Jan 1817 and therefore is the half brother of the William born 1798 above. The sample is predicted to belong to haplogroup R1b1a2 (shorthand R-M269).

Kit#N81468 matches the other two kits exactly over twelve markers, on this basis, and on the claimed shared ancestry, they are provisionally grouped together. This should ideally be confirmed by comparison at a higher number of markers.

--------------GROUP D---------------------

Kit#167048 (37 markers tested with FTDNA) and kit#167049 (37 markers tested with FTDNA) trace their ancestry to Nicholas Adams Bray born 1755 in Connecticut and died 1818 in North Carolina through his son William Wickliffe Bray. These samples are assigned to haplogroup R-M269.

Kit#805054 (111 markers tested with FTDNA) also traces his ancestry back to Nicholas Adams Bray through William Wickliffe Bray. The tester’s 3x Great Grandfather was born into slavery around 1859 in New Hanover County North Carolina. The genealogical evidence and the DNA shows, that his father was William Thomas Bray, the son of William Wickliffe Bray, whose occupation at the time was Overseer which would have given him access to the slaves on the plantation. He is also haplogroup R-M269.

Kit#133968 (37 markers tested with FTDNA) traces his Bray ancestry to Thomas Headengrand Bray, born c.1805, Craven County, North Carolina, USA, who was also a son of Nicholas Adams Bray. The sample is also predicted to belong to haplogroup R1b1a2 (shorthand R-M269). These 4 samples with North Carolina origins are very close matches which supports the given family relationships.

Kit #N16688 (12 markers tested) appears to be a very close match with the above 4 kits at this level. Ideally he should upgrade his test to 37 markers to be able to verify his relationship to these men. He has not supplied a tree so his connection to this family is unknown at this stage.

Kit#303857 (111 markers tested with FTDNA) results indicates amore distant possible relationship to the other 3 men which may well be confirmed by one of the others upgrading their test to 111 markers. This kit is also haplogroup R-M269. His male line is resident in Australia from at least 1880 with his earliest known ancestor stated to be a James Bray born 1828 in England. The connection between this kit and the other 4 must predate the migration of Nicholas Adam Bray’s family to the USA and if it could be found it may indicate the origin of this group in England.

----------------GROUP E---------------------

Kit#180168 (67 markers tested with FTDNA)traces Bray ancestry to Wallace Bray who died in 1769 in Currituck County, North Carolina, USA. Wallace Bray’s father was most likely the Capt.William Bray that possibly died on 17th September 1713 when a hurricane hit Currituck. On 14 October 1714 Wallis Bray was administrator for Capt. William Bray. On 28th March 1679 William Bray was in the will of Curtis Fletcher in Currituck. Currituck was formed in 1668 as a precinct in Albemarle County, North Carolina. On 24th October 1709 William and Elizabeth Bray sold 266 acres on the east side of Brays Creek in Currituck Precinct. William Bray and Elizabeth (Bullon) Bullen were married in St Michael’s parish, Barbados, on 14th February 1668. There were Brays in Barbados from 1645 to 1672. There was a William Bray christened on 4th March 1578 in Purton, Wiltshire, England. Robert Bray was christened on 9th July 1615 in Purton, Wiltshire, England, and his father was William Bray. A Robert Braye died on 12th December 1669 in Barbados. The Brays are believed to have been Protestant when they immigrated to Barbados. On SNP analysis this sample is confirmed to be R1b1a2a1a1b4h (shorthand R-L226+), which is a strong indicator of Irish ancestry. R-L226 defines what is known as the Irish type III cluster. This strongly suggests that these Brays originated in Ireland, and are most likely to have come from that area which includes counties Limerick, Clare, and Tipperary. R-L226 is prominent among members of the O’Brien family, including those of documented descent from Brian Boru, High King of Ireland (d.1014), who would himself have been R-L226+, but it is also found in families of other Dalcassian surnames associated with the O’Brien clan. According to the R-L226 project, this SNP is estimated to have originated in that part of Ireland approximately 1175 years ago (although it may be older). It is possible, though perhaps not probable, that Bray in this case is a variant of O’Brien, just as Bryan, Bryant, and Ubry are. He and the other members of this group show matches to men with the O’Brien name.

