Maurice Gleeson
GGI2019 Dublin – the final DNA Lecture Schedule
John Collins - Speaker Profile
John Collins |
Achievements & Affiliations
- Bachelor of Science from UMBC
- Founder of Genetic.Family
- Admin of Genetic.Family User Group and DNAGedcom User Group on Facebook
- SCGS Member
What do you do as a Day Job?
What do you do as a Night Job?
How did you get into genealogy?
Tell us about your involvement with genetic genealogy
What will you be talking about?
Iain McDonald - Speaker Profile
Iain MacDonald |
Exploring new Y-DNA horizons with Big Y-700
Biography
What do you do as a Day Job?
What do you do as a Night Job?
How did you get into genealogy?
Tell us about your involvement with genetic genealogy
What will you be talking about?
Where can people get more information about you and the work you do?
These lectures are sponsored by FamilyTreeDNA and organised by volunteers from ISOGG (International Society of Genetic Genealogy).
ISOGG Day Out - GGI2019 Dublin
The bad news is that all the places have been taken (GGI speakers and volunteers on the FTDNA stand always get first pick). And as we have a lot of international speakers this year, all the available places were snapped up.
However, if you wish to pay your own way, please feel free to join us. The agenda is below and you will need to book in advance if you want to be with or near the main group for lunch or dinner or the afternoon walk.
There may be some future changes to the agenda (due to unforeseen circumstances) but such changes are not currently anticipated.
Sunday October 20th, 2019
MORNING PROGRAMME
EPIC Ireland, the CHQ Building
10:00 Assemble at the reception of EPIC Ireland in the CHQ Building. EPIC Ireland is the Museum of the Irish Diaspora and has won multiple awards for their inspiring exhibition.
Website: https://epicchq.com/the-museum/
If you want to visit the museum on the same day as the ISOGG Day Out, there are two-for-one tickets available via Ireland Reaching Out (Ireland XO) - just click here to register.
The Irish Family History Centre is located in the same building and offers a range of services to help you with your Irish genealogical research. There is also a gift shop for any momentous you might want to bring home.
12:30 Lunch at the Urban Brewery, downstairs at the CHQ Building
AFTERNOON PROGRAMME
EVENING PROGRAMME (open to everyone)
18:00 Banquet Dinner, Ka Shing, 12a Wicklow Street, Dublin 2.
GGI2020 Belfast - back for a third year!
GGI2020 Belfast consists of two days of top-notch DNA Lectures from experts in the field, with a particular focus on the North of Ireland and how genetic genealogy is making such a difference to family history research in the region. Many of the speakers are from the North of Ireland Family History Society (NIFHS) who have a joint stand with the conference sponsors, FamilyTreeDNA.
The NIFHS also runs the North of Ireland DNA Project. This has the largest local DNA database of people with ancestry from the North of Ireland and boasts over 4400 members. The NIFHS hold regular introductory courses and classes on DNA and how it can help you with your family history research, as well as several ongoing DNA Interest Groups. Anyone who has ancestry from the North of Ireland needs to be in this DNA project!
This is the third year of the event and we are once more in the International Convention Centre at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast. This award-winning multi-purpose venue was built in 1997 and has been voted Best Event Space 2017 and (in 2002) the Second Best Conference Centre in the World. As well as conferences, conventions and exhibitions, it hosts concerts by the Ulster orchestra; plays, operas & musicals; and the ever-popular TV show Britain's Got Talent. If you're lucky, you might get an audition while you're there!
Waterfront Hall, Belfast- the second best Conference Centre in the world |
Here are some rates for nearby hotels (as of 18 Dec 2019 for a 5 night stay from Wed 12th to Mon 17th Feb 2020 for 2 adults):
- Hilton Belfast ... £474 / $625
- Premier Inn City Centre ... £228 / $300 (this is where most people stayed last year as it is the closest hotel to the venue and reasonably priced - I am trying to organise a group rate so please check back here in the next few days)
- Premier Inn Cathedral Quarter ... £230 / $304
- Premier Inn Titanic Quarter ... £220 / $290
- ETAP Hotel Belfast ... £186 / $245
- Easy Hotel Belfast ... £191 / $252
The DNA Lectures of GGI2019 Belfast are upstairs in Hall 2B (top left) |
GGI2020 is run as part of the larger Back to Our Past exhibition, is kindly sponsored by FamilyTreeDNA, and is organised by volunteers from ISOGG and the North of Ireland Family History Society.
GGI2020 Belfast - speakers & topics
There are 12 presentations in total, 6 from new speakers who have never spoken at GGI previously. We have an international range of speakers representing Ireland, the UK and the US, including Mike Sager who works for our sponsors, FamilyTreeDNA. Mike oversees the results of the Big Y test and probably has the greatest overview of the Tree of Mankind of anyone on the planet. His talk will be one of the high points of the conference.
We have beginners covered with introductory talks by Andy Hochreiter and Donna Rutherford. There is a focus on local projects and local success stories from the North of Ireland with talks from Martin McDowell, Andrew Kane and Ken & Alison Tait. Guidance on the management and interpretation of your DNA results are provided by Jonny Perl and Debbie Kennett, while Martin Hayden reveals how to harness the power of X-DNA (our first ever lecture on the topic). And to round off the selection, we have Peter McWilliam, Paddy Waldron& Cathal McElgunn presenting fascinating case studies on how DNA combined with paper records can break down long-standing Brick Walls in your family tree.
So there is something for everyone and this all promises to make GGI2020 another must-see event. The complete schedule (together with talk descriptions) will be published in January.
See you in Belfast!
Peter McWilliam - Speaker Profile
Peter McWilliam |
Membership: Clogher Historical Society, Creggan Historical Society and Irish Genealogical Research Society
Biographical Details: I grew up in Monaghan town but now live in Dublin. I received a Ph.D. in Genetics from Trinity College, Dublin in 1980 and subsequently worked in research in Munich, TCD and RCSI. In retirement I combine my former profession and my interest in local history with a particular interest in the application of DNA testing to genealogy.
How did you get into genealogy?
My initial involvement was probably sparked by the death of my father in 1989. My entire family moved from Monaghan to Dublin in 1970 when I was 18. Genealogy provided me with a way to keep connected with my childhood roots.
My great uncle, Rev John McWilliam was born in Monaghan in 1885 though he lived out his life as a Presbyterian minister in Scotland. He was an avid genealogist and in his later years wrote out his findings for the benefit of the family so one quarter of my genealogy was well covered.
I regret that I didn’t question my father more before his death so I made sure that I didn’t make the same mistake with my mother and she helped me work up my maternal lines.
Almost all my ancestry, certainly back to 1800 and probably even 1700, is from south Ulster (and predominantly Ulster Scots). Because of the spatial coherence of this genealogy, I have become increasingly interested in the local history of the region. In turn this has led me to work on a major source for 18th Century history – Memorials in the Registry of Deeds – and I have become a (minor) member of the Registry of Deeds Indexing project.
I am currently exploring the limits of autosomal testing back into the 18th century.
What about your involvement in Genetic Genealogy?
