FORBES Genealogy by DNA Project {Worldwide}

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Group Administrator: Kenneth Forbes youngearth@comcast.net

Background

Project Surnames:

FAUBUS	FOBES	FORBES	FORBESS
FORBIS	FORBISH	FORBUS	FORBUSH
FORDICE	FORDYCE	FURBUSH

Project Background:

The Forbes DNA project was launched October 19, 2004. We are still very young and represent the start of a very exciting journey that will broaden the knowledge of our unique and ancient Scottish heritage. The greater the participation in this project, the more we can learn. Please consider joining this effort. There are benefits for all.

This is your opportunity to find your genetic association in the Clan Forbes. The land of Scotland was a melting pot of various peoples who relocated from other lands. Presently, we are discovering the Forbeses are connected with four distinct groups: Western Europe (R1b), Nordic (I), Semitic (J2), and the Asia-Americas link (Q). Seventy-five percent of those tested have shown they're the Western Europe variety and the remaining 25% of the participants are equally distributed among the other three groups.

We encourage you to have the 25 marker test as the minimum. We'll accept you at the lower threshold of 12 markers. Most people find that they need to upgrade to a more accurate test. You can always upgrade at a later date, although, the cost is lower if you go for the greater number of markers tested first. You need at least 25 markers to show a relationship. The 12 marker tests only confirm that two people are NOT related.

The genetic test can confirm a link to other individuals who have a paper trail to the person you guessed was your ancient ancestor. It can also give direction to your genealogical research, which is showing promise to several likely people who could be your ancestor.

The project is ongoing and you can join at any time. The sooner the better. Click on the "Join This Group" link in the blue section for the group rates.

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Project Goals:

FORBES DNA Project Goals

1.) Gain insight into the origin of the surname Forbes.

2.) Establish or estimate the number of different ancestral lines found among FORBES families worldwide.

3.) Trace currently known and unknown FORBES lineages to common ancestors in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and English colonies, past and present.

4.) Assist genealogy researchers in identifying and validating their immigrant FORBES ancestor and/or remotest FORBES ancestor through the 25 Marker test.

5.) Ancillary goals involve collaboration with other DNA Projects:

a. investigate genetic connections to clan septs; [Bannerman, Berrie, Berry, Boyce, Boyes, Lumsden, Macouat, Macowatt, MacQuattie, MacWatt, Mechie, Mekie, Meldrum, Michie, Middleton, Walter, Walters, Watson, Watt, Watters, Wattie, Watts]

b. investigate genetic connections to the URQUHART and MACKAY projects to see if there are genetic matches. Historical documents speak of the common origin of the Forbes, MacKay, and Urquhart families:

Forbes, MacKay, Urquhart Kinship
In 1652, Sir Thomas Urquhart of Cromarty wrote the "True Pedigree and Lineal Descent of the most Ancient and Honourable Family of Urquhart, in the House of Cromarty, from the Creation of the World until the year of God 1652."

He solemnly stated that in the 8th century of the Christian era Vocompos, head of the House of Cromarty, "had to his second brother one named Phorbas Urquhart, and Hugh to the third; of whom some few hundred years after that, the names of Forbes and Mackay had their beginning."

In his own genealogy, Sir Thomas Urquhart described himself as the 143rd in direct descent from Adam and Eve.

"We laugh at Sir Thomas's crazy genealogies," wrote Rev. Angus Mackay (1906), "but note the fact that he records the MacKays, the Urquharts and the Forbes were of the same stock."

Fifteen years later, in 1667, William Forbes edited and drew up a preface for the "House of Forbes," compiled by Matthew Lumsden in 1580. In this preface, he says Ochonochar, an Irish Lord who came over to Scotland, had a son Ochonochar, and that this second Ochonochar had three sons, who became the respective progenitors of the families of Forbes, Urquhart and MacKay.

Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonston, son of Alexander, 11th Earl of Sutherland, wrote a history about the earldom of Sutherland about 1630 which includes much information about the MacKays and other clans. Sir Robert is notoriously unjust to any family not on friendly terms with the Sutherlands, and particularly so to the MacKays whom he bastardizes with great freedom and hostile spirit. However, he states that the Forbes and MacKays had a common origin.

Other writers also state that there was an original connection between the Strathnaver MacKays (extreme north of Scotland) and the Forbeses in the old provinces of Moray and Buchan. Sir Thomas Urquhart, says Rev. Angus Mackay, was on intimate terms with the MacKays who, like himself, were staunch supporters of the two kings Charles. Historical documents indicate a warm friendship existed between the clans Forbes, Urquhart and MacKay for centuries.

Documents written before 1715 give evidence of a close friendship between the families of Forbes and MacKay who lived far apart; hence, strongly confirm the common tradition that these clans are of kindred stock.

Forbes Lineages

Castle Forbes

Clan Forbes Society

Project News:

MEMBER JOIN DATE

10/19/2004: (Washington resident - New Jersey native)
10/20/2004: (North Carolina)
10/29/2004: (Florida)
10/31/2004: (Texas)
11/04/2004: (Georgia)
11/19/2004: (Kansas - North Carolina)
12/15/2004: (England - Scotland)
12/18/2004: (Maine)
02/14/2005: (Maryland)
02/16/2005: (Michigan)
03/03/2005: (California)
03/07/2005: (California)
03/08/2005: (Scotland)
03/16/2005: (Arizona)
04/08/2005: (Massachusetts)
06/13/2005: (Wisconsin resident - New York native)
06/20/2005: (Maryland)
08/01/2005: (North Carolina)
08/12/2005: (Florida)
11/21/2005: (North Carolina)
03/23/2006: (New York)
04/01/2006: (Texas)
04/11/2006: (England - Scotland)
05/04/2006: (South Africa)
06/27/2006: (California)
09/05/2006: (Virginia)

TEST RESULTS LAST UPDATED: 08/14/2006

Project Results:

Group ONE [1]
We have four members, residing on either side of the Atlantic Ocean, who have a genetic match. One member resides in Scotland. The others are located throughout the the USA [CA, MD, NC]. This gives us our first common genetic group.

Group TWO [2]
This group is a match between family members.

Group THREE [3]
These guys are 2nd cousins and descendants of James Forbes (c.1635-1692) of East Hartford, Connecticut.

Group FOUR [4]
These men are descendants of James Forbes (1657-1726) of Riddle, North Carolina.

Irish Connections
One member is extremely close to the core defining signature of a Colla Uais descendant. Colla was High King of Ireland who seized Ulster and then took his followers to Scotland around 325AD.

IMPORTANT DALRIADIC ANCESTRAL GENETIC SIGNATURE IDENTIFIED

Colla Uais, the great grandson of Cormac Mac Airt, was High King for only a short period. He was defeated in battle by Muireadhach who then became High King and banished him to Scotland. However Colla Uais' descendents are the Clann Domhnaill (the Mac Donalds) who were Lords of the Isles in Scotland and according to the Mac Donald website: "most of the kings and queens of Scotland and England claim their descent from Colla Uais."

High Kings of Ireland (58AD - 1175AD)

A majority of the FORBES participants show a genetic connection to the Western Europe Haplogroup R1b. It may be that they all represent some segment of the Irish Scotti who inhabited the western shores of Scotland, but their descent may have been through different Irish Lairds.

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DNA Test Results (mtDNA) for Project Members