Kit#135260 (37 markers tested with FTDNA), traces Bray ancestry to William Nathan Bray who was born in 1848 in Adamsville, Gallia County, Ohio, USA. However, it is likely that he was the son of Nathan Bray and the grandson of William Bray. William Bray was born in Surry County, North Carolina, USA, in 1778. William later moved to Gallia County, Ohio. Family tradition is that these Brays originally came from Ireland, but, although R-L226+ status would certainly support this, their Irish ancestry has not been proven by conventional genealogical research (see the discussion on this SNP above).

Kit #915503 (37 markers tested with FTDNA), traces his ancestor to an Isaiah Bray born in 1802 Surry County North Carolina with the family later settling in Pulaski County Kentucky. He provides a tree showing his line of descent but this does not appear to show a direct connection to the other two US members. He also tests positive to SNPs R-L226 indicating an Irish connection (see the discussion above).

Kit #135260 and kit #180168 match each other closely, with a genetic distance of 2 over 37 markers (they differ by one step each on DYS442 and DYS576). Kit #915503 has a genetic distance of 1 to kit#135260 and a distance of 3 to kit #180168 again showing a close relationship. They are very likely to share a common ancestor in the last 400 years, possibly since the families’ arrival in the US. Both Kit #180168 and kit #915503 show a terminal SNP of R-FGC12295 as well as testing positive to R-L226 again proving a close relationship. It is not necessary to test kit#135260 for SNP R-L226 since the result would undoubtedly be positive.

Kit#192466 (67 markers tested with FTDNA) traces Bray ancestry to Michael Bray, born c.1810, Cappamore/Doon, Co.Limerick, Ireland. The earliest known record of the Bray family in Doon dates to 1766 when Dermot Bray was named as a “Papist” in the Religious Census of that year. The name Dermot is a variant of Jeremiah, and the aforementioned Michael Bray named two of his sons Jeremiah (the elder Jeremiah presumably died in childhood), so Dermot Bray was presumably an ancestor of Michael Bray. On SNP analysis this sample is also confirmed to be R-L226+. As mentioned above, this SNP is believed to have first occurred in an individual in Co. Limerick,Clare, or Tipperary approximately 1175 years ago, so these Brays had not moved far from their place of origin when Michael Bray was born c.1810.

Kit#287257 (37 markers tested with FTDNA) traces Bray ancestry to James Bray, born c.1810, resided in Bruff, Co.Limerick, Ireland. On SNP analysis this sample is also confirmed to be R-L226+.

That kit#180168, kit#915503, kit#192466,and kit#287257 are all confirmed to be R-L226+ (and kit#135260 can be presumed to be by virtue of a close match to kit#180168) proves that they share a common ancestor along their pure paternal lines (i.e. their Bray lines) since the SNP R-L226 evolved approximately 1450 years ago. Surnames have been in use in Ireland since approximately 1000 years ago. On this basis, and taking into account the fact that Bray is a very uncommon surname in Ireland, it is reasonable to suggest that these sample providers may share a common paternal ancestor since surnames first came into use, and that this common ancestor was also surnamed Bray. The alternative possibility is that, while they definitely share a common paternal ancestor since R-L226 first occurred, it may be coincidental that they share the surname Bray. In considering the latter possibility it is worth re-emphasising that the Bray surname is very uncommon in Ireland (in the 1911 census there were 4,375,690 people in the 32 counties of Ireland, only 517 of whom were surnamed Bray). However, while the STR markers of kit#135260, kit#915503 and kit#180168 support a rather close relationship, comparison of the STR markers of the other two samples(kit#192466 and kit#287527) with each other and with the other three Group E kits certainly does not support a common paternal ancestor in recent centuries.Therefore, if we accept that they share a common Bray ancestor since surnames came into use in Ireland approximately 1000 years ago, then this common ancestor is likely to have lived in the first century or two after the Bray surname was first used in Ireland. The discovery of a Bray intermediary, who would bridge the genetic distance between these Brays, would help to confirm the hypothesis that these sample providers share a common Bray ancestor since surnames came into use in Ireland. The discovery of newer SNPs downstream of L226 may help to determine when their most recent common ancestor lived. 

