About us
This project started in late 2009 with a group of six males that had discovered that they all shared closely matched Y-DNA, with three having a paternal line of WASH and three having a paternal line of LANDERS. Prior to those Y-DNA tests, none of the six were aware that they were genetically related to the other five persons. Each of the six has traced his paternal line back to Louisa Co or Hanover Co in Virginia during the 1700's.
It is not known how many other males with the surnames of WASH or LANDERS also have Y-DNA that closely matches this inital group of 6 members of this project, or whether more distant sets of WASH and/or LANDERS lines will be discovered as more members join this project.
It is not yet understood whether the Landers paternal line shared by the three LANDERS members is an offshoot of the Wash paternal line shared by the three WASH members (or vice versa). Presumably there was a single person named either WASH or LANDERS that caused these two surname lines to be crosslinked by Y-DNA. Such a crosslink could have been due to a name change, adoption, or other non-paternity event. Based on a lack of DNA matches between either of the two LANDERS members with any other LANDERS who have their DNA posted on the LANDERS surname site, it is more probable that a single WASH ancester is the common ancestor that had a son who was then given the surname LANDERS for an unknown reason.
The administrator has documentation that one of his a paternal ancestors changed his name from WASH to WALSH in the 1830's in Virginia. Several other WALSH researchers have also traced their paternal line back to various persons who also changed their name from WASH to WALSH. FTDNA has a separate WALSH Y-DNA surname Project to study anyone with the surname WALSH, but also may include some individuals like me those paternal line started with WASH.
It is known that in 1891 where were about 100 WASH families living in SE England, and that many persons named WASH immigrated to America from Ireland, England, Germany, and elsewhere.
After searching online phone books in the UK, 48 persons with the surname WASH are currently listed throughout the UK as of April 2010. It would be wonderful if any WASH males with recent ancestors living in the UK would elect to join this Y-DNA group. If there was a strong DNA match with the current members of this group, then that would confirm that WASH is indeed the older surname line for the first members of this group named WASH & LANDERS. By adding WASH persons with UK heritage to this project, it could be determined if there are any major differences in the DNA of WASH males currently living in the UK, the USA, and elsewhere.
As geographical background, Jamestown Virginia was founded in 1607. Hanover Co was formed in 1720 from New Kent County. Louisa Co was formed from the western part of Hanover Co in 1742. Therefore, it is possible that some WASH families lived in the western part of Hanover Co between 1720 and 1742 and then automatically became residents of Louisa Co in 1742 without moving.
See the 'Results' section for details on Y-DNA matching results to date.
It is not known how many other males with the surnames of WASH or LANDERS also have Y-DNA that closely matches this inital group of 6 members of this project, or whether more distant sets of WASH and/or LANDERS lines will be discovered as more members join this project.
It is not yet understood whether the Landers paternal line shared by the three LANDERS members is an offshoot of the Wash paternal line shared by the three WASH members (or vice versa). Presumably there was a single person named either WASH or LANDERS that caused these two surname lines to be crosslinked by Y-DNA. Such a crosslink could have been due to a name change, adoption, or other non-paternity event. Based on a lack of DNA matches between either of the two LANDERS members with any other LANDERS who have their DNA posted on the LANDERS surname site, it is more probable that a single WASH ancester is the common ancestor that had a son who was then given the surname LANDERS for an unknown reason.
The administrator has documentation that one of his a paternal ancestors changed his name from WASH to WALSH in the 1830's in Virginia. Several other WALSH researchers have also traced their paternal line back to various persons who also changed their name from WASH to WALSH. FTDNA has a separate WALSH Y-DNA surname Project to study anyone with the surname WALSH, but also may include some individuals like me those paternal line started with WASH.
It is known that in 1891 where were about 100 WASH families living in SE England, and that many persons named WASH immigrated to America from Ireland, England, Germany, and elsewhere.
After searching online phone books in the UK, 48 persons with the surname WASH are currently listed throughout the UK as of April 2010. It would be wonderful if any WASH males with recent ancestors living in the UK would elect to join this Y-DNA group. If there was a strong DNA match with the current members of this group, then that would confirm that WASH is indeed the older surname line for the first members of this group named WASH & LANDERS. By adding WASH persons with UK heritage to this project, it could be determined if there are any major differences in the DNA of WASH males currently living in the UK, the USA, and elsewhere.
As geographical background, Jamestown Virginia was founded in 1607. Hanover Co was formed in 1720 from New Kent County. Louisa Co was formed from the western part of Hanover Co in 1742. Therefore, it is possible that some WASH families lived in the western part of Hanover Co between 1720 and 1742 and then automatically became residents of Louisa Co in 1742 without moving.
See the 'Results' section for details on Y-DNA matching results to date.