Current RESULTS:

Historical RESULTS - analyzed in 2009 and 2014 by James M. Freed

NOTE 1:  The project is fluid, and the Group titles and individuals may change over time.  All of the information below was written in 2009. Some updates in 2014.

        
NOTE 2: Click on the DNA FAQ link at the top of this page to answer many questions. The comments far below are explanations of the tables of results as shown by clicking on the Y-DNA Results or the mtDNA Results also at the top of this page. For discussion of the mtDNA Results of this McCabe project, go to the bottom of this page. The reader of this section may profit from printing this page and considering the comments below while viewing the tables of results from either the Y-DNA Results section or the mtDNA Results section.

NOTE 3: Two "movable bars" ("scrolling bars") on the Y-DNA RESULTS webpage (right side and at the bottom) assist in moving the contents up and down, left and right.  For the Y-DNA results, the kit # is used to link the results with a specific individual known to the Group Administrator. The numbers in a specific row provide a specific "haplotype" for that individual. The "Haplo" column provides the "haplogroup" (cluster of similar haplotypes, usually related to an origin in a specific area of the world). Y chromosomal tests on most (but not all) of these McCabe families have produced an "estimate" of R1b1 as the "overall" haplogroup, which indicates a Western European ancestry for each of these McCabe families. Note that this haplogroup designation may not support a Nordic or Viking ancestry for these McCabe families as has been suggested for the McCabe families in general. The known places of origin of almost all of the McCabes listed below are in the northern part of the island of Ireland (historic province of ULSTER), confirming that these McCabe families were probably all of Scots-Irish origin. The historic province of Ulster is NOT equivalent to Northern Ireland. "Ulster is composed of nine counties: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, and Tyrone are part of Northern Ireland [part of the United Kingdom]; while Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of the Republic of Ireland. The name is sometimes used (incorrectly) as a synonym for Northern Ireland." (Adapted from Wikipedia)

NOTE 4: The Y-DNA MOST DISTANT KNOWN ANCESTOR DISTRIBUTION MAP was added by FTDNA in May 2009, but originally only available on participant's personal pages. As of August 2009, the maps for both Y-DNA and mtDNA results are available at the bottom of the results table for both types of DNA. Most participants in this McCabe DNA now have their most distant McCabe ancestor mentioned and pinpointed on the map. Note that most of the "push pins" refer to specific areas (cities, counties, etc.), but the pin in the exact center of the Republic of Ireland should be interpreted as the island of Ireland, not the current Republic of Ireland. Some of these ancestors are most likely from the historic province of Ulster. Also note that if a geographical location on the island of Ireland includes a county name and U.K., this location is in Northern Ireland. Further, those McCabe Surname DNA group participants (who have a kit number and password) can now go to their own Family Tree DNA personal pages and find matches located on the map, by the following procedure: Under "My Maps" at the left side of your personal webpage, click on "Maps". [To view the map, Adobe Flash Player Version 9 or higher is necessary to be on your computer which can be downloaded from the map site.] The "Google Earth" map will appear with push pins showing your matches (if you have any). The push pins are color-coded by the type of matches, exact, 1-step, 2-step, etc. as shown at the bottom of the page. Enlarge the map (by using the "enlarging/reducing" bar at the left) to more clearly see the specific location of your matches. Choose the number of markers you wish to compare by clicking on the specific number in the upper left-hand corner of the map. Then HAVE FUN in finding matches on the map by placing your pointer on the push pins.

PROPOSED MODAL HAPLOTYPE FOR THE McCABE/CABE SURNAME DNA: When comparing the results for the first 12 markers in this study, a pattern has developed that many participants in this surname project have the following allele numbers: 13, 25, 14, 11, 11, 14, 12, 12, 11, 13, 13, 31. Among the 44 participants (as of early August 2009) 20 had an exact match, 12/12 with these values, and 7 men have a match at 11/12! Among those 17 men who do not match the proposed McCabe haplotype at least to a 11/12 match are the three in Group B, who have a slightly different R1b Haplogroup, two who do not have an R1b type haplogroup, and about eight men who, with continued studies, either do not have the McCabe surname or who do not appear to have verified McCabe ancestry. Further, in the entire database of the Family Tree DNA Company with well over 100,000 participants, and who have asked their results to be compared with all other participants, only five men, who were not members of the McCabe/Cabe project in early August 2009, have these same 12/12 matches! These five men do NOT match any other individuals in the FTDNA database with their own surnames but DO match the proposed modal haplotype (at 12 markers) for the McCabe line, suggesting that these five men may have McCabe ancestry on their paternal line. Subsequently two of these five men (with surnames of Denny and McMannes) have joined this McCabe/Cabe DNA project.


DISCUSSION OF SPECIFIC PROJECT RESULTS ORGANIZED AROUND THE TWELVE GROUPS ON THE RESULTS TABLE.


I. GROUP A, the R1b1b2 OWEN McCABE FAMILY STUDY. (Updated 7/04/09 for sharing of the more specific results for the haplogroup of this McCabe family.)
Kits 825, 826, 827, 1106, 54231
This group contains individuals who, concluded from the results shown, descend from Owen McCabe who emigrated from County Tyrone, Ireland, in the 1740's, to Philadelphia, settled in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania in the 1750's (in that portion that became Perry County in 1820), and later moved to southwestern Pennsylvania. There he died in the 1805-1815 period, either in southern Allegheny County or northern Washington County. County Tyrone is in the historic province of Ulster and in current Northern Ireland of the United Kingdom. Counties of the Ulster province that border Tyrone are Donegal, Londonderry, Antrim (across a large lake), Armagh, Monaghan, and Fermanagh. Owen and Catherine (Sears) McCabe had four sons, James McCabe, John McCabe, William McCabe and Robert McCabe. John and William have numerous living descendants with the surname of McCabe and descendants of John and William have been DNA tested. Robert's line may have “daughtered out”. James and Mary (Hughes) McCabe's family probably includes several lines with straight-male line descendants with the name of McCabe. Results from this James McCabe line would be very beneficial for this study to find out the ancestral haplotype for Owen McCabe.

1. Kits 825, 826, 827 and 1106. Orphan's Father Study. The Y chromosome DNA (originally 12 marker tests) of two male line descendants (kits 826 and 827) of two sons of the "orphan" James J. McCabe (1843-1914) matched exactly the same 12 markers of two male-line descendants (kits 825 and 1106) of two sons of James B. McCabe who was born in 1807 in Ohio, died in 1892 in Kansas, and is a descendant of Owen McCabe's son, John. Kits 825 and 1106 come from McCabes who are third cousins of each other. Kits 826 and 827 come from McCabes who are first cousins, once removed. Extension of the 12-marker test to 67 markers was performed on DNA samples from each of these four McCabes. Based on these results, the James J. McCabe descendants may be considered to have the ancestral haplotype (determined by including the results of kit 54231 which will be discussed later). Kit 825 has only one one-step mutation (marker 481); kit 1106 has two one-step mutations (markers 464d & 576, both fast-mutating markers) from the proposed ancestral haplotype. These results strongly support the very strong circumstantial evidence that led to the hypothesis that James B. McCabe (born in 1807) WAS the father of James J. McCabe born in 1843.

2. Kit #54231. The provider of this kit, whose family has lived in southern Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, for a long number of generations, did not know his McCabe ancestry past his 3rd g. grandfather McCabe. Studies in the Allegheny County Court House in Pittsburgh suggested that he is most likely a descendant of Owen's youngest son, William McCabe. At 67 markers this kit's DNA differs from the proposed ancestral haplotype of the Owen McCabe descendants at only two markers, 449 and CDYb, both fast-mutating markers. Combining the information from the courthouse records and the DNA results very strongly supports the hypothesis that this individual is a descendant of Owen McCabe, specifically through Owen's son William.

3. HAPLOGROUP DETERMINATION for Group A: The DNA from Kit #827 has been tested for specific haplogroup determination to the fullest extent possible as of July 2009. Y chromosome haplogroup R1b1b2a1b5 identification is the result of this test, which means that all individuals within this Group A share the same haplogroup, R1b1b2a1b5. The haplogroup test also determined that this haplogroup R1b1b2a1b5 cannot be subdivided further as of July 2009, including R1b1b2a1b5b, in which Group B belongs. This specific haplogroup, R1b1b2a1b5, is a subdivision of haplogroup R1b1b2 The majority of men of European extraction are in the R1b1b2 haplogroup. The R1b1b2 haplogroup is “believed by some to have existed before the last Ice Age and has been associated with the Aurignacian culture (32,000 - 21,000 BC)”. The quote is from the R1b1b2 section of Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The more specific haplogroup of R1b1b2a1b5 suggests an origin of this Owen McCabe family in northern Ireland.