For some time I resisted the temptation to take a DNA test; with my professional background I knew I would get sucked in. I finally took my first test with Family Tree in 2013 though I subsequently took tests with Ancestry, 23andme and downloaded my raw DNA data to My Heritage and of course to Gedmatch.
Initially I got no relevant or useful matches though I did organise tests for a number of cousins to help define some ancestral lines. However I now have matches for most of my ancestral lines spread over the various testing companies.
I have always been aware of the 18th and 19th Century Ulster Scots migrations to North America. In fact an ancestor, Matthew Russell was master of the ships Newry and Robert sailing from Newry to New York and Philadelphia between 1763 and 1775 and advertising for Passengers, Redemptioners and Servants. However the penny hadn’t really dropped and I never really associated it with my own family since we had stayed in situ. It was only when I realised that most of my Family Tree matches (and subsequently Ancestry) came from America and many from southern states like the Carolinas’ that I really understood that these matches must have come from emigrant siblings of ancestors.
This has sparked an interest in the migration process – an interest intensified by the collaboration with Jeff Blakely described in this presentation.
So what will you be talking about?
Irish genealogy becomes increasingly difficult in the period between 1800 and 1830; in this collaborative project a combination of Clones, American and family records are used to identify a DNA test panel to address some genealogical puzzles in this time period.
Surviving records from this parish are explored to assess the possibilities for genealogical research in the 18th century.
Resources: Family Web site - http://www.treasureyourexceptions.com/
Mike Sager - Speaker Profile
Mike Sager |
Brief Biography:
- BS Biology and MS Zoology (Texas Tech University)
- Phylogenetics Analyst with FTDNA
- My Master’s Thesis centered around the phylogenetics of Crocodilian mitochondria.
What do you do as a Day Job?
How did you get into genetic genealogy?
What will you be talking about?
- Big Y-700 White Paper from FTDNA ... https://blog.familytreedna.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/big_y_700_white_paper_compressed.pdf
- Mike's LinkedIn page ... https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-sager-09b10976/
Jonny Perl - Speaker Profile
Jonny Perl |
Brief Biography
I was born in Belfast but grew up mostly in England. I studied English at university but found my first job in scientific electronic publishing. Later I co-founded a digital agency in London.
I am a member of ISOGG and the SOG in London.
What do you do as a Day Job?
My days are split between looking after my two children and working with genetic genealogy. So after I drop my kids off at school I come home and work on either DNA Painter (e.g. developing and testing new features) or my own genealogy.
What do you do as a Night Job?
I consider myself very fortunate in that in order to make DNA Painter as useful as possible, it’s essential that I remain very engaged with my own genealogy in order to be an active user myself. So my ‘night job’ is very similar to my day job, except my children have gone to bed. I also try to stop sometimes and do something completely different …
How did you get into genealogy?
In retrospect I got into it comparatively late. As a child I was fascinated by ‘Then and Now’ books about places I knew well, and I would enjoy going to the sites of old photographs and imagining how things were then.
But this didn’t extend to my own family history until 2007. I was chatting to my mother. She is an only child, and both her parents died before I was born. For some reason on this particular day she started to recount the names of some of my Irish forebears. In that moment, I was hooked completely, and I haven’t really stopped since.
My father’s heritage is a mixture of English and German Jewish, giving me a nice variety of records to research alongside Ireland. I’ve also been helped enormously by the work of others who became addicted to genealogy before me. These include an English great-aunt and a German great-uncle who were both clearly as gripped as I now am. I dearly wish I could hang out with them now and show them my research! More recently I’ve worked closely with a third cousin who has been my generous guide to the Jewish records of Breslau.
Tell us about your involvement with genetic genealogy
I found myself on a quest for knowledge, and with so many DNA matches, I wanted to centralise my research into each of them. More specifically, I knew I shared segments on chromosome 4 and 7 with a specific cousin. Since we had identified our genealogical connection, I realised I could reasonably assume that I inherited these segments of DNA from one or other of our common ancestors.
I found out what I was doing had a name: chromosome mapping. This led to my creating the DNA Painter website so that I could do this in a way that pleased me. I subsequently made some other tools that have become popular with genealogists, including the shared cM tool and ‘What are the odds?’
What will you be talking about?
Andy Hochreiter - Speaker Profile
Andy Hochreiter |
Brief Biography
What do you do as a Day Job?
Fortunately, Andy is now retired from any Day job shackles and can devote his energies to the pursuit of relatives, ancestors and family history. Previously, he taught in a junior high school before getting drafted into the Army. Despite this imposed career, he found he enjoyed the travels and challenges of military life with overseas tours in Germany, Thailand and Cambodia. After military retirement, he worked as a Defence contractor before becoming fully engaged with genetic genealogy.
What do you do as a Night Job?
Andy’s interest in genetic genealogy has led him into ever-widening activities after retirement, notably in the field of education and lecturing. He enjoys learning new DNA tools and techniques to share this knowledge with both beginners and colleagues. He is involved in multiple genealogical organizations and educational institutions, primarily focused on the use of DNA results to discover matches, define relationships, and uncover new family lines.
How did you get into genealogy?
Andy’s heritage comes from his mother’s British Canadian roots and his paternal grandparents’ immigration from Germany. Although he was fully exposed to his maternal ancestry, his father’s early death left a void in understanding his whole identity. Military travels provided the opportunity to visit his ancestor’s home origins in Germany and England, as well as his wife’s ancestral roots in Slovakia and Hungary. Renewing relationships with overseas cousins added tangible value to discovering family histories along with traditional research. Both Andy’s maternal and paternal ancestors besides his wife’s paternal side immigrants are recent arrivals to the USA. This historical situation propels his research to quickly turn overseas. But his wife’s maternal ancestry has deep colonial roots, which afford an opportunity to explore local sources and repositories. Despite the convenience of on-line resources, Andy values the up-close and hands-on hunt for documentation afforded by visits to archives, court houses and historical societies. There is no better thrill than holding a parchment-thin original record from a family Bible that is the only birth record of an ancestor! Genealogy is an ideal blend of history, culture, language and family chronicles that fosters his curiosity and imagination.
Tell us about your involvement with genetic genealogy
Andy was attracted to the scientific DNA projects at Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation and National Geographic’s Genographic Project where he took his first DNA tests. The transfer of his results to Family Tree DNA led to establishing personal DNA projects that promoted his increased interest in the value of genetic genealogy. Andy is a great enthusiast and user of genetic genealogy as another valuable means to trace family history. Over the years, he has added DNA tests from all the major test companies including whole genome sequencing in his pursuit of matches, ancestors and DNA revelations. He was a contributor and participant of the Y-DNA Haplogroup E-V13 research group helping to uncover new, private terminal SNPs identified in the Big Y tests. He has recruited project participants worldwide and discovered new branches of his family that included third to seventh cousins. He was featured on two Bavarian TV programs for his genealogical work tracing relatives in Germany using DNA. Upon retirement from full time employment he proposed and developed courses in genetic genealogy at local community colleges, which he continues to teach. He is a frequent lecturer in the Maryland area, where he has addressed numerous genealogical and county historical societies, such as the Southern Maryland Genealogy & History Fair and the Delmarva Genealogy & Heritage Conference. He is a regular contributor to a genetic genealogy column for the Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society quarterly journal Der Kurier. He also leads DNA focus groups at the Family History Centers in Washington, DC and Columbia, MD. Andy continually seeks to develop his own knowledge and experience with genetic genealogy by attending national and international educational conferences and institutes.
