Duke Y-DNA

Surnames/tags: duke dukes

Contents 1 Duke Y-DNA 1.1 Results & Testing 1.1.1 John Duke from Isle of Wight, Virginia 1.1.1.1 Y-STR 1.1.1.2 Big Y SNPs 1.1.2 Henry Duke of James City, Virginia 1.1.2.1 Y-STR 1.1.2.2 Big Y SNPs 1.1.2.3 Mangum Descendants 1.1.3 South Carolina Dukes 1.1.3.1 Y-STR 1.1.3.2 Big Y SNPs 1.1.4 Joseph Dukes of Orangeburg, South Carolina 1.1.4.1 Y-STR 1.1.4.2 Big Y SNPs 1.1.5 Malone/Mitchell/Duke 1.1.5.1 Y-STR 1.1.5.2 Big Y SNPs 2 Sources

Duke Y-DNA

For males with the Duke surname (or similar variants), the best option for finding your Duke lineage is to take a Y-DNA test. The Y chromosome is only passed from father to son, and it contains relatively few mutations so that men that are separated by many generations still match closely. While several services offer this testing, Family Tree DNA has been our primary resource for identifying Duke families. If you are interested in testing your Y-DNA or don't know where to start, visit the Duke Surname Project on FTDNA and contact an administrator or one of the managers of the One Name Study on WikiTree.

This page is still in progress, and more detail will be posted later. However, no individual results can be posted here. This is only a starting point to help direct your search for your Duke ancestors. If you join the Duke Surname Project on FTDNA, you will be able to communicate with other members and compare individual results as well as receive help with analysis from administrators who may be familiar with your branch of the Duke family.

Results & Testing

The following examples are given to help you interpret your basic Y-DNA results. For detailed analysis, you should join a surname project to compare with other members.

Since the first 12 "STR" markers are usually very close matches between family groups, only those are shown here for simplicity. You don't need a deeply technical understanding of genetics to understand these numbers; they are meaningless other than looking for how many numbers match between test subjects. Close matches usually should not differ by more than 1 marker on the Y-12.^[1]

To define your family group, you should generally start with the Y-37 test simply to see if you have any matches with your surname.^[2] If you find close matches, the Big Y-700 is currently the most advanced test and would be more useful. Without matches, however, some would be disappointed in their results at that higher cost, which is why we advise you to check with a group leader who can offer more guidance. The Y-111 test can get you an even better estimate of how closely you are related to your matches than the Y-37,^[3] but since you get the Y-111 results along with the Big Y-700, it's probably not cost effective to buy it alone at this point unless your funds are limited.

For Big Y-700 tests, your haplogroup will be more specific, identifying a particular mutation (SNP)^[4] that you share at a certain point in time, which may help identify your common ancestor. The numbers and letters are not meaningful other than to think of it as a unique ID that might be assigned to one of your paternal ancestors.

Although many different Duke families have been identified,^[5] the two largest in the United States originated in the the Virginia Colony.

John Duke from Isle of Wight, Virginia

Based on the Shadrack Duke Family Bible and a matching Y-DNA signature from quite a few descendants, researchers in this family have determined that they all trace back to John Duke, who was born around 1640 in Isle of Wight, Virginia. John is only known to have one son, and most descendants are thought to come from one of 3 ancestors: John III, Robert, or William. These members were originally referred to as "Group 2" in the FTDNA study.

There also seems to be a match to the descendants of Greenberry Mangum, but their exact relationship to the Dukes remains unproven.

Y-STR

DYS393	DYS390	DYS19	DYS391	DYS385		DYS426	DYS388	DYS439	DYS389i	DYS392	DYS389ii
13	23	15	11	12	14	11	13	14*	13	11	30

Individuals who closely match this sequence of the first 12 Y-STR markers and also possess the Duke surname could potentially be part of this family group. Testers in this family on Family Tree DNA have been assigned to haplogroup I-M170, and testers on 23andMe have been assigned a deeper haplogroup of I-S6687.

* There is a common mutation on DYS439 (to 13 instead of 14) that was found in a significant portion of the group. Since that marker has a higher rate of mutation and is found on descendants thought to be from all 3 sons of John II, it is unlikely to be relevant for genealogical purposes.

Big Y SNPs

More advanced testing has allowed us to drill down even further into the descendants of John Duke. Many members of this group do not have the documentation to trace all the way back to 1640, but some new branches have been found.

• I-BY62571

  This branch seems to be common to all descendants of John Duke. Its time estimate is 1658, which would seem to be approximately the timeframe of John II. However since multiple generations can pass without seeing a single mutation, we can't be certain of the exact individual, but only that all people in this branch descend from the same man within that general timeframe.