II. GROUP B, the R1b1b2a1b5b MECABE/McCABE FAMILY STUDY. (Updated 9/14/10)

1. Kits 9586, 40344, 99404. This group study involved at least two different hypotheses. The first was that the immigrant ancestor (of the provider of Kit 9586), John McCabe, may have been a brother to Owen McCabe (Group A). This John McCabe, however, settled in Sussex County, Delaware and there is no oral history or paper documentation of his county or area of origin in Ireland. The definitive publication on this family is the book by Vernon W. McCabe, Jr., "Descendants of John McCabe, 1727-1800 of Sussex County, Delaware", Edition III, 2003, privately printed. When comparing the results of the deduced ancestral haplotype of Owen McCabe (just to the first 25 markers), there is a difference of 25 mutation steps, so that there is absolutely no possibility that Owen McCabe and John McCabe could have been brothers, or have any close relationship at all. The slight difference in haplogroup determination also eliminates any possibility of any close relationship. The second hypothesis was that the Mecabe (yes Mecabe, NOT McCabe) families (descendants of Elisha Mecabe, born 1799, Monmouth, New Jersey) are actually descended from a McCabe family. Results to the 37 marker level show only two one-step mutations between the providers of kit 40344 (Mecabe line) and kit 9586. Reports from the Family Tree DNA Company state that with 35 out of 37 matching markers, there is 99% likelihood that they share a common ancestor! Comparing kits 99404 with 40344 at 67 markers produces a 61/67 marker match, with two of these markers being fast-mutating markers. Further traditional genealogical investigations within American or Irish records are necessary to determine the exact relationship.

Kit 40344: The paternal ancestral line for the man who provided the DNA sample for Kit 43024 is as follows: Elisha Mecabe (b. 3 Sept.1799, d. 30.Dec 1878); Lewis Mecabe (b. 13 Feb 1835, d. 30 Apr. 1910), Wilbur Clark Mecabe I (b. 12 May 1881, d. Nov. 1963); Wilbur Clark Mecabe II (b 20 Feb 1908, d. 3 Sept 1996), father of the man who provided the sample.

2. An unexpected, yet fascinating result of this study was produced when the provider of kit 99404, who also descends from the Sussex County, Delaware immigrant, John McCabe, had his DNA haplogroup studied to the furthest extent currently possible. The resulting assignment was to haplogroup R1b1b2a1b5b, which is defined by the M22 SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism), and indicative of the Northwest Irish Modal Haplotype. Further, advanced studies indicate that men with this haplotype most likely descend from Niall Nóigiallach, a 5th-century warlord known as "Niall of the Nine Hostages" and who may be the ancestor of one in 12 Irishmen. Niall established a dynasty of powerful chieftains that dominated the island for six centuries. This means that the other kit providers in Group B are also the same haplogroup and also indicates that their roots are in the area of northwestern Ireland, Ulster and lowland Scotland.



III. GROUP C-1, McCABES FROM COUNTY MONAGHAN, IRELAND, TO VICTORIA COUNTY, ONTARIO, CANADA (Updated 4/26/09)

Kits 49932, 119756.. The men in Group C-1 all have roots in Ops Township (community of Lindsay), Victoria County, Ontario, Canada. [Note that Ops is now listed by Wikipedia as “a former municipality in the center of former County of Victoria now the city of Kawartha Lakes” and located in east–central Ontario.] The question tested in this study was “Are all McCabe families in this area descended from a common ancestor?” The first man tested (kit 49932) had traced his earliest known McCabe ancestor to Francis McCabe, born in Magheracloone Parish, County Monaghan, Ireland, in 1782. County Monaghan is in the historic province of Ulster, but now is in the Republic of Ireland. Counties bordering Monaghan are: Tyrone, Armagh, Louth, Cavan, and Fermanaugh, all of which are within the historic province of Ulster except County Louth. Francis McCabe emigrated from Ireland to Ops Township (community of Lindsay), Victoria County, Ontario, Canada, in 1827. Francis McCabe is reported to have had two sons, Francis, Jr., and Simon McCabe, and one daughter, Elizabeth McCabe, all three of whom came to Ops before 1862. The provider of kit 49932 descends from Francis, Jr.; the provider of kit 119756 descends from Simon McCabe. At the 25 marker level, these men differ at only one marker, 464a, which is a fast-mutating marker. These two men had hypothesized that they both descend from the immigrant, Francis McCabe. DNA studies have confirmed that they are very closely related, and strongly support the hypothesis that if one of them descends from Francis McCabe, Sr., both of them descend from Francis McCabe, Sr. Concerning other DNA matches, the DNA from kit 49932, at 25 markers has numerous matches, but the only McCabe surname match is that of kit 119756. Kit 119756, of course, matches the DNA of kit 49932, but at 37 markers, FTDNA reports that this kit has no matches whatsoever in their database. This is clearly a unique McCabe family, until other McCabes are tested that might include a match.

Kit 135391. The man who provided the DNA sample for kit 135391 traces his ancestry back to Owen McCabe who immigrated in the 1830’s from County Monaghan to Ops Township. His origin in the same area in Ireland and settling in the same area in Canada as did Francis McCabe in 1827 suggests that all three men in this group may have a common ancestor. Not so! His DNA results do NOT match with the two other McCabes with roots in Ops Township. However, the DNA from kit 135391 has a number of “near” matches with other men in this DNA project. At 37 markers he matches 33/37 with DNA from kits 825, 826, and 827 (Group A), kit 11254 (Group D), and Kit 139946, (Group G). Are these significant matches? An extension to 67 markers would provide an answer.


IV C-2, McCABES FROM COUNTY MAYO, IRELAND, TO KENT COUNTY, ONTARIO, CANADA. (Group created 4/22/09; updated 4/26/09)

Kits 127552 and 147989. The conclusions from the results shown are that both men who provided DNA samples for this study are very closely related. The oral history and genealogical paper trail for both of them lead back to Henry (or Harry) McCabe (of Westport, Ireland) who died about 1795 in Ireland, and his wife, Jane Barlow. Westport is in the large county of Mayo on the Atlantic coast of the Republic of Ireland, and in the historic province of Connacht. County Mayo shares borders with the following counties of the Republic of Ireland: Sligo, Roscommon, and Galway, all within the historic province of Connacht. Henry McCabe's family records are in the Church of Ireland, in Westport, but Henry may have migrated from either County Sligo or County Cavan (historic province of Ulster) to County Mayo.

Kit 127552. Henry’s son, James McCabe, emigrated in 1834 to near Bothwell, Ontario, Canada and was the g. g. grandfather of the provider of Kit 127552, the first man tested in this group. [Bothwell is in southwestern Ontario within the new Municipality of Chatham-Kent; prior to 1998 in the County of Kent and also borders Lake Erie.] This man (provider of kit 127552) descends from the immigrant James McCabe through his son Thomas McCabe. A brother of Thomas was also named James McCabe and may be the James McCabe in the 1871 census of Ontario.

Kit # 147989. The provider of Kit #147989 is also a g. g. grandson of the immigrant James McCabe, but descends from the immigrant’s son, George McCabe, and as such is a third cousin of the provider of Kit 127552. [This man is a descendant of the McCabes who built and operated numerous McCabe grain elevators in USA and Canada border states and provinces.] The results for this man match 67/67 with the results from Kit #127552, confirming that these two participants are very closely related.

UNIQUE DNA RESULTS. The value of marker DYS 459a for both of these men is 7, whereas all others in this McCabe study have a value of 9. According to one compilation (found at
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~geneticgenealogy/yfreq.htm)
of the distribution of various allelic values for specific markers, 95% of men who are in the haplogroup R1b have a value of 9 repeats, whereas less than 0.5% have a value of 7 repeats. The fact that these third cousins have the same 7 repeat value at marker DYS 459a, indicates that the change (mutation) occurred prior to the separation of their lines. The significance here is that if any other man with nearly identical values at other markers, and also has the value of 7 repeats for DYS 459a, there is a MUCH greater probability of his having a common ancestor with these two McCabe men. Further, FTDNA reports that for marker DYS 385, in addition to the usual two allele values, a (11) and b (14), the DNA from Kit 127552 has a THIRD allele with the value of 14. The significance here is that, again, if another man's results (which have a very close match with all others markers being compared) show the same pattern of three alleles with these same values and in the same order, the two are much more closely related than if the second man does NOT have the three alleles at DYS 385. [The DNA from kit #147989 has not been tested for this additional marker for DYS 385.]