What will you be talking about?
Genetic genealogy has emerged as an important tool for genealogists and family historians. This presentation introduces the concept of using DNA as an adjunct tool to discover family history. The types of DNA and their unique inheritance patterns are explained, as well as the application of results in genealogical studies. Examples illustrate successful outcomes for breaking down brick walls and solving ancestral mysteries.
Where can people get more information about you and the work you do?
Andy is an active participant in many genealogical organizations.
Martin Hayden - Speaker Profile
Martin Hayden |
Background - I'm Irish from south Co Kildare on the border of Kildare, Laois and Carlow. I went to university in England when I was 19 and have lived there since. My recorded ancestry back to the end of the 1700s is Irish and very concentrated across Kildare, Laois, Carlow, Wicklow and Kilkenny.
Member
Day Job – I work as a Principal Analyst and Modeller for Transport for London (TfL). This involves developing integrated computerised transport models of London and interrogating these models to assess the current and future transport needs of Greater London.
Night Job – With a long commute to the English Midlands I do lots of genealogy research on the train. I administer the “Castledermot DNA Connections” project at Family Tree DNA covering a large part of South Kildare and more recently I have set up a private research project to assist others in their family research. I do of course continue to make time to research my own family.
How did you get into genealogy?
My interest in both genealogy and social history started at an early age. I was lucky to have known all of my grandparents and had three of them survive to my teenage years. My paternal grandfather James Hayden born in 1903 told me of an early news story he remembered (The sinking of the Lusitania in 1915) and my great uncle George told me about life as a child during the First World War. To me at the time this was ancient history and to have gotten information from those that lived through it rather than my school history books was inspirational.
So what will you be talking about?
DNA testing has in recent years given lots of focus to autosomal and yDNA testing whilst often neglecting the “Power of the X Chromosome”. This talk will explain the X chromosome, its inheritance patterns, how it differs from the Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA. The talk will conclude with a worked example of how it can be used to confirm a family line.
The talk will cover X-DNA with some references to Autosomal DNA, yDNA and mtDNA.
Where can people get more information about you or your topic?
Andrew Kane - Speaker Profile
Andrew Kane, NIFHS |
Andrew is an active member of the North of Ireland Family History Society, representing the Causeway Coast and Glens Branch on the Council of that Society. He is also a member of several other local history groups in the Coleraine area where his family have lived for at least 12 generations. He has published a well-received book on the history of the Town of Coleraine and is currently working on a sequel. He now works as a Research Consultant for the Ulster Historical Foundation in Belfast handling a wide range of, mainly genealogical, commissions and assisting in delivering their courses programme. He has also done private research for individuals and broadcasters.
How did you get into genealogy?
As a child I was always fascinated by my great-aunt’s stories of the family and how she seemed to know how all the families in the area were related to us. This fired my own enthusiasm to find the facts behind the stories. As my ten greats grandfather had lived a couple of hundred yards from the house I grew up in, local history and family history were inextricably entwined and always interested me. My history teacher at school was Alex Blair, well known for his local publications, lectures, radio and TV appearances. He encouraged my interest and helped me develop the healthy scepticism essential to research.
What about genetic genealogy?
I was slow to get on the DNA bandwagon although I had a Y-DNA test done in 2014. This gave me no close matches at all and it was some time before I added the FamilyFinder test and the results started to roll in. My use of matches was initially fairly basic but allowed me to contact family members whose ancestors appeared in my traditional researches. I shied away from the “technical side”, always waiting for that elusive spare time to start reading up and getting the most from the tests. Having recommended DNA testing to so many clients I felt I needed to take the plunge and, having put my toe in the water, encourage others not to be intimidated by the complexity. After all, you can drive a car without being a trained mechanic ... or, more usefully nowadays, an electronics expert!
Resources:
Ulster Historical Foundation https://www.ancestryireland.com/
Publications https://www.booksireland.org.uk/store/all-departments/town-book-coleraine
NIFHS website https://www.nifhs.org/
Causeway Branch NIFHS http://colerainefhs.org.uk/
Submission re Proposed Legislation regarding the Children at Tuam (and similar mass graves)
- the identification programme is only open to members of the public who believe that they may be the parent, child, sibling or half-sibling of the deceased children and can prove that they have reasonable grounds to believe so. Thus the project aims to identify a subset of the children rather than all of them.
- it does not apply to burial sites where the last burial occurred before 1950
- there is no mention of genetic genealogy within the proposed legislation
- members of the public were invited to make Submissions regarding the proposed law by Friday 24th Jan 2020.
I wish to advise that the Joint Committee ceased to exist upon the dissolution of the Dáil on 14 January 2020 and, therefore, that the pre-legislative scrutiny process on the general scheme is halted. It is open to the new Administration to restart or not restart the process, or introduce a new scheme, but the current consultation process is closed.
INTRODUCTION
THE NEED TO IDENTIFY ALL THE CHILDREN AT TUAM
THE NEED FOR GENETIC GENEALOGY
RECOMMENDATIONS:
24th Jan 2020
ISOGG Day Out (GGI2020 Belfast)
This year is no different and after the 2 days of DNA Lectures we will be having a day out where we can all let our hair down (them of us wot have any) and relax. We also have some great restaurants lined up for the evening debrief following each day at the conference. Here is what's in store.
Thursday (13 Feb)
6pm ... The Sonoma Restaurant at the Hilton Hotel, for those that arrive early and aren't sleeping off their jet lag. You can enjoy panoramic views over the River Lagan from the floor to ceiling windows that stretch the length of the restaurant. Menu available here. First come, first served (i.e. no reservations made).
Address: 4 Lanyon Pl, Belfast BT1 3LP
Friday (14 Feb) - St Valentine's Day
5.30 - 7.30pm ... Dinner at Home ... Cosy, casual dining offering modern European cuisine, alongside the sale of art and second-hand furniture! We will need to preorder so check out the new menu from Feb 5th. Vegetarian & vegan options also available.
Website: https://www.homebelfast.co.uk
Address: 22 Wellington Pl, Belfast BT1 6GE
Saturday (15 Feb)
6pm ... Josper's Restaurant at Ten Square Hotel - Sophisticated, hotel establishment featuring upscale, charcoal-grilled steaks & seafood entrees. Check out vegan and vegetarian options here. We need to pre-order the meals 3 days in advance so check out the menu here.
Sunday (16 Feb)
9.30 ... A Tour of Queens University Belfast (QUB) and the Botanic Gardens. The University shows off some stunning architecture with a Tudor-style main building. It is known for its humanities, science and medicine programs. The Botanic Gardens date from 1828 and feature tropical species & an elegant domed conservatory built by Bruce Forsyth's grandfather. The tropical ravine is home to a host of rare tropical plants.