  • I-FTB6615

    Two individuals who trace their lineage to Samuel Dukes, Jr., son of Samuel Sr. and grandson of Robert, shared this unique mutation that none of the other test subjects showed in their results. Without other testers from brothers of Samuel Jr., an exact identification is not yet possible. Although a particular STR marker on the Y-111 test seems to indicate that the younger Samuel is more likely to be the source of the mutation, the time estimate of 1714 lines up more with his father's generation.

  • I-FTB4356 and I-FTB4364

    Two individuals shared two unique mutations that none of the others had. Since the two individuals both traced their ancestors back to different sons of John II, it is hard to tell which is correct without tests from other descendants of both men. However, the current theory is that both of these branches may be linked to two men who are descendants of William and his son, John. The estimated timeframe for the common ancestor is 1803. More testers would be beneficial for this branch.

Henry Duke of James City, Virginia

This group of testers originated from haplogroup R-M269. While most seem to claim Col. Henry Duke (Sr.) or his son Capt. Henry Duke (Jr.) as their ancestors, the earliest progenitor in the Virginia seems to be Henry's father Thomas Duke, although details of his origin are unclear. This family includes many descendants, including Washington Duke, whose family endowed Duke University. These members were originally referred to as "Group 4" in the FTDNA study.

Y-STR

DYS393	DYS390	DYS19	DYS391	DYS385		DYS426	DYS388	DYS439	DYS389i	DYS392	DYS389ii
14	24	14	11	11	14	12	12	12	13	13	29

Individuals who closely match this sequence of the first 12 Y-STR markers and also possess the Duke surname could potentially be part of this family group. Testers in this family on Family Tree DNA have been assigned to haplogroup R-M269, which is quite common, so more detailed testing would be necessary for confirmation. Testers on 23andMe have been assigned a deeper haplogroup of R-CTS4065.

Big Y SNPs

More advanced testing has allowed us to drill down even further into the descendants of Henry Duke.

• R-FTA4515

  This branch currently seems to be common to all descendants of Capt. Henry Duke, although it is possible that it extends further up to his father or grandfather. Its time estimate is 1671, which would seem to align with the younger Henry. However since multiple generations can pass without seeing a single mutation, we can't be certain of the exact individual, but only that all people in this branch descend from the same man within that general timeframe.

  • R-FTD83671

    Two individuals who both theorized that their paternal line may go back to Henry, son of John Taylor Duke, were found to share this unique mutation. Since another tester who is thought to be from a descendant of Henry's brother Thomas tested into R-FTA4515 and did not match this new branch, Henry seems like the only possible identification for this branch, assuming the three testers have their lineage traced correctly. While the identification cannot be definitively confirmed yet, this branch is estimated at 1722, which would be in the right timeframe for one of JTD's sons.

Mangum Descendants

Some descendants of Chaney Mangum have often been linked to Taylor Duke.^[6][7] However, the Y-DNA tests of at least two descendants seem to disprove any relationship to not only Taylor's group, but also to the other Mangums in the Isle of Wight group—and each other:^[8]

Kit	EKA	DYS393	DYS390	DYS19	DYS391	DYS385		DYS426	DYS388	DYS439	DYS389i	DYS392	DYS389ii
25203	Taylor Duke	14	24	14	11	11	14	12	12	12	13	13	29
25161	Ellison Mangum	13	23	14	10	11	14	12	12	12	13	13	29
10841	Jesse Mangum	13	25	14	10	11	14	12	12	12	14	12	30
22492	Greenberry Mangum	13	23	15	11	12	14	11	13	14	13	11	30

Assuming each of these testers has their paternal line correctly identified back to the named ancestor, all 4 of these men are from completely different Y-DNA families and could not share any recent male ancestor.

South Carolina Dukes

This group includes several families that emigrated from counties in the South Carolina Midlands (Fairfield, Kershaw, Richland and Lexington) to Alabama and Mississippi. They are thought to be descended from an unidentified Duke(s) ancestor of Jeremiah Dukes and Benjamin Duke. Descendants include family of John Duke of Lancaster Co SC, whose sons John and Moses Duke went on to Barnwell Co., SC, with John later immigrating to Tatnall Co., GA. These members were originally referred to as "Group 5" in the FTDNA study.

Y-STR

DYS393	DYS390	DYS19	DYS391	DYS385		DYS426	DYS388	DYS439	DYS389i	DYS392	DYS389ii
13	24	14	11	13	14	12	12	13	13	13	29

Individuals who closely match this sequence of the first 12 Y-STR markers and also possess the Duke surname could potentially be part of this family group. Testers in this family on Family Tree DNA have been assigned to haplogroup R-M269, which is quite common, so more detailed testing would be necessary for confirmation.