V. GROUP C-3, McCABES FROM NORTHERN IRELAND TO NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA. (Group Created 07/03/09; updated 11/13/09). Four members of this McCabe Surname DNA Project can now trace their ancestry to James McCabe, born in Ireland, probably in the 1720’s. One reference (see below), states Belfast as the Irish home of this James McCabe. Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland (U.K.), with the majority of the city in County Antrim, and the remainder in County Down (both counties within the historic province of Ulster). [Based on this one reference, the place of origin of all four descendants of James McCabe has been changed to Belfast in the records of FTDNA. If any reader can provide other more definitive information, please contact the project administrator.] These two counties are on the northeastern coast of the island of Ireland, and adjacent to the following counties: Londonderry, Tyrone, and Armagh. James McCabe emigrated from Ireland to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, probably in the early 1740’s, as in 1746, his Philadelphia indenture was transferred from John Williams to James Cusick for three years and nine months. The family of James and Anne Pettigrew McCabe arrived at the “Philadelphia Plantation” in Pictou, Nova Scotia, in 1767, as one of six families who were the first immigrants from Philadelphia to Pictou. [Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin had a monetary interest in this plantation in Nova Scotia.] A 1927 paper (by William Otis Sawtelle, “Acadia: The Pre-Loyalist Migration and the Philadelphia Plantation”, The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 51, p. 285) states the following: “James McCabe, native of Belfast, Ireland, wife Ann Pettigrew, a north of Ireland Presbyterian. They with sons John and James came in the ‘Hope’, also two daughters and two other children.” [Other sources state rather emphatically that the settlers from Philadelphia arrived on the Brigantine, “Betsey” on June 10, 1767, with John Hull as the Master, starting from Philadelphia on May 4th 1767.] This James McCabe was apparently Catholic. The definitive publication on this McCabe family is the book by Allen E. Marble, “The Descendants of James McCabe and Ann Pettigrew”, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, 1986. An early hypothesis was that this James McCabe (Nova Scotia) and Owen McCabe [Cumberland County (later Perry County), Pennsylvania, Group A in this study] were very likely brothers, since they were apparently both from the “north of Ireland”, and both arrived in Philadelphia in the 1740’s.

Kit 9587. The first man tested (joined the project in May 2003) on this Nova Scotia James McCabe line (provider of Kit 9587) descends from James McCabe the son of the immigrant, James McCabe down through the grandfather of the person tested: Alexander, James, and Frederick. His DNA, at 67 markers shows a difference of ten mutation steps (genetic distance of 10) from the deduced ancestral haplotype of Owen McCabe (Group A). Consequently, this James McCabe of Pictou, Nova Scotia, cannot be a brother of Owen McCabe of Cumberland and Perry Counties of Pennsylvania.

Kit 151400. Results to 67 markers were posted for kit 151400 in July 2009, the provider of which descends from John McCabe, son of the Nova Scotia immigrant, James McCabe, down through to the grandfather of the man tested: James, Asa, Ralph, and Harry. Results at 67 markers showed a genetic distance of 6 with kit 9587 which initially raised a question about whether or not the individuals who provided the DNA for Kits 9587 and 151400 were very closely related, as Kit 151400 has a genetic distance of ONLY 4 with two individuals in the Cabe family study (Group G). Kit 151400 does not have any significant matches with the Owen McCabe family descendants (Group A), confirming that the two 1740's immigrants to America, Owen McCabe and James McCabe, were not related within historic times.

Kit 145047. The results to 67 markers for the McCabe man who provided Kit 145047 were posted in late August 2009. At 67 markers, Kit 145047 matches the DNA from Kit 151400 with a genetic distance of only one (the same as at 37 markers, with a fast mutating marker, marker 576)! His earliest known McCabe ancestor (paper trail documentation, prior to this DNA study) is his g. grandfather, Daniel McCabe, who was living in Butler, Wayne County, New York, in 1857, when he married Eleanor Vanderburgh. Eleanor was enumerated (as widowed) in the 1910 census of Seattle, Washington, in the family of her son, Ernest McCabe (grandfather of the kit provider), who is listed as born in Michigan. Daniel and Eleanor have been found together in both the 1860 and 1870 censuses of Van Buren County, Michigan, immediately above the entries (in both censuses) for a David McCabe. The provider of Kit 145047 had no information or hypothesis whatsoever that he might descend from the Nova Scotia immigrant, James McCabe, until, at 37 markers, his DNA matched Kit 151400 at 36/37. Further, the 1880 census of Berrien County, Michigan, for this David McCabe states that he was born in Nova Scotia and his father was born in Pennsylvania (!) which would be true if this David McCabe is the grandson of the 1740’s emigrant, James McCabe, from northern Ireland to Pennsylvania and the same James McCabe who emigrated in 1767 from Pennsylvania to Nova Scotia. Marble's book (referenced above, p. 21) states that this David McCabe was a son of John McCabe, son of the immigrant, James McCabe, and that in 1818, this David McCabe “left West River, [Nova Scotia] and went to Skaneateles, N.Y.” [Skaneateles is in Onondaga County, and about 20 miles southeast of Butler, NY, where Daniel and Eleanor were married.] In summary, there is no doubt that the provider of Kit 145047 descends from the McCabe immigrant to Nova Scotia in the following way: James McCabe (the immigrant), John McCabe, David McCabe, Daniel McCabe, Ernest McCabe (grandfather of the kit provider). [At 67 markers note that the DNA from kit 145047 also matches (with a genetic distance of 3) two men from Group G (Cabe/McCabe family, kits 139946 and 146567), and one man from Group D ("Unrelated", Kit N36342). The significance of these other close matches (at 67 markers) is yet to be determined.]

Kit 159052. Another McCabe has joined this DNA project and claims descent from the 1760's immigrant to Nova Scotia, James McCabe through the immigrant's son James and down to the grandfather of the man tested (thus showing a closer “paper trail” connection to kit 9587 than the other two McCabes in this group): Thomas McCabe, James McCabe, and Anthony S McCabe. His complete results to 67 markers arrived in September 2009, showing a genetic distance of only 4 with Kit 9587.

SUMMARY COMMENTS on Group C-3. RELATIONSHIPS. Paper trail documentation shows that providers of kits 151400 and 145047 are fourth cousins, once removed of each other, each descended from different sons (James and David) of the immigrant’s son, JOHN. Paper trail documentation shows that providers of kits 9587 and 159052 are fourth cousins of each other, each descended from different sons (Alexander and Thomas) of the immigrant’s son, JAMES. The providers of kits 9587 and 159052 are fifth cousins of the provider of kit 145047 and fifth cousins, once removed, of the provider of kit 151400.

DNA RESULTS INTERPRETATION. The provider of Kit #145047 can be considered as having the DEDUCED ANCESTRAL HAPLOTYPE of this Nova Scotia James McCabe family, at all 67 markers, ASSUMING that he has a common ancestry (probably in the northern part of the island of Ireland) with many of the Cabe family members in Group G (genetic distance of three with three members of Group G at 67 markers), when considering markers CDYa and 557. Consequently, he has a genetic distance (GD) of only one (one-step mutation difference) with kit 151400 (marker 576, a fast mutator). With kit #159052, he has a GD of three, but with kit #9587, he has a GD of five. Consequently, there is very little doubt, given the randomness of mutations and the rates of mutations as well as the fairly well-documented paper trails, that these four men are related to each other as described in the relationships discussion immediately above. This is an AMAZING CONCLUSION since the provider of kit 145047 had no hypothesis whatsoever, that he descended from James McCabe, the 1760’s immigrant to Nova Scotia!


VI GROUP D, R1b1b2, the “unrelated” R1b1b2 McCabe Families. (Updated 10/08/10 for Kits 153311 & 148651.)

MODAL VALUES. The modal values (most common values for each marker) for this group are similar to Group A (the Owen McCabe group), with the modal value of the first 12 markers being exactly the same. [Four of the ten men have exactly the same values for the first 12 markers as those men in Group A; these are kits numbered: N25228, N36342, 23747, and 37202.] At 25 markers and higher, the comparison of results between groups A and D show numerous differences. There does not appear to be any historical evidence that indicates a relationship of any of these men in Group D with the Owen McCabe family (Group A) since the 1740's in America, but complete information is not available for all participants. . Further, based on information available so far, there does not appear to be any common ancestors among any small grouping of these men, (but this may be due to insufficient information). If any reader knows of evidence of a relationship among any of the individuals in Group D, please contact the administrator of this McCabe Surname DNA Study. It is hoped that those men with only 12 or 25 markers will extend their studies to at least 37 markers so that more information is available for additional comparisons.

