In the late 1990s I did not know anyone in my family tree past my grandfather. The advent of the internet and online family research has led me to discoveries I did not know were possible. With the remarkable assistance of the Laminack/Lomenick/Lominac family branches and especially the women who now have different surnames but held on to their original family history for us to share, we have an accurate paper trail to the Rheinland Pfalz in the early 17^th century in the name of Balthasar Lamineck and his son Matthias (1643-1675). This is the paternal line of the J2 group in the study who apparently have an ancient surname, perhaps extending to other similar names i.e. a Matthias Lamneck in the 16^th century, Theod. De Lameneck inthe 14^th century and Ulrichus de Lomnich (Oldrich Z Lomnice) from Lomnice (now Czech Republic) as early as 1224. 

    The two representatives (Lomenech/Laumenech) from Brittany, France are L21, a prevalent haplogroup on the western Atlantic coast of Europe and apparently... a wholly different surname origin though it is phonetically near exact.  Their name is derived from the small 5^th century monastery town of Lochmenech(now Locmine) in Brittany which basically means location of the monks/monastery.  The L21 haplogroup just happens to be a fairly immediate precursor of my own haplogroup, the M222. The newly discovered marker DF23 stands between the M222 and L21. In effect, my line branched off from them probably some 2-3 millennia ago (to be determined).

    Paternal DNA testing or Y-DNA has taken my particular branch to another place entirely…North West Ireland and perhaps, Lowland Scotland. I am positive for the M222 NW Irish cluster.  It is apparent that my branch beginning with Lattie Buck Lominac (1895-1984) assumed the surname by other means i.e.adoption, out of wedlock birth etc. Currently working with the very close matches of the Irish “Freeman”surname to see where that connection happens and just where it goes.  Also working with the M222 NW Irish project to see where we will ultimately go…currently centering on Irish septs from Donegal and of course the family of 5^th century Irish Warlord Niall Noigiallach and his many sons....