----------------GROUP F------------------

These three kits are descendants of the same family based in the Huddersfield area of West Yorkshire in the mid to late 1700s although the three men do not know each other as they are descended from families who migrated away from the UK at different times. The family of kit#515113 is known to have remained in this area for some generations although the tester for this kit currently lives in the USA. The family of kit# IN32090 migrated to Canada and kit#514880 migrated to Australia.

Kit#515113 (37 markers tested with FTDNA) and kit#IN32090 trace their ancestry to different sons of Anthony Bray born 1768 in Huddersfield, Yorkshire. Kit#515113 from his son James born 1805 Huddersfield and kit#IN32090 from his son George born 1795 Huddersfield.

Kit#514880 (25 markers tested with FTDNA) links to this family a generation or more earlier as he is descended from a Joseph born 1766 in Huddersfield, who may be a brother of Anthony.

These three men are a very close match and share the rare haplogroup E1a1 which is abbreviated to E-M96. 

The area of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, is a known site of a large number of Bray families who may have all descended from just one family who settled in the area soon after the adoption of the family name Bray.

-----------------GROUP G--------------------

Both kit#635956 (37 markers tested with FTDNA) and kit#B186688 (tested with Sorenson and results imported into FTDNA) trace their paternal ancestry back to a Charles Bray who was born in Portsea, Hampshire in 1779. Two sons of Charles migrated to Australia in 1853 with their families and these kits are from each of these two sons. The parents of Charles were a Robert and Martha Bray but as yet a suitable marriage for this couple has not been found. Although these 2 men are haplogroup I-M253, the distance from group A and B men is such that a common ancestor probably would have lived prior to the adoption of surnames. See group A for a discussion of the origin of the I-M253 haplogroup.

--------------------GROUP H---------------------------

Kit#132619, kit #378468 and kit 1004974 trace their paternal ancestry to Etienne Bret who was born in St. Etienne en Dauphine parish, Isere, Rhone-Alps, France in 1694, son of Etienne Bret, who is their most recent common ancestor. The surname evolved to Bray when Etienne emigrated to Quebec Canada by 1717, and henceforth the surname was recorded as Bray. The families later took up residence in the US. Three of Etienne’s sons, Dominique, Francois and Andre have living lines of descent, each branch represented by a member in this project. These kits do not show as matches to the two other ungrouped kits which claim French ancestry despite sharing the same haplogroup. Deep clade testing for kit #132619 confirms haplogroup designation R1b1a2a1a1a4a (shorthand R-L47). R-L47 originated in south-eastern Europe, probably in what is now Turkey, approximately 2000-3000 years ago. It spread across Europe, and it is prominent in some Jewish populations.

---------------GROUP I-------------------

Kit#301986 (37 Markers tested with FTDNA) traces his ancestry to a Thomas Bray in Madison, Indiana born about 1800 and died in 1877. This sample is predicted to belong to haplogroup R-M269 which is one of the most common groups in Western Europe.

Kit#306991 (111 markers tested with FTDNA) claims a descent in Virginia in 1816 (he gives an earliest known ancestor as Robert Bray 1816-1841), then to Sullivan County, Indiana and later to Seattle, Washington. He has been analysed to be haplogroup R-Z367 by deeper testing which is a sub group of R-M269.

Kit#903651 (111 markers tested with FTDNA) claims a descent from a Henry Bray b 1738 in Washington County Maryland and his son Peter Bray b.1767 in Washington County Maryland.

Kit#301986 has a genetic distance of 2 to both the other kits. Kit #306991 has a GD of 4 to kit #903651. This distance would indicate that their common ancestor may be soon after the family’s migration to the US or will possibly predate this. However this connection has not yet been established by genealogical research. Both kit #301966 and kit #903651 show a one step greater distance to another kit who is definitely related but his common ancestor to the others would certainly predate the family’s migration to the US. Unfortunately this person has not joined our project and now cannot be contacted.

---------------GROUP J-------------------

Kit#207548 traces his ancestry to a William Bray born about 1797 in Withiel Cornwall and died 1877 in Bodmin Cornwall. This sample belongs to haplogroup R-M269 which is one of the most common groups in Western Europe however, SNP testing of this kit indicates his branch to be R-BY16032 which confirms him to be of ancient Cornish lineage.