COMMENTS on the results in Group D:

Kit's 153311 and 148651. These results will be discussed together as they are a father and son group. The men who provided the DNA for these kits lists their earliest known McCabe ancestor as Francis McCabe from the town of Aghintra, County Fermanagh, of the historic province of Ulster, and who was married in 1837. [Tyrone County is immediately to the north of Fermanagh County and is the only county of Northern Ireland which shares a border with Fermanagh County. Counties of the Republic of Ireland that border Fermanagh are Donegal, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan.] Francis McCabe is listed in the 1856 Griffin Evaluation as a plot holder (leasing the land). He purchased the farm from the Church of Ireland on May 1, 1878. His son, Felix McCabe, was born on the farm in 1848. Felix's son (grandfather of the provider of kit 148651), Bernard McCabe, was also born in the same location (baptism record from the Diocese of Kilmore, Fermanagh, Ireland), but died in 1952 in Clydebank, Old Kilpatrick, Dunbarton, Scotland. The son of Bernard McCabe (died 1952), who was the father of the man who provided kit 148651, immigrated to New York City in 1949 from Scotland. The results at 67 markers (for kit 148651) show that this man matches individuals in both Groups D and G. He matches 63/67 with the modal values (most common values) of group D with the following markers (all "slow mutators") producing the mismatches: DYS numbers 390, 389-2, 413a, and 557. With Group G (the Cabe group), he also matches 63/67 markers with the mismatches in DYS numbers 389-2, 413a, 557 and 464d (a fast-mutator). These results suggest that these men could be in either groups D or G, but Group G is somewhat reserved for the Cabe family studies or for those who have results closer than four mismatches to the Cabes. Results to 67 markers for kit 153311 match completely with the results of Kit 148651. Y-DNA Mutations ALWAYS occur between a father and his son, but in this case no mutations occurred, which is the usual situation as mutations occur only rarely!

Kit 21705. The records for this man indicate his earliest known ancestor is John McCabe, b. about 1752 (perhaps in Virginia) and died after 1810, probably in Chowan Co, NC. The descent down to the g. grandfather of the person tested is as follows: James Harrison McCabe (b. 1777, Virginia, died after 1844 in Mississippi); Silas McCabe (b. 1817 Smith Co TN, died 1871 Bosque Co, TX); Byron Lloyd McCabe (1844 Scott Co MS - 1924 Hill Co, TX). The results for kit 21705, at 12 markers, show 12/12 match with many of the other McCabe and Cabe project participants, but at 25 markers, this man has no significant matches with anybody in the results available from the entire database of FTDNA.

Kit 48371. The man who provided the DNA for this kit does not have the surname of McCabe. In his adult years he was informed that his biological father was named "McCabe". Further investigation showed that his grandfather was probably James B. McCabe of northwestern Illinois and that his g. grandfather was also from Illinois. The 1880 census for this family of Whiteside County, Illinois, Tampico, shows Owen McCabe (age 50, born in Ireland, as were both his parents) and wife Catherine (age 36, born Canada, both parents born in Ireland), and son James, (age 13, b. IL). However, the 1900 census of apparently this same family and in the same location does not have Owen listed, but his wife, "Kate", lists her birth as "Canada Eng" and the birthplace of her parents as Ireland, whereas Kate's children still at home state that their father was born in "Canada Eng.", the same as their mother. Further, son James, in a house close by, lists his father as born in Ireland! In 2009, at 37 markers, his closest matches (across all FTDNA results) are all from this McCabe surname DNA Project, indicating that it is highly likely that the information provided to this man was correct, that his biological father WAS a McCabe, and he, himself, has established a new DNA line very common to the McCabe lines, but with his own surname different from McCabe. At this 37 marker level, he matches 34/37 with individuals in Groups A, G, and one man in Group D, Kit #36342. Extension of this study to 67 markers is highly advisable.

Kit N25228. The man who provided the DNA for this kit traces his McCabe ancestry to John McCabe, born 1820 in County Armagh, Ireland, and who died in 1898 in Pinebrook, NJ, and whose wife was Catherine Sheridan. County Armagh is located in the historic province of Ulster and is bordered by Lake Neagh (north), County Tyrone (northwest), County Down (east), and by County Monaghan & County Louth to the south (both in the Republic of Ireland). This McCabe line continues through Henry and Anna (Dynes) McCabe, to John A. and Christine (Hansen) McCabe, grandparents of the man who submitted this DNA. At 12 markers, he matches 12/12 with many of the McCabes and Cabes in this McCabe surname project. To further delineate the closest relatives in this McCabe Surname DNA Study, an extension to 37 markers is essential and 67 markers would be best.

Kit N36342 The DNA (at 12 markers) for Kit N36342 matched exactly the first 12 markers of numerous other men in this project, including the Owen McCabe family, but no paper trail (or oral history) yet found provides any confirmation of any relationship to any other McCabes in this study. The g. grandfather of the man who provided the DNA for this kit was George Washington McCabe, born in June 1842, in Ohio, and who had sons Charles McCabe, Lloyd McCabe, and George Alvin McCabe, the latter of whom (George, born in Illinois, grandfather of the kit provider) was born in July 1878 in Illinois (in the 1900 census was in the military in the Philippine Islands) and married Ida in 1934 in Hot Springs, ND. Based on federal census records and on family migration patterns, George Washington McCabe (b. ca 1842) is most likely the son of Isaac McCabe (age 36, born Ohio, cooper) and Miria McCabe (age 30, born Ohio) of the 1850 census of Fairfield County, Ohio. At 67 markers the provider of Kit N36342 has matches with a genetic distance of two with kits 139946 and 146567 (Group G, Cabe/McCabe), and 23747 (Group D). Also at 67 markers he matches with a genetic distance of three with kit 145047 (Group C-3), and 82164 (Group G). There is no doubt that the provider of this kit is related to these other men within historical times, but further traditional genealogical studies are needed to confirm the specific relationships and locations, perhaps as far back as Ireland. With a genetic distance of two and knowing that these men do not share a common ancestor in the last three generations, FTDNA calculates that the probability of the kit provider sharing a common ancestor at 67 markers is 84.5% at 8 generations back.

KIT 23747 The provider of the DNA for Kit 23747 traces his McCabe ancestry to Thomas James McCabe (wife Mary Malloy) born about 1834 in Ireland, possibly County Clare. County Clare is located on the west coast of Ireland, bordered on the north, east, and south by Counties Galway, Tipperary and Limerick, respectively, all in the Republic of Ireland. Thomas’s son, Benjamin Franklin McCabe (g. grandfather of the participant) was born March 9, 1855 in Kansas, but this family soon moved to the Chicago area. Thomas had a sister, Kate Martin. The grandfather of the participant was also named Benjamin Franklin McCabe. On this McCabe project he matches with kit #82164 (Group G)with a genetic distance of three at 37 markers. At a genetic distance of 4, he matches with five additional participants in this project, but if they have common McCabe ancestors, they must be many years back in Ireland.

Kit 37202. The man who provided the DNA for Kit 37202 indicated that his earliest McCabe-named ancestor is Charles McCabe, who was born in Ireland, about 1845 and arrived in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1868. He and his wife, Catherine (also born in Ireland), are found in the 1880 census in Columbia (Richland County) South Carolina, but have not yet been found in earlier or later censuses. Charles and Catherine McCabe's son, Alexander Mitchell McCabe, born in Columbia, South Carolina, moved to Knox County, Tennessee, and is the grandfather of the man who provided the DNA for this kit. The DNA of the provider of the kit matches 35/37 markers with one of the Cabe members (Group G, Kit 139946) and 33/37 markers with six other McCabe project participants, but the common ancestor between him and other participants is most likely to be in Ireland.

