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Messages - Wilgil86

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Ireland / Re: Gillan Gillen Gillon
« on: Sunday 07 July 24 05:36 BST (UK)  »
Mark. There comes a point in Irish genealogy where everyone hits a brick wall because of issues with lack of records, and unfortunately it is fairly recent, 1800-1820s for most. Many people have gotten to the brick wall point that you are at, and have either given up on Irish genealogy or began YDNA testing. It's has become popular especially for those of Irish descent because it opens up more avenues of research. Unlike Autosomal DNA which fades away after a few generations YDNA will tell you who you are related to for thousands of years as well so you can see where your family branched off from other families over the centuries.

An extra benefit of YDNA testing is that you can connect to people that have a connection to a certain area or a certain person already and can join projects to further your Genealogy research.

I myself have tested the BigY at FTDNA, and am trying to find more Gillen/Gillan connections. Through autosomal DNA I have matches in county Mayo, Sligo, Donegal, Tyrone, and Antrim. As you have said in a post your Gillens may be of Scottish descent which is something I am trying to prove as well, YDNA testing can help. Reach out if you have questions. - Bill Gillen

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Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition / Re: Help with 1574 Scottish Will
« on: Sunday 10 April 22 15:14 BST (UK)  »
CRB83 I'm not sure if you've looked into the MacLellans but there are a number of variations of that name that are similar and your name could have come from them as well as the other you referenced. Their progenitor was Cane MacGillolane. That over the years turned into the Various MacLellan variants including Lane and Lolane. There is also a shared kindred at that point with clan MacMillan and clan Leny. Your family could have split from Cane MacGillolane.

You are M222, there are 2 groups of MacLellans that are M222+. One group tested at A725+ my terminal haplogroup and the other will test the same and possibly advance my terminal. This group that tested A725 specifically is referenced by the MacLellan project to split from the McHargue family which I've read that you are closely matched to. Also Grierson is another name in A725 another of your matches as is McGlynn mentioned in another post. If you are on FTDNA my Kit number is 964686 for you to reference and compare. Beware though that you cannot trust STRs if you are M222 due to convergence so the only trustworthy test is the BigY. I also match MacDougalls, MacDowells, Macdonalds closely with STRs but do not match them in a reasonable time-frame with SNPs. I suspect you have those same matches. My interest in your threads is because I think that you and I are related in the last few hundred years and I am also looking for the origin and changes in my surname. I responded to another of your threads about Nithdale.

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Scotland / Re: Trying to establish a connection between two surnames in medieval Nithsdale
« on: Sunday 10 April 22 14:22 BST (UK)  »
Have you tried big Y testing on FTDNA to help. I too am trying to find the origin of my name and through searching my distant BigY match to a Galyean I found this thread.

My GG grandfather was born in Randallstown Northern Ireland in County Antrim between 1865 and 1873 depending on which records I am to believe. His name was Alexander Gillen. Which is still the family surname but Gillan was also used by his father Alexander born 1847 as were the names Gillion and Gillian on most of the Catholic baptisms of my GG grandfathers siblings. Those are the oldest records I have because of the name change and I mostly searched Gillen. I suspect that their ancestors came from Scotland at some point possibly the plantation or as MacDonnell gallowglass. In a post of yours you said some of your family went to Ireland during the plantation and settled in Dungannon. Interestingly that is near Ballygillen, maybe coincidence. The names Gillian and MacLean are related patronymic and Galyean seems like it could be an earlier version of Gillian. Iirc he and I match at SNP FGC4077. My terminal haplogroup is downstream of that and is called A725. I match a MacLean at that level. Would that be you?

Most of my matches at level A725 are in the areas of Dal Riata and Galloway. I match in that haplogroup the names Kennedy, Kelly, MacMillan, Mullen, MacLellan, Ryan, Gartland, Galloway, Hoy, Cannon, McCann, Coyne, Quinn, MacLean, Murray, Morris, Morrison, Byrnes, Ross, and Taggart among others.

Perhaps this information will be helpful.

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