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 fourteen members, of the Bennett surname, 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. In DNA terms, "recent" may be several hundred years. Advanced SNP testing has confirmed our haplotype to be R1b1a2a. 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.)
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. See our Y-DNA Descendancy Chart at the link on the right sidebar.
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"
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.
Thanks to Fred Bennett for his great help in proof reading and editing our site in addition to sharing his well documented Boothbay Bennett family genealogy. Fred is a very capable researcher who helps 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 descendancy 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.
Please click on the following link to view the latest chart: Bennett descendancy from Henry.
Interpreting the Chart
This chart traces the various lines of descent from Henry Bennett to our thirteen matching male Bennetts, plus four other cousins who are female or have a different surname due to the marriage of a female Bennett ancestor. Please observe that the right hand column of the chart, labeled Robert S. Bennett, FTDNA Kit#70086, leads back 9 generations, directly to Henry Bennett. Robert descends from Henry's son, Jacob. David Bennett and Ernest Bennett also descend from this line. See Nebraska and Midwest Genealogical Record, April 1940.
The remaining Bennett males tested, descend from Henry Bennett through either Moses Bennett or Benjamin Bennett, brothers from Groton, Massachusetts. Their parents were previously unknown through traditional genealogy research; but since our matching Y-DNA show we also descend from Henry Bennett, we believe Moses and Benjamin are 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 probably 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 four of us 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:: Ipswich Bennett Y-DNA Study .
When viewing the chart, note that DYS numbers in red are the faster mutating markers. Mutations 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 anomaly. 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 may also belong to our Ipswich Bennett family line, please email us. We are very happy to share our information, and assist you if you're interested in confirming your Bennett relationship with Y-DNA testing.
This page was last updated on July 18, 2011.