Kit 111254 Thomas McCabe, the earliest known McCabe ancestor, and great grandfather of the man who provided the DNA sample for kit 111254, was born in 1842, most likely in Brookborough near the town of Enniskillen of current Northern Ireland. Enniskillen is the main town of Fermanagh County, the westernmost county of present day Northern Ireland. Fermanagh County is located in the historic province of Ulster. Tyrone County is immediately to the north of Fermanagh County and is the only county of Northern Ireland which shares a border with Fermanagh County. Counties of the Republic of Ireland that border Fermanagh are Donegal, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan. Thomas McCabe emigrated on the "Edward" from Londonderry to Philadelphia in 1853. He is listed with his brothers, John and James (both of whom had arrived earlier), in Philadelphia, in the 1860 census. He also had a sister Mary who accompanied him in 1853. Thomas McCabe married Annie Spear, in Rock Island County, Illinois; Thomas died in 1911, Polk County, Iowa. Sons of Thomas McCabe were William George McCabe (grandfather of the provider of kit 111254) and the following sons with Thomas' second wife (Josephine Peasley): James McCabe, Joseph McCabe and Charles McCabe. At 67 markers he matches 63/67 with kit 139946 (Group G) and 135391 (Group C-1).

Kit N26764 The earliest known McCabe ancestor has not been recorded for the man who provided the DNA sample for Kit N26764. He DOES match 33/37 with two other participants in this McCabe DNA project, kits 23747 and 37202, neither of which has extended their study to 67 markers. No significant matches have been reported for this kit at 67 markers.


VII, Group E, McCabe/Ball/Beatty(Beattie)/Propes Family. (Updated 8/19/10)

The two McCabe-named men in Group E (who provided kits 130249 and 106868), according to paper documentation, share the common ancestor of John McCabe, born in 1810-1816 (age 34 in 1850 census, age 50 in 1860 census in Ross County, Ohio, and whose wife's name is Lucinda). Although the location of this John McCabe family prior to Ohio has not been completely determined, his suspected father in Ross County, Ohio, another John McCabe, is listed as born in Virginia in the 1850 census (age 60). These two tested McCabe men are third cousins, once-removed. The results for 67 markers indicate that they match 65/67, and thus have a difference of only two mutation steps, one marker being a fast-mutating marker. They do NOT have a match with any other McCabes in this surname study.

However, they do match several individuals who have the surnames of Propes, Ball, and Beatty (Beattie). At 67 markers, kit 106868, amazingly, has a 67/67 match with a man with the surname of Propes (closer than with his documented third cousin, once removed). Since there is no paper trail to connect the Propes surname with Kit 106868, it is suggested that this very tight match may be a statistical coincidence, but there MUST be a common ancestor somewhere back in this family. Concerning matches with the Ball surname, two of whom have tested only to 37 markers and two to 67 markers. At 67 markers, the McCabe man who provided the DNA for kit # 106868 has a 66/67 match with a Ball-named man (also closer than his match with his third cousin, once removed), and a 65/67 match with the second Ball-named man. These Ball-named men trace their ancestry back to two different Ball-named individuals (James William Ball, 1797 and Samuel Ball, born 1811) in Loudoun County, Virginia. These two Ball-named men [and several of the Beatty (Beattie) men and the Propes man] at 67 markers have a unique pattern of haplotype results (same as in these two McCabe men at five markers 389-1, 392, 389-2, 448 and 442 (14-13-30-18-11) that indicate that they may have the unique DYS 464X ccgg configuration. [Reference: McLaughlin, John D., "The 463x ccgg Project Results", Genealogy-DNA-L Archives (RootsWeb, 3 September 2008, #1220482508).] Kit 106868 (McCabe) has been tested and it DOES have this unique configuration. One of these two Ball-named men has also been tested for this configuration and he also has this same ccgg configuration. No other McCabes in the McCabe surname study have these same haplotype results at these five markers. Only four of the 110 (as of 3/6/09) Ball-named men in the Ball Surname DNA project have this specific genotype at these five markers.

The conclusion is that these two McCabes and the Ball, Beatty (Beattie), and Propes men definitely share a common ancestor, the name and location not yet determined.

These several surnames for one DNA line suggest that some time prior to 1800, "misattributed paternity" events (MPE) or "surname discontinuities" (a disconnect between the surname and the Y chromosome) must have occurred, such as in unrecorded adoptions, intentional name changes, mothers using their maiden names for her children, etc. At this point in time, it is not clear in which surname lines these MPE's occurred. At least these specific McCabe and Ball lines do NOT have close matches in either the Ball or the McCabe surname DNA studies.


VIII, GROUP F, Haplogroup E1b1b1. (Extensively updated 5/06/09)

The DNA sample from Kit number 75386 has been assigned to haplogroup E1b1b1, whereas all of the other McCabe-named men in this project have a haplogroup designation of R1b (except Kit #148064, Group G, Haplogroup G2a). This means that the E1b individual does not share any ancestors in common with any of the R1b groups. On the map, "Y Haplogroups of the World", which represents the situation about 1500 A.D., the E1b haplogroup (still listed as E3B on this map, as of October 2008) is highest in Morocco (ca 75%) with other large percentages in Maori (ca 25%), Sudan (ca 25%) and Ethiopia (ca 50%). However, E1b was NOT absent from Europe, with from about 3% to about 15% in Scotland, "Norwegian", Russia, Iberia, Italy and "Turkish", with a higher frequency in southern Europe and lower frequency in northern Europe. For more information on this haplogroup google on "E1b1b1". This McCabe man has 52 exact matches at 12 markers at FTDNA, but no McCabe-named men are included. At 25 and 37 markers he has no significant matches with anybody at FTDYA, making his haplotype very unique. The g. grandparents of the participant was said to be George McCabe and Mollie McCabe of Belfast, Ireland (Northern Ireland, within the historic province of Ulster). They had a son, James Edward McCabe (grandfather of the kit provider), who was born December 17, 1887 in Belfast and reported to have older brothers, John McCabe, James McCabe, William McCabe and Paul McCabe, with the latter two possibly also going to America. However, other oral history suggested that James Edward McCabe was born in Beaver Falls, PA, but no records have been found to confirm this location. He was apparently orphaned at a very young age. He married in March 1915, at the age of 27, in Kiefer (Allegany County), Maryland.


IX. GROUP G, Cabe/McCabe/Cain/Searcy/Denny Family. (Updated 08/20-23/10 for a new subgroup of kits 146133, 146733, and 168113 and revision of the description for Kit 148064)

Initially this group contained only members with the surname of Cabe. Subsequently, five men who do NOT have the Cabe surname, but have very close matches with some Cabe family members are now included, two with the McCabe surname (kits 82164 and 176320), one man with the Cain surname (kit 140524), one man with the Searcy surname (Kit 146133) and one man with the Denny Surname (Kit 86111). Their connections to this Cabe family may be either in Ireland (probably kits 82164, 176320, 14056, and 86111) OR in the USA (kit 146133). Appreciation is expressed to Margie Cabe Keener and Celia Cabe Graham for supplying much of the background information for this text.

All of the Cabe-named family members in this group have roots in North Carolina or Tennessee. The definitive publication on this family is the 1983 book by Margie Cabe Keener and Elsie Cabe Wheatcroft, “The Genealogy of 1500 Descendants of Amos, Samuel, Stephen and Zachariah Cabe (McCabe)”. The earliest North Carolina record found of this Cabe family appears to be the recording of a “stock mark” (or brand) for Barnaby Cabe as recorded in the December 1758 Term of Orange County, North Carolina Court of Common Pleas Quarter Sessions. The earliest record for John Cabe/McCabe is in 1778 in that part of Burke County that was taken into Lincoln County, NC in 1787. This John Cabe/McCabe was enumerated on the 1790 census (“John McCabe”) in Lincoln County, NC and presumably this same John Cabe/McCabe has an 1810 will in Haywood County (far western portion of NC). [Amos Cabe and Zachariah Cabe, who are mentioned below, are listed with the McCabe name in the 1820 census of Haywood County, NC.]

Oral history suggests (not well-documented) that this Cabe family's origin is in Dublin, Ireland. Dublin is on the east coast of the island of Ireland, is the capital of the Republic of Ireland, and in the historic province of Leinster. At one time it was in the County of Dublin. The historic Dublin County shared borders with the following counties of the Republic of Ireland: Meath, Kildare, and Wicklow. [It is possible that Dublin may have been the location of their emigration from Ireland and perhaps was their home for one or more generations prior to their emigration, but Y-DNA evidence suggests a very strong connection to other McCabes who have an Ulster (northern Ireland) connection.] The family history (not yet documented) suggests that this Cabe/McCabe family came to North Carolina from Maryland, the Valley of Virginia, or perhaps Pennsylvania.

Some members of this Cabe family had been tested previously with another DNA testing company (Genebase), and amazingly, the results showed a strong relationship to some of the McCabes in this FTDNA testing, but only 35 markers were the same markers between the two companies. Considering just these 35 markers, the Cabe results included a match of 34/35 markers with the Owen McCabe family (Group A in this FTDNA study, whose Irish roots are in Ulster). At 67 markers this strong relationship does not continue.