Cost: £6 per person (payable to our guide Oliver on the day)
Meet in front of the War Memorial on University Rd at 9.30am
Address: University Rd, Belfast BT9 6AY (directions)
11.00 ... There are two alternative options - coffee or trees. Those who wish to can undertake a tour of the Botanic Gardens for only £3, bookable in advance here. This lasts 1.5 hours so you will miss the lecture by Adam Rutherford (see below) unless you cut the tour short and dash over to Whitla Hall.
Click here to book (£3) |
11.00 ... coffee in Hope Cafe in the McClay Library, QUB
Address: 6 College Park Ave, Belfast BT7 1PS (directions)
Website: http://clementscoffee.com/stores/hope-cafe/
11.30 ... assemble in the lobby of Whitla Hall, Queens University Belfast for lectures by Adam Rutherford & Alice Roberts as part of the Northern Ireland Science Festival 2020.
Address: Queen's University, Belfast BT7 1NN (directions)
Click here to Book (£8) |
Click here to Book (£14) |
1) Maggie Mays - 2 Malone Rd, Belfast BT9 5BN (directions, menu)
2) Deane's at Queens - 1 College Gardens, Belfast BT9 6BQ (directions, menu)
3) Conor - 11a Stranmillis Rd, Belfast BT9 5AF (directions, menu)
3.15pm ... coffee at the Ulster Museum
Address: Botanic Ct, Belfast BT9 5AB (directions)
Website: https://www.nmni.com/Whats-on/whats-on.aspx?museums=0%2f24%2f25&page=1
3.45pm ... Tour of the Ulster Museum (free)
The museum boasts a range of permanent exhibitions of interest to the intrepid genetic genealogist including ...
- Fossils & Evolution
- Early Peoples (8000 BC to 400 AD)
- Saints & Scholars
- The Spanish Armada
- Modern History
- The Troubles & Beyond
5.30pm ... Dinner at Yum Restaurant. Subtly lit, modern international eatery with colourful hanging lamps, frescos and banquette seating. This trendy restaurant has a host of vegetarian options. You can see the menu here.
9.30pm ... "Home, James ... and don't spare the horses"
See you in Belfast!
Maurice Gleeson
Full DNA Lecture schedule (with talk descriptions) - GGI2020 Belfast
DNA testing has over the past decade opened up a wonderful way of proving and disproving familial connections and in finding new cousins. While lots of focus has been on autosomal and yDNA testing the "Power of the X Chromosome” is often neglected. For a number of companies the X chromosome results are included as part of the autosomal test. This talk will explain the X chromosome, its inheritance patterns, how it differs from the Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA. The talk will conclude with a worked example of how it can be used to confirm a family line.
Alison & Ken Tait - Speaker Profile
Alison Tait |
Alison's Background
Alison's Day job - Full-time grandmother, part-time nurse. Volunteer at various NIFHS events and the Family research Centre.
Alison's Night job - Researching her family history, unravelling the discoveries already made and helping with the administration of the North of Ireland Family History Society.
How did you get involved in Genetic Genealogy?
Genetic Genealogy has taken Alison’s researches into a far wider sphere than her previous work, and has resulted in discoveries about family she had never imagined to exist in far flung places across the globe. She is now in regular contact with living distant cousins in Australia and Canada, and has benefitted from shared family photographs of her direct antecedents to add to her own tree.
Ken's Background
Ken Tait |
Day job - ensuring the smooth running of the Killyleagh branch of NIFHS, administering the arrangements for the 40th anniversary year of events, which are continuing through the rest of this year. Enjoying “retirement” but realising the word actually means “more hard work than during my working life - and you don’t get a day off!”
Night job - see above
How did you get involved in Genetic Genealogy?
What will you guys be talking about?
email - killyleagh@nifhs.org
Using Sponsored DNA Tests to break through Brick Walls
Y-DNA test sponsorship as a way to find cousins in other countries
By Linda Horton
Genetic genealogy hobbyists enjoy the opportunity to meet cousins and thus learn more about their extended families. It is particularly exciting to make contact with DNA matches in other countries. With autosomal DNA testing such as AncestryDNA, the FamilyTreeDNA FamilyFinder, and 23andMe, however, it can be difficult to identify the Most Recent Common Ancestor.
Those of us whose ancestors migrated to the British American colonies many years ago will have few matches in the old countries. All my ancestors migrated from Europe to North America before 1760, coming from England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Germany, France, and the Netherlands. While I no doubt have many distant cousins in these countries of origin, the common ancestors are very far back, and considering the distance in relationship it is unlikely that few European cousins and I share the same segment of autosomal DNA from a shared ancestor.
Because of the relative stability of Y-DNA going back many centuries, and because of cultural practices that associate a patriline with a surname, Y-DNA testing offers a way to locate cousins in other countries. Kinship can be shown with certainty, when two men who have tested not only are close Y-DNA matches, but also share a surname. And there is no question about the lineage in which the Most Recent Common Ancestor will be found—it will be on the patriline for that surname.
I have four success stories to share about how I found Y-DNA cousins in other countries. In each case, the Y-DNA match/cousin became a friend. In hope that this information is helpful to others, I asked that it be published on the Genetic Genealogy Ireland blog in advance of the upcoming GGI/Back to Our Past conference in Belfast on 14th-15th February 2020, where free kits will be available for men with certain surnames. In 2018 I attended the first GGI/BTOP Belfast conference, and I will be there again this year. It is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about genealogy and to meet interesting and nice people.
Case Study 1 - Sproule/Sprowl: locate a close cousin to test and then post on the ISOGG website an offer to sponsor Y-DNA testing of men in the country of origin with the same surname (or variants).
2018 in Florida: Ed Sprowl, the author's mother's half 1st cousin |
b. In 2017, an Irishman named Ivan Sproule was doing genealogy research and came across my offer on the ISOGG website. We corresponded, Ivan tested, and he matches my cousin, Ed, on both Y-DNA and FamilyFinder (autosomal testing). With results upgraded to Big Y 700 and analyzed by YFull, Ed and our Sligo cousin are among a growing set of men of this surname (Sproul, Sproule, Sprowl, Spruell, etc) whose Y-DNA results match in varying degrees. Participants live in the USA, Canada, Ireland (mostly Northern Ireland), and Australia. The surname project is blessed with highly skilled and energetic administrators. It is hoped that men of this surname in Scotland will test, especially those whose origins are in the region south of Glasgow (Renfrewshire and Dunbartonshire).
Ivan Sproule, Sligo & Roy Sproule of Castlederg, Co. Tyrone |
Case Study 2 - Horton: ask the surname project administrator to post an offer to sponsor Y-DNA testing by men with a given surname who reside in the relevant country of origin; counties can be mentioned.
