Surnames
Brock, Cooper, Corbin, Miller, Moytoy, Sizemore, Williams
Background
This project was established several years ago to collect and compare DNA data from people having known Cherokee ancestry. It was spearheaded by the Central Band of Cherokees in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. The original charter stated:
People who believe they are of Cherokee ancestry from lower middle Tennessee, concentrated mainly in and around the 1806 Congressional Reservation. Anyone fitting this profile is free to join our project and may do so by contacting Family Tree.
Current scientific theory is that Native American MtDNA Haplogroups are A, B, C, D and X, and Y-DNA as Q3 and C3. However, these results only factor in DNA straight female line or male line, none laterally. DNA is not accepted as criteria for membership in any federally recognized tribe.
We don't believe that all native people came over the Bering Straight and that the Cherokee people have their roots in Central Asia and the Middle East.
An independent research study in 2009 by DNA Consultants established that there are many so-called anomalous mitochondrial haplotypes among Cherokee descendents, particularly those who can document their direct female lineage back to known tribal Cherokee women, and more particularly female Paint Clan members. Cherokee Clan membership comes from the mother and follows the direct female line. Anomalous mitochondrial haplotypes found in Phase I testing were T, U, J, K, H and X.
For Phase II testing please refer to the
Cherokee DNA Studies page at the company sponsoring these studies. You may also email Holli Starnes Molnar, project administrator, at h-s-m@dnaconsultants.com (remove dashes).