Kits 139946 and 146567. The men who provided the DNA for kits 139946 and 146567 have an exact 67/67 match, yet prior to this DNA study, no evidence had been found to connect these two Cabe families! The man who provided the DNA for kit 139946 is descended from John Cabe/McCabe (1810 will mentioned above) in this order: Zachariah Cabe, Samuel Cabe, Thomas Lucius Cabe, and Thomas Jasper Cabe (grandfather of the kit provider). The man who provided the DNA for kit 146567 descends from Barnaby Cabe (1758 stock mark mentioned above) in this order: William Cabe, William Cabe, Jr., Charles Lee Cabe, Harold H. Cabe, father of the man tested. The closest that these two men can be related (by paper trail evidence) is if these ancestors, John Cabe/McCabe and Barnaby Cabe, were brothers, producing the relationship of these two men as fifth cousins, once-removed. To have such a tight DNA match at this distance of relationship is very unusual. Using calculations of normal mutation rates for these 67 markers for 13 transmission events calculates to an expected 4 to 5 mutation steps between these two individuals. If the fifth cousin, once-removed, relationship is correct, it is highly likely that this 67/67 match is simply a statistical coincidence. Based on the results posted by September 2009, these two men have the Modal (most common) values for all 67 markers for Group G.

Kit 159905. The man who provided the DNA for kit 159905 descends from David L. Cabe (wife Louisa Miller), b. ca 1826 in North Carolina, and died in 1893 in Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). The descent from David L. Cabe down to the kit provider’s grandfather is as follows: Noah Richard Cabe (1860-1927, wife Fontheroy Heathman) and Leonard E. Cabe (1883-1959, wife Mary E. Bishop), grandfather of the kit provider. The kit provider has the surname of Dale as he was adopted by his stepfather. At 67 markers, Kit 159905 has a genetic distance of only two (two mutation steps), with the above mentioned kits 139946 and 146567. Knowing that the kit provider does not share a common ancestor with these two other men at least within the last four generations, FTDNA calculates that this kit provider has a 68% chance of sharing ancestors in the last 4 - 6 generations with these other two men. This kit 159905 also matches kit 156857 at 37 markers with a genetic distance of two but this is not as informative as comparing with 67 markers. The next closest matches (with the Cabe surname) of kit 159905 are with kit 139489 with a genetic distance of three, and kit 146733 with a genetic distance of five. Cabe family researchers suggest that, based on the paper trail that has been discovered, it is more likely that David L. Cabe is the son of Samuel Cabe and grandson of John Cabe who died in 1810, which is the Cabe line of Kit 139489. This suggested descent is entirely possible based on the randomness of mutations (and the lack thereof) as evidenced with kits 139946 and 146567 (shown immediately above) in which fifth cousins, once-removed, have exact matches at 67 markers.

Kit 156857. The provider of Kit 156857 joined the McCabe study in July 2009 and his results to 37 markers were posted 8/25/09. His earliest known Cabe ancestor is John James Cabe, born 13 Jan 1859, Tennessee. He was orphaned during the Civil War and taken in by the Stapp/Stepp family. He married LeAnna Stapp/Stepp 10 Feb 1879. At 37 markers he has a 37/37 match with kit 1106 in Group A and only a 35/37 match with the modal value of Group G which is held by both kits 139946 and 146567 discussed immediately above. However, both mismatches with kits 139946 and 146567 are in fast mutating markers, numbers CDYa and 567. Further, the provider of kit 1106 has a very strong paper trail of descent from Owen McCabe (Group A), but at 37 markers he also differs from the Group A modal values at 37 markers at two fast-mutating markers, and there is no evidence of any descendant of Owen McCabe being in Tennessee in the late 1850's. Continuation of kit 156857's study through 67 markers would provide more definitive information.

Kit 139489. The man who provided the DNA for Kit 139489 is descended from John Cabe/McCabe (1810 will) in this order: Samuel Cabe, James S. Cabe, Samuel W. Cabe, James L. Cabe (grandfather of the kit provider), which produces a fifth cousin relationship with the provider of kit 139946, yet they differ at one mutation step for each of three markers, two of which are fast-mutating markers.


KITS 146733, 168113 and 146113. THESE three men probably have a more recent common ancestor with each other than with other Cabe-named men in this project. The modal (most common and perhaps ancestral haplotype) value of marker number 490 for this entire group is 12, but for these three men, the value is 10, a two-step change from the modal value. Further, these three are more closely related to each other than to the other members of this group as shown by their results at 67 markers. Kit 146133 has a match of 66/67 markers with both kits 168133 and 146733. FTDNA has calculated that the man who provided the DNA for Kit 146133 has a 72% probability of sharing a common ancestor with the two other men (Kits 146733 and 168113) within four generations and an 88% probability of sharing a common ancestor within six generations. Further, the DNA from kit 146133 has the modal values of 25 and 11 for markers 390 and 391 with a genetic distance (G.D.) of only two (Marker 490, 10 rather than 12) from the modal value of Group G, whereas kits 146733 and 168113 each have a G.D. of three from the modal values of Group G. Kits 146733 and 168113 have a G.D. of two with each other, a 65/67 match. Comments on each man follows:

Kit 146733: Although the earliest known Cabe ancestor (John Cabe) of the man who provided the DNA for Kit 146733 was born in North Carolina in 1799, he moved first to Tennessee and then to Washington County, Arkansas in 1844-45. The provider of the DNA for this kit descends from this 1799 John Cabe in this order: Thomas Jefferson Cabe (b 1839, Tennessee), John William Cabe (b. 1859, Arkansas), Eddie Franklin Cabe (b. 1881 Arkansas, and grandfather of the kit provider). The results for kit #146733 suggest that this specific Cabe surname line has an ancestry similar to that of the John Cabe/McCabe family of Burke County, NC. At 67 markers this man (kit 146733) matches the DNA of Kit 139946 (Group G) with a mismatch at only three markers (genetic distance of three). However, he has a genetic distance of SIX with kit 139489, and only FOUR with kit 82164 (Group G, McCabe-name). An earlier hypothesis was that this 1799 John Cabe was the grandson of the 1810 (will) John Cabe/McCabe through this John's son, Samuel (b. 1775).

Kit 146133. The man who provided the sample for kit 146133 joined this McCabe/Mecabe/Cabe project on 7/11/09, based on the observation that he has no matches with his own surname of Searcy, which may be expected as the father of the man tested was adopted into a Searcy family. On 8/19/10 his results were received for 67 markers. All of his closest matches at 37 and 67 markers have surnames of either Cabe or McCabe.

Kit 168113. The results to 67 markers for the man who provided the DNA for Kit 168113 were posted in February 2010. His ancestry from his earliest Cabe ancestor is as follows: William Cabe (b. ca 1792 Wayne County, Tennessee, wife Nancy Staggs); John S. Cabe (1819-1890, Tennessee and Arkansas, wife Louise Biffle); Jacob Biffle Cabe (1854-1881, wife Louiza Henson); Thomas Franklin Cabe (1880-1962, wife Emily Schooler); Thomas Carl Cabe (1910-1983, wife Vida Clements), grandfather of the kit provider.


Kit 176320. The Cabe-named men discussed above, definitely, without doubt, share a common ancestry with the McCabe-named man who provided the DNA for Kit #176320, as this man matches 66/67 markers (genetic distance of only one) with Kits 139946 and 146567. This VERY STRONG MATCH definitely confirms the paper records that the “Cabe” name most definitely was derived from the “McCabe” name. The connection between the Cabes and this man, however, must be in Ireland, as the earliest known ancestor of the man who provided kit #176320 was George McCabe (wife Frances, b. 1841, Pennsylvania) born in 1816 in Ireland, as were his parents (names not known). This George McCabe lived in Lowell, Michigan and perhaps in Wisconsin before moving to Nevada where he died in Virginia City, Nevada in 1875. The line from this George McCabe down to the father of the man tested is as follows: Charles Walter McCabe (b. 1858, WI or MI, d. 1903, Nevada, wife Mary Ann Russell); Roy Edward McCabe (1890 – 1931, wife Esther Lavonia Pierce).

Kit 82164. Also, the man who provided kit #82164 may share a common ancestry with the Cabes, as he has a 64/67 match with kits 146567 and 139946. The most recent common ancestor for this McCabe-named man and the Cabe-named men, however, must be in Ireland, as the earliest known McCabe in this McCabe line, Patrick McCabe, was born in Ireland (specific location unknown) about 1870, immigrated to America in 1876, was in Indiana in 1889 and later moved to Texas.