Raymond Horton, author's brother |
b. In addition to these known NPEs, my brother matched men with a variety of other surnames, including Patterson, Reaves, Williams, and Whitehead. Several of these fellows trace back to a common ancestor with the surname Patterson, born in 1825 in South Carolina. One of my brother’s Y-DNA matches insisted that our Hortons are “really” Pattersons. To help resolve the question of what is “really” the surname of this cluster of Y-DNA matches, I asked the administrator of the Horton surname project to post on the project’s website an offer from me to sponsor Y-DNA testing of Horton-surnamed men in England, and particularly in Yorkshire. Lucky me, I only had to sponsor two tests. Although the first Horton-surnamed Yorkshireman to test—my now friend, Richard Horton—did not match my brother, his fiancée referred to me another Horton-surnamed Yorkshireman named Kris Horton, whose testing I sponsored, and whose test results DO match my brother!
2017 in Yorkshire, Kris Horton |
2017 in Yorkshire: Linda's sister Laurel with Sylvia and Barry Horton, Linda and her 1st cousin Carol Horton Graf |
Case Study 3 - MacKay: locate a close cousin to Y-DNA-test, study their matches seeking to identify ones in other countries, and make diligent efforts to establish contact.
2017 in Kentucky: Linda and 3rd cousin Archibald C. McKay II |
b. To learn more about my great grandmother Lizzie McKay’s ancestors, I contacted my 3rd cousin who lives in Bardstown, Kentucky, where Lizzie was born in 1850. Her great grandfather Richard McKay had migrated to Kentucky from St. Mary’s County, Maryland, where our McKays from the far north of Scotland landed in about 1660. My 3rd cousin, Arch McKay, was happy to hear from me, met with me the next time I was in Kentucky, and agreed to do Y-DNA testing as a way for us both to learn more about our shared McKay ancestry. This was in 2013.
2017 in Edinburgh: Laurel, Linda and Robin Horton with Hugh MacKay |
2018 Kentucky: the author, Beth Wilder of the Jeffersontown (Kentucky) Historical Museum, Arch McKay of Bardstown Kentucky and Y-DNA match Hugh MacKay of Edinburgh |
e. In Alabama, Jonathan and Hugh participated in an 80th birthday celebration of my brother-in-law Stephen Ho, the brother of my first husband, Henry Ho (1937-1987), father of my children. Hugh said he enjoyed meeting my Chinese American family and spending time with my son! (My daughter and I missed the celebration because we needed to be at her son/my grandson’s family weekend in Michigan.)
f. Then in 2019 my daughter, grandson and I stayed a couple of nights at Hugh’s home in Edinburgh.
Case Study 4 - Cochran/Cockerham: post a story on your Ancestry.com tree describing your interest in sponsoring Y-DNA testing of a man of a certain surname, sharing with you a certain ancestral line.
a. This example is not yet a success story, but I am hopeful it will be! Here I need to credit the ingenuity of my 4th cousin, Bella Garstang, who shares with me ancestors with the surname Cockerham, often simplified to Cochran. Two years ago, I returned from the Genetic Genealogy Ireland conference in Belfast and told Bella I had given away two kits to men in Northern Ireland who planned to regift them to Cochran-surnamed men they knew there. However, I needed to find an American male cousin with the surname Cockerham or Cochran for this testing of Irishmen to be worthwhile. Bella offered to post on various Cockerhams on her Ancestry.com tree a story containing the plea “I AM LOOKING FOR LIVING MALE COCHRAN/COCKERHAM—PLEASE CONTACT ME THROUGH ANCESTRY.” I thought this a great idea, and soon the entire Cockerham branch of my tree had a host of Ancestry green-leaf hints announcing cousin Bella’s new posting. Soon she was contacted by a woman whose maiden name was Cochran, and who shared the same Cockerham ancestry as Bella and me. The woman’s father was elderly and, with his daughter’s help, tested. William W. Cochran is my 3rd cousin twice removed, and on autosomal testing he matches two of my siblings as well as my father’s first cousin, whose grandmother was a Cockerham, strengthening the case that we succeeded in finding a Cochran American male in the same family. Unfortunately, the two kits for Cochran males that I gave away in Ireland have not been used.
*****
I expect that some of you reading this post will wonder about the expense of sponsoring Y-DNA testing as well as the travel I have undertaken to meet cousins identified through such testing. I admit that the testing and the travel do get expensive, and in closing I will share a few ideas to help defray the cost.
Sometimes surname projects collect donations to go toward testing of men in origin countries. Perhaps, within a family, several members might be willing to contribute toward the testing of potential cousins in other countries. One economy I use is to always purchase kits, with only the bargain FamilyFinder autosomal test included, when FamilyTreeDNA is holding a sale. During a sale, a kit with FamilyFinder is generally priced at $49. The sample can be collected and the kit sent to the FamilyTreeDNA lab. Then when Y-DNA tests go on sale, I can order Y-DNA upgrades for male test-takers. I maintain a priority-based wish list of tests I wish to upgrade when sales occur and the family budget can tolerate the expense.
I tell people that genealogy is the perfect hobby—it involves history, it involves science, and it involves US! One of the greatest rewards from the investment I have made in this hobby is meeting cousins and forming lasting friendships.
I hope my real-life examples will be helpful to others seeking cousins in other countries. And perhaps I will see a few of you in Belfast!
If you are interested in sponsoring a Free DNA Test, please contact Maurice Gleeson at mauricegleeson AT doctors.org.uk
GGI videos now hosted by FamilyTreeWebinars
I hope these live recordings give you a feel for the buzz and excitement these lectures create among the Irish audience - you will hear me facilitating the questions and answer session after each lecture, and you will find some fascinating discussions there!
Legacy Family Tree Webinars is the new home for the GGI videos |
We have been running this annual conference in Dublin since 2013. It consists of 2-3 days of DNA Lectures from leading genetic genealogists in Ireland, the UK and Worldwide. In 2018, we started a second DNA Lecture series, this time in Belfast, which proved just as popular as the Dublin lectures.
Previously the video recordings of the GGI lectures have been uploaded to the dedicated GGI YouTube Channel and you will still find over 100 educational videos on that channel. These videos will continue to be available for free, as a service to the community. And additional free videos will be added from time to time. You can see a complete list of all the topics and speakers at each conference from the past 7 years on the GGI website here.
You should also check out our associated GGI Facebook group - it's free to join and has over 6000 members who are eager to help you with your genealogical queries.
How big is the FamilyTreeDNA database?
Family Tree DNA Database Size
As Family Tree DNA traditionally does not release a figure on the size of its autosomal DNA database, I decided to look at the various kit numbering systems to see if I could come up with an assessment of database size that takes into account its predominance in some countries around the world (such as the North of Ireland).
Luckily kit numbers are consecutive at Family Tree DNA and we also know which prefixes they use ... https://isogg.org/wiki/FTDNA_kit_prefixes
New estimates for the FTDNA database size are larger than previously |
- 925,000 (non-prefix kits)
- 84,000 (IN kits) ... International - a test kit that was ordered through the FTDNA website alone (not with other kits) that is being shipped internationally
- 67,000 (MK kits) ... Multi Kit - a test ordered through the FTDNA website at the same time as several other kits, all of which are being shipped domestically
- 54,000 (MI kits) ... Multi Kit International - a test ordered through the FTDNA website at the same time as several other kits, all of which are being shipped internationally
- 32,000 (AM kits) ... test was ordered through Amazon.com
- 27,000 (BP kits) ... Basic Packaging. Kits sent out in the basic plastic packaging rather than the colourful cardboard box
- 271,000 (N kits) ... transfer from the National Geographic Genographic Project
- 612,000 (B kits) ... transfer of Y-DNA or autosomal results through a lab transfer program (i.e. from AncestryDNA, 23andMe, or MyHeritage)
- 71,300 (all other prefixes) ... I searched the public Results Pages of a variety of haplogroup & geographic projects to try to identify the highest kit number for the remaining (19) prefixes. Those for which no kits could be found were assigned a value of zero.
