Ipswich Bennett Y-DNA Project

Welcome to our Ipswich Bennett Y-DNA project website!

We are focused on identifying descendants of Henry Bennett of Ipswich, Massachusetts, through Y-DNA. This site now features twenty members,  all of whom have been Y-DNA tested at FamilyTreeDNA, and found to be exact or very close matches.  The matching Y-DNA means that we all have a recent male common ancestor with the Bennett surname (or related surnames; Locke, Coat and Seymour) who match the signature Y-DNA of Henry Bennett. In DNA terms, “recent” may be several hundred years. Advanced SNP testing has confirmed our haplogroup to be R1b1a2a1 (aka, R-L150). Most of our matching participants have strong genealogical paper trails, supported by the Y-DNA evidence that indicates our most recent common ancestor (MRCA) is Henry Bennett of Ipswich, Massachusetts. He was born about 1629 in England, and married Lydia Perkins of Boston, about 1650.  Ipswich may be seen in the lower left corner of our site banner, above. (Click on the banner to see the full map at Wikipedia.) We asked FamilyTreeDNA to look at our site and conclusions, and their response was as follows:

“Your experience is an example of exactly why DNA can play such a helpful and important role in genealogical research. The information and data presented on the website you created is, in our view, the correct interpretation of these results and your genealogical research. Congratulations on your findings.” Catherine McDonald Family Tree DNA www.familytreedna.com “History Unearthed Daily”

Four of our testers have upgraded to Big Y-700, and were designated at a new terminal SNP of R-FT105891. It is assumed the other matches in this group would also be placed at the same, terminal SNP.  We learned from this test that our Most Recent Common Ancestor is estimated to be about 240 years ago. This estimate could actually be anywhere a time frame that would include Henry Bennett of Ipswich, born in 1629. Our most recent Big Y-700 test resulted in the creation of a new SNP of R-FT104856, which will  likely include all descendants of Henry Bennett’s son, Benjamin.

We hope site visitors, who are working on their own Bennett family genealogy may use our site to determine if they also connect to this Bennett family line.  Please contact us, share information and perhaps pursue Y-DNA testing yourself. In addition to our  Bennett participants, there are three other surnames who also have closely matching Y-DNA results, at advanced levels. We assume these individuals may belong to our Bennett family prior to the Great Migration, and may help us connect with our Bennett family in England. Recently, we have collaborated in commissioning Dr. Tyrone Bowes of EnglishOrigenes to locate our paternal genetic homeland in England. Dr. Bowes plotted our present day surname clusters in England, in order to pinpoint the probable origin of our families 1,000-1,200 years ago. He concluded our most likely Paternal Ancestral Genetic Homeland is in Somerset, England. See his full Case Study here. The late Fred Bennett helped develop this site and collaborated on our research, in addition to sharing his well documented Boothbay Bennett family genealogy.  Fred was a very capable researcher who helped us examine the family history paper trails and reconcile them to our Y-DNA findings. Our thanks also to each of our other Y-DNA participants, who are collaborating with us on this site.  Each new participant adds to our body of knowledge about our common Bennett ancestry.  Please join us!

Bennett Y-DNA Descendancy Chart

The attached descendant chart, in PDF format, displays our various lines of descent from Henry Bennett of Ipswich. The boxes containing the Bennett family members who were Y-DNA tested and have a confirmed paper trail, have a burgundy background. Two, whose paper trails are not yet resolved, are shown with a peach background. Note that most of our study participants have documented paper trails connecting to Henry Bennett of Ipswich.  However, Kit#162214 and Kit#N86653 are exact or close matches, but have incomplete paper trails, as of this posting. Further testing and research is underway. Before Y-DNA results confirmed our relationships, none of us had met, except for sharing family history information on-line.  We are from several lines of descent from Henry of Ipswich. Please click on the following link to view the latest chart-in PDF format: Bennett Descendants from Henry.

Interpreting the Chart

This chart traces the various lines of descent from Henry Bennett to our fifteen matching male Bennetts, plus four other cousins who are female or have a different surname due to the marriage of a female Bennett ancestor. All our participants, so far, descend from Henry’s sons, Jacob or Benjamin. Please observe that the right hand 6 columns of the chart, are participants descending from Jacob, based on Y-DNA results. The left hand 8 columns are participants descending from Benjamin. That group is further divided between Benjamin’s sons, Benjamin and Moses. The parents of Benjamin and Moses Bennett were previously unknown through traditional genealogy research; but since our matching Y-DNA show we all descend from Henry Bennett, we believe Moses and Benjamin are actually the sons of Benjamin Bennett and Abial _____. Ipswich records indicate that a Benjamin Bennett witnessed a deed for Henry Bennett, and we believe this Benjamin is a son of Henry, and the same Benjamin Bennett who married Abial (aka, Abigail) Bennett..

 Ipswich Bennett Y-DNA Study Chart

Our most current Ipswich Bennett Y-DNA Study chart, includes current matching participants and their Y-DNA test results.  All have been tested for 37 markers, thus far, and five have upgraded to 67 markers. The top portion of the chart (highlighted in yellow), identifies the family line from Henry Bennett through 4 generations.  We have used the first data column of the chart (in yellow) to show the Y-DNA modal signature of Henry Bennett of Ipswich. Please click on the following link to view the chart-in PDF format: Ipswich Bennett Y-DNA Chart .

 

When viewing the chart, note that DYS numbers in red are the faster mutating markers. Mutations (from the modal) are highlighted with a blue background. SNP testing has confirmed our Haplogroup to be R1b1a2a. Note also that each person in our group has an allele of 12 at DYS#393, an unusual occurrence, happening only about 2% of the time. We are participating in The Border Reivers “DYS393=12” Y-DNA Study to learn more about the possible deep ancestry ramifications of this splinter group. This haplotype, called ht-35, may have originated from individuals who took refuge from the last ice age (about 10,000 years ago) in Anatolia. To view all the Bennett Group results, visit the Bennett Group chart at FTDNA.com (See link in sidebar). Our Ipswich Bennetts are listed as Sub-group 8a in the FTDNA chart, and are easily recognized by DYS#393=12.

 

If you believe you belong to our Ipswich Bennett family line, please email us. We are very happy to share our information, and assist you, whether or not you’re interested in confirming your Bennett relationship via Y-DNA testing.