Kit 86111. This man with the surname of Denny joined the McCabe/Cabe surname project 8/5/09 based on the observation that he had no DNA matches with any form of the surname of Denny or Dennis. At 67 markers he matches both kits 139946 and 146567 (kits with the modal value of all markers of this Group G) at 64/67; i.e., a genetic distance of only 3, two markers of which are fast mutating markers (458 and CDYb). His grandfather, John Harrison Denny, was born in 1855, in Glasgow, Scotland (date recorded in John. H. Denny's death certificate and the 1920 & 1930 U.S. Censuses state his birth in Scotland), from which city he immigrated with his parents (names unknown at this time) to America possibly about 1862. Family oral history suggests that his father (the immigrant) took on the surname of the man (Denny) who paid for the family's transportation to America and his birth surname was perhaps "McMurphy" or something similar. Based on John H. Denny's grandson's DNA matches with the Cabes and McCabes, John Harrison Denny most likely had the surname of McCabe at birth.

Kit 140524, Cain/Cane Surname. The man who provided the DNA for this kit traces his ancestry to Patrick Cain or Cane who died in 1781 in the Isle of Man (IOM), located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. The kit provider descends from Patrick through his son, Robert Cain (1781-1866, IOM), John Cain (b. 1812, IOM, immigrated to Iowa in 1865), Abram Cain (b. 1840, IOM, d. 1938, California), and the g. grandfather of the kit provider, Harry Kermode Cain (1882-1950). This man does not have any matches in the FTDNA Cain/Cane surname DNA study, and also does not match with any Cain, Cane, McCane or McCain surname individuals from the Isle of Man who have been tested. At 37 markers, this man matches (with a genetic distance of 2) individuals in Group A (Owen McCabe family, kits 825, 826, 827 and 1106) and matches (at a genetic distance of 2) with the modal value of Group G, the Cabe-surname study (both mismatches are in fast-mutating markers). This man has been placed in Group G primarily because of his haplogroup which exactly matches one other man in this group. A possible explanation for the close matches of this Cain-named man with the Cabe/McCabe surnames, as suggested by the provider of the kit, is that a McCabe-named male may have moved to the Isle of Man and due to illiteracy or a desire to "fit in" changed his name to McCane, which was a much more common surname on the island and then the "Mc" was eventually lost. A Cain/Cabe surname connection HAS been found in Orange County, North Carolina, with three records (as reported by Margie Cabe Keener: (1), "At the November 1824 Term of Court, administration of the estate of Joseph Latta, dec'd, with the will annexed, was granted to Thomas Gaddis, who entered into bond with Jonathan P. Sneed and William Cain (either Sr. or Jr.), securities, in the sum of $5000. According to the Barnaby Cabe records compiled by Hugh Conway Browning, Joseph Latta married Sarah Cabe in 1810" [Sarah Cabe who m. Joseph Latta was one of the 9 daughters of John Cabe and Mary Strayhorn and granddaughter of Barnaby Cabe.] (2), William Cain, Sr., is mentioned in the estate of John Cabe, who died in 1818 in Orange County, NC. (3). In the August 1818 Court term of Orange Co., NC., William Cabe was appointed guardian to Lydia Cabe and Margaret Cabe, orphans of John Cabe, dec'd, and William CAIN, Jr., signed as surety for William Cabe's bond. Although these Orange County, NC records definitely show a connection between the Cain and Cabe families, note that the specific Cain family from which descended the Cain-named man who provided the DNA for this test, did not immigrate to America until 1865, precluding his direct descendancy from the William Cain family of Orange County, NC.

HAPLOGROUP DETERMINATION for the above mentioned Cabe, McCabe, and Cain families: Results of a deep glade test for kits #139489 and 140524 indicate that these Cabe/McCabe/Cane families have a haplogroup of R1b1b2a1b5, suggesting an origin in northern Ireland.


Kit 148064. The Cabe-named man who provided the DNA for Kit 148064 traces his ancestry back to Amos Cabe of Burke and Lincoln Counties of North Carolina, the same area associated with the ancestry of men who provided kits 139489 and 139946. In fact, the name of Amos Cabe is included in the 1810 will of John Cabe/McCabe, mentioned previously. However, Amos Cabe is NOT specifically listed as a son of John Cabe in the will, producing skepticism among the John Cabe descendants as to whether or not Amos was a son of John Cabe, or perhaps he might have been a son of John Cabe’s wife from an earlier marriage and, consequently, was an unrecorded adoption into this Cabe family. The 1790 census of the John Cabe family of Lincoln County, NC, appears to have this Amos Cabe included, based on known records of this family. The results for this descendant of Amos Cabe show that the man who provided this DNA sample is definitely NOT a biological descendant of John Cabe/McCabe and supports the hypothesis that Amos may have been an adopted son. Without even considering specific marker matches or non-matches, the haplogroup designation for this man as G2a leaves no doubt that there is no genetic relationship between the earlier-tested Cabes and the Amos Cabe descendant, within historic times (since surnames were initiated). The man who provided the sample for kit 148064 traces his ancestry from Amos Cabe (b. ca 1771, Lincoln Co., North Carolina; d. 1855 Jackson Co., NC; wife, Esther Sharp) as follows: Stephen Cabe (b. 1813, Haywood Co., NC; wife Janetta Simonds); Joshua Cabe (b. 1846, wife Barthane Barron); Vernon D. Cabe (b. March 1895, wife Frances Calloway), the father of the man who provided the DNA sample. The misattributed paternity event definitely occurred with Amos Cabe, as a descendant of Amos Cabe’s son Thomas B. Cabe has also tested as haplogroup G2a. These results indicate that Amos Cabe most likely initiated a new Cabe family DNA line. Concerning the haplogroup designation: “Haplogroup G appears to have arisen in the Caucasus region during the Ice Age, about 30,000 years ago” (Quote from Wikipedia discussion on Haplogroup G.) In 2009-2010 significant matches have been posted for both 37 and 67 markers for Kit 148064. At 37 markers he matches 36/37 for a man with the surname of Fisher, but whose study ended at 37 markers. At 67 markers he matches 63/67 with men with the surnames of Duke and Francis, and 62/67 with a man with the surname of Winstead. However, the match with the Francis surname may not be an indication of relationship with the Francis surname, because the specific Francis male has a male line cousin (Francis surname) who has does not have a G2 haplogroup.



X GROUP H, McMannes (etc.) (McCabe?) Family (Created 11/17/09; revised 11/18/09).

Two individuals with the surname of McMannes or McManus (or who do not have this surname, but can trace their immediate paternal line to this surname) have joined the McCabe Surname DNA Project (on the recommendation of the administrator) based on the close matching of these men with several men in this McCabe project. They also do NOT have any close matching with other men with the surname of McMannes (of various spellings) who have been tested at 67 markers (except for one additional McManus-type spelling whose results are not included here but is a cousin of one of the men included here). The DNA samples from Kits 95179 and 137198 have a 65/67 match, with their mismatches in markers 455 (a “normal rate” mutating marker) and 464d (fast mutator), although they have not yet found an ancestor in common.

Kit 95179. At 67 markers the DNA from Kit 95179 also matches 65/67 with kit 145047 (Group C-3). This kit 95179 also matches at 64/67 with another man from Group C-3 (151400) and three men in Group G (Cabe), Kits 139946, 14567, and 159905. The man who provided the DNA for kit 95179 traces his ancestry back to Luke McManus, who was born before 1759 in Ireland and died between 1820 and 1830 in Berkley County, Virginia (now West Virginia), wife Catherine. [Berkeley County shares a northwestern border with Washington County, Maryland, which borders (on the north) Franklin County, PA.] From this immigrant ancestor, Luke McManus, to the grandfather of the provider of kit 95179 are the following men: James Elliott McManus (b. 1804, Berkeley Co, WV, d. 1892, Harrison Co., Ohio, wife Esther Calvert); John C. McManus (b. 1829, Ohio, d. 1905, Belton, Cass County, Missouri, wife, Mary Hawthorne) and James Edmond McMannes (b. 1854, Coshocton Co., Ohio, d. 1939, Belton, Cass County, Missouri, wife Clara Mae Tullis).

Kit 137198. The DNA from kit 137198 at 67 markers has a Genetic Distance (GD) of 2 (65/67 match) with the Kits 139946 and 146567 (Cabe, Group G), a GD of 3 with Kit N36342 (Group D) and a GD of 4 with kits 145047, 159905, and 82165 (Cabe, Group G).