- A kits ... highest number > A2700 (in Jewish DNA project)
- E kits ... highest number > E37900 (in Europe East project)
- K kits ... highest number > K2400 (in Kazakhstan DNA project)
- M kits ... highest number > M11400 (in Arab DNA project)
- T kits ... highest number > T1900 (in Libya DNA project)
- U kits ... highest number > U4000 (in British Isles by county project)
- V kits ... highest number > V7400 (in Jewish DNA project)
- Z kits ... highest number > Z3600 (in Brazil DNA project)
- all others ... zero
Lastly, I added in the N kits (item 7) but I applied a more conservative reduction of 50% of its value (instead of the 20% reduction used with the items 1-6 and 9).
Thus, the actual numbers were as follows:
- sum of items 1-6 and 9 = 1,260,300
- 80% of above total = 1,008,240
- plus item 8 (612,000) = 1,620,240
- plus 50% of item 7 (271,000) = 1,755,740 (sum total)
Whilst this estimate still places Family Tree DNA below the big three, it does show its importance in the marketplace and particularly in the countries and regions where their kits make up a sizeable proportion of DNA tests taken (such as the North of Ireland).
DNA Test sale prices at Back to Our Past - Belfast
And the Y-DNA-37 test is only £80 ($99). This helps you track back along your direct male line and will take you back before the 1700s and well into the deep and distant past. This is a great test for exploring the surname of one of your ancestral lines and may connect you with a particular Irish clan.
And there is good news for people who have already tested and want to upgrade. There are discounted upgrade prices for all tests - so for example if you have done a Y37 test and want to upgrade to the crème de la crème of Y-DNA tests, the Big Y-700, it only costs £250 ($319). This test will place you firmly on a specific branch of the Tree of Mankind and is the definitive test for establishing the deeper ancestral origins of your direct male line.
So there is something here for everyone.
The FTDNA Stand is at the entrance to the event so see you there!
FTDNA has the largest "local DNA database" in Northern Ireland
No one can doubt Ancestry and 23andMe have sold the vast majority of autosomal tests to American and Canadian customers. It is my view that MyHeritage and Family Tree DNA are stronger than Ancestry in other parts of the world such as Australia and New Zealand.
The reason for this dates back a number of years before Ancestry, MyHeritage and Living DNA had entered the DNA market. 23andMe and Family Tree DNA were the only testing companies for people testing around the world and as Family Tree DNA was the cheaper option internationally it tended to get the bulk of the non-US business. Even when Ancestry started selling DNA tests in 2012 they didn’t sell outside of the United States and Canada until 2015.
People may not be aware that even in 2020 Ancestry only offer DNA tests for sale in 34 countries:
https://support.ancestry.com/s/article/Countries-Where-AncestryDNA-is-Available
By contrast, Family Tree DNA will sell autosomal DNA tests to anyone in any country (except Sudan or Iran as noted on their website). So if you are looking for matches in another country you need to be aware that testing with Ancestry is not enough on its own and that you need to be in one of the other databases too – preferably as many as possible!
The NIFHS has a strong presence at all the major genealogy events in the UK & Ireland |
Within Northern of Ireland I can confirm, without any fear of contradiction, that Family Tree DNA is the major testing company used by local people. This is partly because the North of Ireland Family History Society has promoted DNA testing for a number of years, during many of which Family Tree DNA was the only real option. The rest of Ireland is also well represented on Family Tree DNA where they are well known as the only sponsor of Genetic Genealogy Ireland and where they can be found taking a stand at many local genealogy events.
Recruitment to our DNA Project continues to grow at a very fast rate |
Another benefit of Family Tree DNA is that they also have some of the earliest autosomal DNA tests. As FTDNA started selling Y and MT tests before they introduced Family Finder in 2010, their DNA storage policy meant that even people who had died prior to the introduction of Family Finder in 2010 could still have an autosomal DNA test performed on their sample. And this is still providing benefit. One of my 4th cousins had a Y-DNA test done in 2009. Although he died in 2012, his family paid for an autosomal test in 2019 and I got a match with him shortly after.
With results for new Northern Irish testers coming through within the North of Ireland DNA Project almost every day, the database is now far more useful than in previous years. These tests are more beneficial as we have been running an education programme to encourage and support people to add family trees and to use the family matching tool. And the family matching tool is now much more useful than previously as you can link DNA matches to your tree (no matter what distance that relationship is) and the family matching will identify which of your other matches are maternal or paternal. It’s a feature I use daily with great success.
Many new testers within our project are receiving over 7,000 matches when their results arrive and at the same time a higher proportion of larger matches. This is a massive increase on the 2,000 we expected only a few years back. One of my testers in the north of the province commented to me recently that he felt that within our project we were already receiving better DNA matches on a routine basis than he had previously thought he would see in his lifetime. Long may it continue!
Thank you, Belfast !
Back to Our Past runs in Belfast in February & Dublin in October |
The ICC at the Waterfront Hall is an excellent venue and it was a pleasure to return there for the second year in a row. The iconic TV programme Game of Thrones was filmed in Belfast. This lovely stained glass window has been erected outside the Waterfront Hall and we passed it each day on the way to the conference. Which characters from the TV show do you recognise?
(click to enlarge) |
The FamilyTreeDNA stand drew a lot of attention and enquiries |
Joining Dee at various times during the day was Mike Sager (Mr Big Y) and a host of ISOGG volunteers including James Irvine (pictured), Cathal McElgunn, Candy Jones, Linda Horton, Andy Hochreiter, and many more. The folks at the North of Ireland Family History Society (NIFHS) stand also lent a hand from time to time.
The FTDNA stand with posters, list of free DNA tests for surname projects, and the DNA Lecture schedule on the TV screen |
The FTDNA stand saw a steady stream of customers, especially on the second day of the event. Sales included at least 4 Big Y tests, which were offered at a very attractive discount by FTDNA (who were the only DNA company advertising at the event so they had a captive audience).
Martin McDowell helping a customer with the NIFHS stand in the background. |
Everyone who tested at the FTDNA stand was automatically entered into the North of Ireland DNA Project (unless they requested otherwise). Project membership is fast-approaching the 5000 members milestone and the Society works very hard to recruit local people for DNA testing. They run regular Introductory Courses on DNA and have two regular DNA Special Interest Groups. If you have ancestry from the North of Ireland, you need to join this project - you are highly likely to find DNA cousins among its membership. Transfers from other companies are especially welcome.