Big Y SNPs

The branch for the common Duke ancestor likely has not been discovered yet, because only one descendant in this group has taken the Big Y test.

• R-BY19081

  Although a descendant of Darrington Dukes has tested into this haplogroup, it is the parent of another group of testers who have a non-Duke surname. This could indicate that there is a deeper branch waiting to be discovered for the common ancestor of those with the Duke surname, as there are still 13 private variants to be identified between the two branches. Its time estimate is 1540.

  • R-FGC32195

    Three men with a non-Duke surname formed this more recent branch under this SNP. Its origin is estimated at 1857. Their connection to the Dukes, if any, is unknown.

Joseph Dukes of Orangeburg, South Carolina

This group includes descendants of Joseph Dukes, first documented in the Orangeburg parish records of Rev. John Giessendanner in 1750. His parentage has not been proven, although DNA studies have eliminated many possible origins. These members were originally referred to as "Group 1" in the FTDNA study.

Y-STR

DYS393	DYS390	DYS19	DYS391	DYS385		DYS426	DYS388	DYS439	DYS389i	DYS392	DYS389ii
12	23	14	10	13	15	11	15	11	13	11	29

Individuals who closely match this sequence of the first 12 Y-STR markers and also possess the Duke surname could potentially be part of this family group. Testers in this family on Family Tree DNA have been assigned to haplogroup J-M172.

Big Y SNPs

The branch for the common Duke ancestor likely has not been discovered yet, because only one descendant in this group has taken the Big Y test.

• J-Y23163

  One descendant has tested into this haplogroup under J2a1a1a2b2. However, more testers are needed to bring it into modern times. Its current time estimate is 1255 BCE.

Malone/Mitchell/Duke

At least two Duke descendants have matches to Malone and Mitchell Y-DNA. The common ancestor between the Dukes and the Mitchells has not been determined. It appears that there may have originally been an NPE from Malone to Mitchell, but since one Malone descendant also matches this haplogroup, it is unclear if the Duke NPE came from a Malone or a Mitchell.

Y-STR

DYS393	DYS390	DYS19	DYS391	DYS385		DYS426	DYS388	DYS439	DYS389i	DYS392	DYS389ii
15	24	15	10	15	16	11	13	11	14	12	30

Individuals who closely match this sequence of the first 12 Y-STR markers and also possess the Duke surname could potentially be part of this family group. Testers in this family on Family Tree DNA have been assigned to haplogroup I-M223.

Big Y SNPs

The branch for the common ancestor likely points to a Malone at this time. The Mitchell testers did not form their own sub-branch, and only one Duke descendant in this group has taken the Big Y test. It is possible that another Duke tester in this group could identify a more recent branch for the common Duke ancestor.

• I-Y46292

  This branch identifies men with Malone, Mitchell, and Duke surnames. Its current time estimate is 1666.

Sources

1. ↑ "If two men share a surname, how should the genetic distance at 12 Y-chromosome STR markers be interpreted?" Family Tree DNA, help center article, (https://learn.familytreedna.com/y-dna-testing/y-str/two-men-share-surname-genetic-distance-12-y-chromosome-str-markers-interpreted/ : archived 7 October 2022).
2. ↑ "If two men share a surname, how should the genetic distance at 37 Y-chromosome STR markers be interpreted?" Family Tree DNA, help center article, (https://learn.familytreedna.com/y-dna-testing/y-str/two-men-share-surname-genetic-distance-37-y-chromosome-str-markers-interpreted/ : archived 2 October 2022).
3. ↑ "If two men share a surname, how should the genetic distance at 111 Y-chromosome STR markers be interpreted?" Family Tree DNA, help center article, (https://learn.familytreedna.com/y-dna-testing/y-str/two-men-share-surname-genetic-distance-111-y-chromosome-str-markers-interpreted/ : archived 6 October 2022).
4. ↑ "Y-SNP Testing," Family Tree DNA, help center article, (https://help.familytreedna.com/hc/en-us/articles/4414479800463-Y-SNP-Testing : accessed 31 May 2023).
5. ↑ "Duke Y-DNA Results," Family Tree DNA, group surname study, (https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/duke/dna-results : accessed 31 January 2024).
6. ↑ Newnham, Blaine. "N. Carolina, Duke Rivalry Is Like Hatred," Seattle Times, 19 March 1998 (https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19980319&slug=2740463 : accessed 1 July 2023).
7. ↑ "Discussion of Broken Lineage DNA Markers," Mangum DNA Project, (https://mangum-parham.com/Broken2.htm : accessed 1 July 2023).
8. ↑ "Mangum Y-DNA Results," Family Tree DNA, group surname study, (https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/mangum_related/dna-results : accessed 13 March 2024).