Summary: Based on DNA results, it is obvious that these McMannes (etc.) men share a common ancestor with the individuals in the Cabe family (Group G) and also with the descendants of the Nova Scotia immigrant, James McCabe (Group C-3). More traditional genealogical investigations are necessary to determine if there are any direct family connections within the USA. It is most likely that the family connections are in the historic province of Ulster, in the northern portion of the island of Ireland.


XI GROUP I, Cabeen Family. (Updated 4/18/09)

The person with the surname of Cabeen (Kit 56221) hypothesized that his Cabeen name may have been derived from the McCabe surname. That may be true, but so far, no close matches have been found between his results and any of the McCabes studied in the project so far. He is included in haplogroup R1b1b2 (as is many of the McCabes tested so far), but considering his results at the 12 marker level (with no closer than 5 one-step mutations from any others tested in this McCabe surname project), it is relatively certain that he has no McCabe family connection, within historical times, with other members of this McCabe Surname DNA study. As more and more McCabes have their DNA tested, it IS possible that a closer match will be found. At 12 markers he had no matches with any other man in the entire FTDNA database.


XII GROUP J, R1b1 McCabes NOT MATCHING ANY OTHER MEMBERS IN THIS PROJECT. (Updated 11/23/09 for the addition of Kit 160306.)

The persons in this group have no significant matches with other McCabes in this McCabe Surname DNA Project. Comments on the ancestry of these individuals follow:

Kit 824. The man who provided the DNA sample for this kit has an oral history, as well as some paper documentation, of descent from Owen McCabe (1740's immigrant to America from County Tyrone, Ireland, Group A in this project). His DNA does not match any of the descendants in Group A, indicating that a "misattributed paternity" event (MPE) or "surname discontinuity" (a disconnect between the surname and the Y chromosome) has occurred, such as in an unrecorded adoption, intentional name change, mother using her maiden name for her children, etc. This MPE probably occurred within the past three generations, and the event has established another and different McCabe DNA line. His DNA at 12 markers matches the Western Atlantic Modal Haplotype (WAMH), the most common Y-DNA signature of Europe’s most common Haplogroup, R1b, and as such, he has hundreds of matches at the 12 marker level, but none with the McCabe surname.

Kit 160306. The provider of Kit 160306 lives in England, and traces his paternal ancestry back to Patrick McCabe, born in County Monaghan, Ireland, in 1822. County Monaghan is in the historic province of Ulster, but now is in the Republic of Ireland. Counties bordering Monaghan are: Tyrone, Armagh, Louth, Cavan, and Fermanaugh, all of which are within the historic province of Ulster except County Louth. From this Patrick McCabe, this man descends down through John McCabe, b. in England in 1856 and James McCabe, born in England in 1886, the grandfather of the man tested. This provider of this kit has the Western Atlantic Modal Haplotype and as such has over 1000 matches at 12 markers, the current number of markers for which he has been tested. BUT, at 12 markers he does NOT match any men with the surname of McCabe in the FTDNA database. He DOES match several men who have been tested by FTDNA in the Breifne Clans Y-DNA Project at FTDNA. [The “Kingdom of Breifne” was at its height in the 12th century, and included the modern Irish counties of Leitrim and Cavan and parts of County Sligo.] The surnames in this Breifne project with which he matches at 12/12 or 11/12 include Reynolds, Tiernan, Donohue, Cain, Lewis, Sears, McTiernan, Clark, Flood and Kiernan, all of whom have DNA results to 37 or 67 markers. Extension of kit 160306’s studies to at least 37 markers would provide much more information for further studying of this ancestral McCabe line.

Kit 97685. The provider of Kit 97685 lives in Scotland but traces his ancestry back to County Cavan of Ireland. His g.g.g. grandfather’s name was James McCabe; his g g grandfather was Felix McCabe, born in 1847, an only child. These McCabes lived in the town of Greaghnafarna of County Cavan. His g. grandfather (also named Felix) moved to Mullagh in County Cavan, from which town, his grandfather (also named Felix), immigrated to Scotland in 1926. The oral history of this McCabe family is that they have a common McCabe descent as the well-known Father Felix McCabe (1750-1816, Catholic priest) of the Diocese of Kilmore (includes about all of County Cavan), who provided a detailed family history profile. County Cavan is within the historic province of Ulster, but is now in the Republic of Ireland. Counties that share a border with Cavan are the following: Fermanagh, Monaghan, Meath, Westmeath, Longford, and Leitrim. At 25 markers, he has only two matches (with a genetic distance of 2), one with the surname of McDonald and the other with the surname of Farr, but no matches with any McCabe-named men at this time.

Kit 147686. The provider of the DNA for Kit 147686 states that his earliest known McCabe ancestor (his g. g. grandfather) was John McCabe, born in England in 1832, married in 1852 and worked as a carpenter. This John's son, Joseph McCabe, was born in 1853 in Shelderslow, England, and came to America in 1857 with his parents, became a U.S. citizen, but went back to England and married in 1878 in Oldham, England, where the grandfather (John McCabe) of the kit provider was born in 1880. This family returned to America and this Joseph McCabe (g. grandfather of the kit provider) died in 1915 in Wissahickon, Pennsylvania. At the 12 marker level, this man has numerous matches with other participants in this McCabe surname project, but at 25 markers, FTDNA does not consider his results to be a significant match with any McCabe name in their database. At 37 markers his results show no significant matches with anybody in the entire FTDNA data base at this time, making his DNA results very unique.

Kit N16768. The man (who lives in Cardiff, Wales, U.K.) who provided the DNA for this kit states that both his maternal and paternal ancestry is in Ireland. He has not yet provided any information about his earliest known McCabe ancestor. At 12 markers, he, amazingly, matches 11/12 the DNA provided by Kit 129216 (also in Group J), with the one mismatch being marker DYS 439, a fast-mutating marker. However, with only 12 markers, this match may not be significant. It is hoped that he will extend his study at least to 37 markers, and also soon provide more information about his paternal line.

Kit 129216. The man who provided the DNA for this study has a paper trail connection to the Owen McCabe family, through Owen’s son William (Group A in this project) and the next several generations are: John McCabe, William & Harriet McCabe, James E. McCabe, Harry R. McCabe, and grandfather of the kit provider, Harry E. McCabe. The kit provider has the surname of Young. His paternal grandmother's maiden surname was Young. After she married Harry E. McCabe and had a son, she divorced the father and had her son's name legally changed to the Young surname. The DNA results, however, do NOT match any of the McCabe lines studied so far. His DNA at 67 markers matches ONLY the Ewing surname, with a genetic distance of 3 to 6, which strongly indicates that his male line ancestry comes through the Ewing family. It is apparent that two “surname discontinuities” occurred in his ancestry, with the first one probably occurring several generations ago (due to the genetic distance from the Ewing surname being above 2) and the second one occurring with the changing of his father's McCabe surname to Young. The first “misattributed paternity event” (of unknown type) produced a new DNA line for the McCabe surname so that it is very likely that other McCabes have this same Y Chromosome DNA.


Last Group ("UNASSIGNED") (UPDATED 11/17/09) if listed on the current table. Individuals within this group have been tested for the number of markers listed. They will be “assigned” to one of the above groups, or a new group, as soon as sufficient information is available to do so.



COMMENTS on mtDNA RESULTS (updated 4/12/09)

The mtDNA results, as seen by clicking on the mtDNA Results section at the left side of this page, are limited to the study of DNA from mitochondria (plural form of "mitochondrion"), small particles (organelles) within cells. Both males and females can be tested, but Mitochondrial DNA is ALWAYS inherited ONLY from the mother. The "Haplo" column refers to the mtDNA haplogroups, which are entirely different from the Y-DNA haplogroups and provide information on the geographical origins of the straight maternal line of the provider of the DNA sample. For information on specific haplogroups, google on "mitochondrial haplogroup H", for example (replacing the "H" with the haplogroup of interest). The HVR1 and HVR2 columns refer to the "hypervariable regions" one and two, which are regions of the mtDNA which have no genes within their boundaries, and are somewhat more variable than the mtDNA regions that code for proteins. Individuals can be tested either for the HVR1 section or BOTH HVR1 and HVR2 sections (not just the HVR2 section) at FTDNA. The statements beneath the HVR1 and HVR2 columns indicate the differences in the DNA sequences as compared to the Cambridge Reference Sequence (CRS). For example, for kit #N21369, this mtDNA donor, at location #304 on his mtDNA, has a C (cytosine) instead of whatever nucleotide is in the CRS (A, or G, or T).