Speakers featured above are Martin Hayden, Andrew Kane, Peter McWilliam, Cathal McElgunn, Jonny Perl, Donna Rutherford, Martin McDowell & Paddy Waldron (photo: Gerard Corcoran) |
Admission to the event was free and there was very good attendance at both the DNA Lectures (organised by my good self) and the traditional genealogy lectures (organised by Martin McDowell of NIFHS). A Big Thank You has to go to the speakers, ISOGG volunteers, and of course our sponsors, FamilyTreeDNA for their continuing support - this is a team effort and everybody's contribution goes towards making this event a great success.
Mike Sager discusses the incredible growth of the Tree of Mankind, thanks in large part to the Big Y test from FTDNA (photo: Gerard Corcoran) |
We were delighted that FTDNA were able to spare Mike Sager and loaned him to the community for a few days. Mike gave an inspiring talk on the Tree of Mankind, informed by his unique insights as the Big Y guru. He is the one man in the World who knows more about the Tree of Mankind than anybody else - he builds new branches every day! The size of Haplogroup R is truly astounding, accounting for about 50% of all known branches in the Y-Hapolotree. And this is just present-day branches - think of all the other branches that have gone extinct over the passage of the last 250,000 years. Mike highlighted this consideration when he spoke of the huge distance between the early branches of the Tree: A-L1090 is a SNP Block of 432 SNPs, and A-L1088 is a SNP Block of 2674 SNPs - this is greater than the distance between that latter branch and the most downstream branch today. The potential number of extinct branches is mind-boggling - we only see the survivors.
Martin Hayden discusses the power of X DNA |
We also had 6 new speakers at this year's GGI. It was great to see this new talent emerge and many of the new speakers were from the North of Ireland so there was a distinct local flavour to the proceedings. A full list of the talks can be found in this blog post here and biographical sketches of each of the speakers can be found on our Speaker Profiles page. We also had Expert Panel Discussions on both days and the second one turned into a very interesting exploration of DNA and adoption searching in Ireland, which raised some very interesting ethical considerations.
Each presentation was recorded live and these videos will be available over the course of the next several weeks. Some speakers have opted to have the video of their presentation hosted on the GGI YouTube Channel where they can be viewed for free. There are three videos from 2019 there already and 6 more (from 2020) will be added over the course of the next few weeks. Further information on the new arrangements for accessing GGI videos can be found here.
The GGI YouTube Channel |
The rest of the recorded presentations are going up on the Legacy Family Tree Webinars website where there is a new special section for Genetic Genealogy Ireland. You will find most of the videos from the 2019 GGI events there now - they were uploaded just before GGI2020 Belfast. Legacy Family Tree Webinars is a subscription service and the monies raised help the speakers to cover their travel expenses. But at $50 per year, it is a very cost-effective way of gaining access to their entire library of educational videos - it would cost a lot more to attend a single conference. Full details of how to access the videos are included here.
Some videos are hosted on the Legacy Family Tree Webinars website |
The day after conference is a traditional time for rest and relaxation. This started with a morning tour of Queens University Belfast and a stroll through the Botanic Gardens and the fabulous Palm House Conservatory. We were all glad of a bit of tropical heat which contrasted nicely with the crisp chill of the Belfast morning.
The Glasshouse (photo: Donna Rutherford) |
GGI2020 coincided with the Northern Ireland Science Festival and the group attended two lectures in the impressive Whitla Hall at Queens University Belfast. Adam Rutherford gave a very thought-provoking talk on genetics and racism, and Prof Alice Roberts took us on a behind-the-scenes tour of her BBC TV series The Incredible Human Journey, charting the journey of Man out of Africa and into the rest of the World.
Adam Rutherford - on stage at Whitla Hall (photo: Donna Rutherford) |
I've no one to talk to about DNA ... |
If you'd like to be part of the fun, the next GGI event is on in Dublin in October. However, the usual dates have been moved forward by 1 day to 17-18 Oct (Saturday & Sunday, not Friday). And we will have a special ISOGG Day Out on the Monday (Oct 19th). The following weekend (starting on Sunday) is the MyHeritage annual conference which this year is in Tel Aviv (25-26 Oct), and 2 weeks after that is the FTDNA Annual Conference in Houston (13-15 Nov).
I'm sure I'll see you at one of them!
Plans for the next Genetic Genealogy Ireland
Unfortunately the GGI2020 conference in Dublin has been cancelled due to the ongoing problems with COVID. The conference was due to run on Oct 17-18, 2020 but due to COVID restrictions, this is no longer possible.
However, the past 6 months has seen an explosion in online webinars and conferences and the word ZOOM has now acquired an entirely different additional meaning. Moves are afoot to try to have GGI2021 as a virtual conference some time next year. Further details will be released in due course.
In the meantime, you can enjoy presentations from previous years of GGI. You will find details of every single presentation on our Speaker Profiles page starting with GGI2020 Belfast and going all the way back to GGI2013 Dublin (10 conferences in total). Many of these presentations were recorded and you can watch them on our YouTube Channel and our dedicated page on Legacy FamilyTreeWebinars.
Some of the most popular videos are included below. Just click on them to view.
Origins of the Irish
Prof James P Mallory
Professor Jim Mallory's talk from 2018 in Belfast is the most popular of the GGI videos with over 42,000 views. This is an excellent talk and Prof Mallory's wit and intellect shine brightly throughout. His comments about his chapter on DNA in his book of the same name are particularly amusing and insightful. New DNA evidence from ancient remains is causing major reworking of previous theories about who are the Irish and how did they get there. This is a must see!
Viking DNA in Ireland. Do you have some and where did it come from?
Peter Sjölund
Peter Sjölund is one of Sweden's foremost genetic genealogists and his talk at GGI2016 struck a chord with the Irish audience (commanding over 31,000 views). Everyone in Ireland is fascinated by the Vikings and want to know if they have inherited any Viking DNA. Peter discusses recent advances in the understanding of Scandinavian DNA which has allowed us to trace the DNA of the Vikings back to different parts of Scandinavia and all the way back to when people first colonised Scandinavia at the end of the Ice Age. If you suspect you are a Viking, this is for you.
DNA vs the Irish Annals
Brad Larkin
Back in 2014, Brad Larkin gave his first talk on how DNA is helping our understanding of Irish Clan system, as described in the Irish Annals and the Traditional Genealogies (some of which are the oldest in Europe and stretch back over 2000 years). Brad gave a follow-up talk in Belfast at GGI2018. Irish Clan research has received a lot of renewed interest in recent years, helped by the plethora of Irish surname projects at FTDNA together with major advances in the study of ancient Irish DNA (Prof Dan Bradley & Lara Cassidy of Trinity College Dublin have been regular speakers at the conference). We can expect increased cross-fertilisation between ancient DNA and citizen science over the course of the next few years and Irish Clan research promises to be a popular topic for the foreseeable future. Between his two presentations, Brad has garnered more than 33,000 views.
Burke's Landed Gentry - how to access the various editions online
Burke's Landed Gentry (BLG) can be an invaluable resource for Irish research. A complete list of the various publications by Burke's Peerage can be found on their website here. BLG is just one of many publications by Burke's. There are two separate strands of BLG: 1) BLG of Great Britain & Ireland (19 editions); and 2) BLG of Ireland (5 editions). Below is a list of the various editions and links to any editions that are available to read for free online (at least for me, based in the UK).