Kit#76430 claims a descent from a Walter Bray b 1761 and died 1830. He is estimated by FTDNA to belong to haplogroup R-M269. Both families migrated to Australia, the family of Kit #207548 settled in New South Wales and the family of kit #76430 settled in South Australia. More family tree information is required to find the common ancestor of these two men in Cornwall.

-----------------UNGROUPED-----------------

For men to be placed in a group within a surname project, it is important for them to have a match within the period of inherited surname use, approximately 700 to 900 years ago. Virtually all men will have distant matches with others who share the same haplogroup but may have a different surname, especially if they have one of the common haplogroups, and in most cases this will be prior to the adoption of surnames and not necessarily due to a non paternity event such as adoption or illegitimacy.

The following kits do not yet have a match with any of the groups or with each other. It is hoped that as more people test and join our project then a match will be found for them. 

Kit#N7425 (37 markers tested with FTDNA and Genographic Project) is of surname Brais, tracing paternal ancestry to France.The sample is predicted to belong to haplogroup R1b1a2 (shorthand R-M269).

Kit#184529 (111 markers tested with FTDNA) traces paternal ancestry to Mark Edward Bray who was born c.1853 in New York State, most likely in Corning, Steuben County, New York, just a few miles from the border with Pennsylvania. He was documented to be of Irish ancestry. Deep clade testing confirms the haplogroup to be R-A7297.

Kit#81057 (67 markers tested with FTDNA) traces paternal Bray ancestry to France. The sample is predicted to belong to haplogroup R1b1a2 (shorthand R-M269).

Kit#N20761 (12 markers tested with FTDNA and Genographic Project) traces paternal Bray ancestry to the United Kingdom. The sample is predicted to belong to haplogroup R1b1a2 (shorthand R-M269). This kit ideally should be upgraded to at least 37 markers to obtain a genealogically useful result as this haplogroup is one of the most common in Europe.

Kit#B82245 (111 Markers tested with FTDNA) traces his line of descent in Virginia USA to a Chunker John Bray born 1808. Deep Clade testing confirms the haplogroup to be I-L338.

Kit#N165372 (37 Markers tested with FTDNA and Genographic Project) traces his paternal ancestry to a William Marion Bray born 1849 in Alabama and died 1923 in Mississippi USA. SNP testing confirms haplogroup R-S6881.

Kit#460773 (67 markers tested with FTDNA) traces his ancestry to a Lemuel Bray born in Randolph County North Carolina.This sample is predicted to be haplogroup R-M269.

Kit #N41541 (12 markers tested with FTDNA) traces paternal ancestry to a Richard Bray born 1680 and died 1772 in England. He is predicted to be R-M269. He is a possible match with two other ungrouped Brays however this cannot be confirmed until this kit is upgraded to more markers.

Kit #867999 (111 markers tested with FTDNA) traces paternal ancestry to a John Bray b 1690 Burford Shropshire England. He is predicted to be I-M253. As yet he has no Bray matches; however he has 3 close matches to Brough men at 111 markers. It may be possible that his Bray family is a variant of Brough.

Kit #833916 (37 Markers tested ) traces his paternal ancestry to a James Arthur Bray b, 18 Nov 1867, d, 3 Mar 1929 of Wantage New Jersey, USA. He is predicted to be haplogroup R-M269.

--------------NON BRAY MALES----------------

Some males who do not carry the Bray surname have chosen to join this project. These individuals may well have Bray ancestry, and on that basis their interest (but without inclusion of their own Y-DNA results) in this project is very welcome. Since there is no reason to suppose that they carry Bray Y-DNA, it would be inappropriate to compare their Y-DNA results with those of males who are surnamed Bray, and therefore they will not be displayed within the Bray surname DNA project.

-------------FAMILY FINDER TESTS--------------

These tests will show matches within the last 5 to 6 generations and may help find distant relatives who may be able to fill gaps in family trees. There are a number of people who have joined our project who have not done a Y-DNA test, but have done a Family Finder test, many of these are females. Their results give matches of varying degrees of closeness to a total of 36 people with the name Bray, of these, 21 matches are to people already in the project named Bray and it is to be hoped the remaining 15 Brays will consider joining our project. At present there is no facility to display Family Finder results so these people will need to follow up their own matches.

People with Bray ancestry, but who are not themselves male Brays may join the project and are encouraged to seek samples from male Bray relatives for inclusion in this project.