Welcome to the Speight Surname Y-DNA, mtDNA, and Autosomal DNA Project! The Speight Family DNA Project is open to all male and female Speight family descendants with a Y-DNA, mtDNA &/or Family Finder Autosomal DNA test. Various spellings for this surname includes Speight, Speights, Spaight, Spaights, Speaight, Speaights, Spight, Spights, Spike, Spikes, Spait, Spaits, Spate, Spates, Speich, Specht, etc... Y-DNA tests trace the paternal family line of your Speight surname. The sample must come from a Male. Family Finder (Autosomal DNA) tests trace all your ancestors back to 4+ generations. The sample may be from a Male or Female. We also serve as a posting site for Speight mitochodrial DNA (mtDNA) tests. mtDNA traces your maternal family line. The sample may come from a Male or Female. Origin of the Speight Surname: The Speight surname was first found in England from ancient times. The surname is derived from a nickname, "the speight" or "specht," an old English word for the woodpecker. One of the earliest Speight immigrants to the United States was Francis Speight (Abt. 1614, England - Bef. 21 Apr 1684, Nansemond County, VA). Francis Speight immigrated from England and settled in Nansemond County, Virginia in 1642. Many Speights in the United States today are descendants of Francis Speight. The Speight families of the United States later migrated from Virginia to North Carolina living primarily in the counties of Bertie, Chowan, Craven, Dobbs, Edgecombe, Gates, Glasgow, Greene, Hertford, Johnston, Jones, Perquimans, and Wake. There appears to be two primary Speight family groups from the late 1700's and early 1800's. One group can be traced back to Gates County, North Carolina, and are believed to be the descendants of the immigrant Francis Speight. The other group traces back to a man named William Speight whose descendants are from Speight's Bridge in Greene County, North Carolina. Several of the Speight's from Speight's Bridge, Greene County, North Carolina moved to South Carolina and lived in Cheraw's District of Darlington and Marlboro Counties. From there, the Speight's migrated on south to Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. It is believed that these two Speight family groups may be connected, and we hope to utilize DNA results in this project to make that determination as well as identify their correct connection points. The purpose and goals of our project is to combine the traditional paper trail with Y-DNA, Family Finder Autosomal DNA, and mtDNA in order to help connect lost branches and trace Speight(s) genetic lineages back to family origins in England. If you've taken your DNA test through a 3rd party and do not yet have a FTDNA account, but would still like to participate in the project, please email our project administrator with your request at alabamafeverdna@gmail.com. This is the official, recognized DNA study group of the Speight family worldwide. Our project is just getting started and we expect to have many exciting discoveries. If you are a Speight family descendant, please join our project today and help us to connect all of our Speight(s) family lines!