If you find any additional links to editions marked "not available", please leave a comment in the Comments section below.
1833 - BLG of GB&I
Burke, John A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland, enjoying Territorial Possessions or High Official Rank, but uninvested with Heritable Honours, First published in three volumes 1833–35Re-issued 1836–37
Additional volume IV 1837
1843 - BLG of GB&I
Burke, John and Burke, John Bernard A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland. A Companion to the Peerage and Baronetage. With Supplement, Corrigenda and General Index. Published in Parts, usually bound in three volumes 1843–49.
1850 - BLG of GB&I
Burke, Sir John Bernard A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland, for 1850: comprising particulars of upwards of 100,000 individuals. With Supplement, Addenda, Corrigenda and Separate Index. A re-issue of the 1843–49 edition with additional pages in the Addenda. It can be found variously dated and one copy dated 1847–53 had the joint editors of John Burke and John Bernard Burke on the title page. Published in parts, usually bound in three volumes 1850–53.
1855 - BLG of GB&I
Burke, Sir Bernard A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland, Third Edition. With Supplement. Published in parts 1855–58.
Can also be found in one volume dated 1858.
1862 - BLG of GB&I
Burke, Sir Bernard A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland, Fourth Edition. Can be found in one volume with a single title page dated 1863 but was first issued as two parts with two title pages dated 1862 and 1863.
1868 - BLG of GB&I
Burke, Sir Bernard A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland, Fourth Edition Revised and Enlarged with Supplement and Corrigenda 1868.
1871 - BLG of GB&I
Burke, Sir Bernard A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland, Fifth Edition with Supplement, two volumes 1871.
1879 - BLG of GB&I
Burke, Sir Bernard A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland, Sixth Edition with Supplement and Corrigenda, two volumes 1879.
1886 - BLG of GB&I
Burke, Sir Bernard A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland, Seventh Edition, two volumes 1886
Burke, Ashworth P. A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland, Eighth Edition, by Sir Bernard Burke, edited by his sons, two volumes 1894.
1898 - BLG of GB&I
Burke, Ashworth P. A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland, Ninth Edition, by Sir Bernard Burke, edited by his son, two volumes, including a separate section on Ireland (see Landed Gentry of Ireland for separate issue of this) 1898. Not available online.
1899 - BLG of I
Burke, Ashworth P. A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Ireland by Sir Bernard Burke, edited by his son Ashworth P. Burke. (Re-issue of the Irish Supplement of the 1898 Edition of the Landed Gentry, with a Supplement), 1899. Available online here.
Burke, Sir Bernard and Ashworth P. A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain, Tenth Edition with Addenda 1900. Not available online.
Burke, Ashworth P. A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Ireland. Second Edition but called Tenth Edition, referring to the numbering of the editions of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain 1904. Not available online.
Burke, Sir Bernard and Burke, Ashworth P. A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain, Eleventh Edition with Addenda 1906. Not available online.
1912 - BLG of I
Fox-Davies, A. C. A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Ireland, New Edition (Third Edition) 1912. Available online here.
Fox-Davies, A. C. A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain, Twelfth Edition 1914. Available online here.
Thorpe, A. Winton A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain, Thirteenth Edition 1921. Not available online.
1925 - BLG of GB&I
Butler, Alfred T. A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, Fourteenth Edition. A re-issue of the 1921 Edition, with Supplement 1925.
1937 - BLG of GB&I
Pirie-Gordon, H. Burke’s Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, Centenary Edition. Includes an Irish Supplement 1937. Not available online.
Pine, L. G. Burke’s Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry including American Families with British Ancestry, Sixteenth Edition 1939. Available online here.
1952 - BLG of GB&I
Pine, L. G. Burke’s Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, Seventeenth Edition 1952. Not available online.
1954 - BLG of GB&I
Pine, L. G. Supplement to Burke’s Landed Gentry, 1954. Not available online.
Pine, L. G. Burke’s Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Ireland, Fourth Edition 1958. Not available online.
1965 - BLG of GB&I
Townend, Peter Burke’s Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, Eighteenth Edition, Volumes I and II 1965–69. Not available online.
Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh Burke’s Irish Family Records, Fifth Edition 1976. Not available online.
- A Guide to Burke's Landed Gentry ... https://cferrero.net/burkes/landedGentry.html
- Review of 1976 edition gives information on various editions ... https://www.jstor.org/stable/24337189
- Peerage and landed gentry genealogical books online ... https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Peerage_and_landed_gentry_genealogical_books_online
NIFHS DNA Summer School 2022
The North of Ireland Family History Society is running its annual Summer School from Monday 22nd August to Friday 26th August. The line-up of speakers at this years event includes myself, Martin McDowell, Anne Johnston, and EJ Blom. Details are below.
Bookings are now open through https://www.nifhs.org/courses/
One of the differences this year is that our classes are being recorded and will be made available to participants for 28 days to allow people to view classes they missed or rewatch.
Monday 22nd August to Friday 26th August
via Zoom with 2 classes per day.
The course covers Autosomal DNA, Y-DNA and Mt-DNA with classes for both beginners and more experienced DNA researchers. We have how-to classes and also practical examples to show you how to get the most from your DNA results.
Each day has a theme (see schedule below) and each class is stand alone, so you can attend as many or as few as you like.
Classes will be approximately 90 minutes long, with a presentation followed by a question and answer session. The cost per class is £10 and if you book all 10, the price is £80.
We have an extra bonus exclusively for anyone who books all 10 classes - you will be invited to a free question and answer session to be held on Saturday 3 September at 3pm. So, if you are puzzled over something you have learned or just want to share a big breakthrough, this will be your chance.
And as well as all this, we have some giveaways and special discounts available during the week - book now and make sure you don’t miss out on what promises to be our best Summer School ever!
Monday 22 August 2022 - Autosomal DNA
3.00pm Making Progress with Autosomal DNA – with Anne Johnston
7.00pm Trees and your matches – with Anne Johnston
Tuesday 23 August 2022 - Autosomal DNA
3.00pm Using the Chromosome Browser effectively – with Anne Johnston
7.00pm Inferred Matches/Mapping – with Martin McDowell
Wednesday 24 August 2022 - Y-DNA
3.00pm The Advantages of Y-DNA – with Martin McDowell
7.00pm Using Y-DNA to connect with ancestors in the 1500s, 1400s, and 1200s - with Maurice Gleeson
Thursday 25 August 2022 - Mitochondrial DNA
3.00pm The Advantages of MT-DNA – with Martin McDowell
7.00pm Using MT-DNA – with guest speaker
Friday 26 August 2022 - Tools provided by two non-testing companies
3.00pm Using GEDmatch – with Martin McDowell
7.00pm Unravelling trees of matches using AutoKinship from Genetic Affairs – with EJ Blom
Further information about the content of each class and how to book is given in the DNA Summer School page on the Society’s website at NIFHS.
You can also keep informed by following our DNA page on Facebook.