About us
This project is for members of the Murray, MacLeod and Macaulay families centered around Shawbost, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. The aim of the project is to sort out various relationships between DNA tested members, while taking into account the extensive genetic mixing caused by intermarrying of related persons in the past.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Membership is initially restricted to people with strong ancestral links to the above surnames with close connections to the west-side villages of Shawbost/Siabost (North, South and New), Bragar, Arnol, the Uig villages of Kneep (Cnip) and Reef (Riof) and the Lochs village of Ranish/Rainais.
Like many island communities, it was common for marriages in the past (and the present!) to take place between cousins, resulting in some degree of pedigree collapse. As well, frequently siblings from one family might marry siblings from another. These practices (commonly called 'endogamy') mean that DNA results may show a closer relationship between matches than do documented family trees. As well as trying to sort out the multiple relationships between various members, we hope also to explore the effects of endogamy on our understanding of DNA results.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Membership is initially restricted to people with strong ancestral links to the above surnames with close connections to the west-side villages of Shawbost/Siabost (North, South and New), Bragar, Arnol, the Uig villages of Kneep (Cnip) and Reef (Riof) and the Lochs village of Ranish/Rainais.
Like many island communities, it was common for marriages in the past (and the present!) to take place between cousins, resulting in some degree of pedigree collapse. As well, frequently siblings from one family might marry siblings from another. These practices (commonly called 'endogamy') mean that DNA results may show a closer relationship between matches than do documented family trees. As well as trying to sort out the multiple relationships between various members, we hope also to explore the effects of endogamy on our understanding of DNA results.