Project Surnames
Crow, Kneiseley, Kneisle, Kneislei, Kneisley, Kneislie, Kneisly, Kneissle, Kneuss, Kneussel, Knicely, Kniesley, Kniesly, Kniseley, Knisely, Knisley, Knusli, Knussli, Knysley, Neisely, Neisley, Nicely, Niesley, Niesly, Nisely, Nishli, Nislay, Nisle, Nisli, Nissley, Niszli, Nizeley, Nusli, Whitecrow
Project Background
Testing of DNA by a Nicely and a Knisely returned positive results. Later a Kneisly and a Knisley matched. We also have matched with the following surnames; Bernstein, Harmon, Joseph, Levine, Torrington, and three different Wright's. These individual with different last names are likely to be cousins before the years of 1400 since surnames were not assigned at that time. This would be the reason for the different surname. We have gathered considerably more information on our family tree since the initial development of this web site. I curently have over 8,700 descendants of Hans Knussli in my family tree file. I also have over 500 descendants of Martin Nissli in my file and 2 lines that are not connected to Martin yet but with DNA that macthes the Nusli line. Information on our family indicates that both lines were Mennonite Anabaptists who were prosecuted in Switzerland for their religious beliefs. After being forced to leave Switzerland it appears the Knusli line moved to Alsace and the Nusli line moved to Germany. At a later date members of both lines left their repective areas and moved through Rotterdam to England and in 1717 were carried by English ship in 1717 to Philadelphia and then where met by a group of Mennonites who took them on to Lancaster, PA.
I had a Deep Clade test ran on my DNA and it was determined that my DNA is J2b Haplogroup. This was submitted to an International stugy on the J2 Haplogroup and because my DNA has a M172+ factor in it, I am a descendant of a man who resided in the Anatolia region near the eastern end of the Mediterranian Sea approximately 15,000 to 22,000 years ago. This means that everyone whose 12 Marker Y-DNA matched mine is also in the same relationship. More information will be relaesed when the study is complete.
We continue to look for new family members and extend our knowledge of the Knusli and Nusli family trees.