About us
This is a new “work in progress” which will cover most every DNA subgroup in the project and is hoping to answer most all Grant DNA questions.
The Clan Chiefs (going back to c.1350) were all members of the haplogroup R-Z17274 which dates to approx 1300 according to FTDNA. Every known branch of the Clan Chief tree carries this haplogroup, so if you want to confirm your connection to this family please test for this SNP. In my opinion it is of a Norman or Flemish origin, and not Scandinavian. If you believe the original Chiefly line failed at some point and was replaced by that of an Andrew Stewart, this would be his DNA signature. It does NOT match the Royal Stewart line. The current Clan Grant Chief carries this haplogroup as does that of the senior line of Grant of Tullochgorm, showing that the line has been unbroken for at least 600+ years. The DNA itself is likely not Viking in origin, but it cannot be ruled out. To me it appears Flemish, but I'm not convinved just yet.
Because of the extensive DNA testing done by the various Grants in our Project, we can also identify exclusive haplogroups for many of the branches of this Chiefly tree. They include:
Grant of Corriemonie: R-A578
Grant of Glenmoriston: R-A1227 is Glenmoriston, but there are others below it that are exclusive to the family. Start with A1227, then A1226, A1225, BY122074, & FT124269. It appears A1225 is the senior line and goes back to about the 6th or 7th Glenmoriston Chief. BY122074 is lilely Duldreggen via Aeneas Grant (born 1704). FT124269 is likely affliated with Patrick Mor Grant, the 2nd Chief. So someone who tested positive for that SNP but not A1225 or BY122074 is likely a Grant of Conochan, which is a branch of the Glenmoriston tree.
Grant of Glenlochy: R-Y24898. Kilgraston, which is of Glenlochy, is R-BY128915. If you are Y24898+ but not BY128915, then you break off the Glenlochy tree before Kilgraston.
Grant of Dalvey: R-Y63034
Grant of Tullochgorm: A15558 and A15559 travel down the senior line of Tullochgorm. But there are other branches off this tree that are VERY old. So old that I cannot yet figure out their order. Those SNPs are A1234, FT225499, & FT156453.
Clan Chiaran (Grants of Auchnarrow, Dellachapple, and Glenbeg) has been identified as R-Y130104, which dates to approx. 1400 AD. You will see their group labeled as such in the DNA Results page. If you want to confirm membership to this family, test for R-Y130104 and maybe its father haplogroup R-BY38841 as well. Hank Grant has a wonderful history of them here: https://clangrant-us.org/test_site/sites/default/files/clangrant_files/docs/Branch%20-%20Clan%20Chiaran.pdf
Clan Allan (Grants of Auchernach in the Parish of Abernethy) has been identified as R-YP6488, which dates to approx 1150 AD. It’s son haplogroup is R-BY26344 (c.1500 AD). The Clan’s tradition is that they were the descendants of a younger son of an early Chief, perhaps in the 13th century. They are also representatives of the original Clan Chief line according to some of the Clan histories. Their haplogroup would support any Viking origin theories.
A Ulysses Grant descendant has not been tested yet. However, Ulysses claimed Matthew Grant (born 1601) as his earliest ancestor and there has never been a debate on this to my knowledge. Matthew had 3 surviving sons, and this project has descendants of all 3 within it’s ranks. They are indeed matches to each other, and a descendant of the oldest and youngest sons of Matthew have tested via Big Y’s. The youngest haplogroup they share would also be carried by Matthew Grant, and that haplogroup is R-BY16583. Test for this SNP if you want to prove a genetic connection to Ulysses.
The Barons Iverk (a fine history on them can be found here: https://www.grantonline.com/grant-family-genealogy/Normans-in-Ireland/3-barons-of-iverk.htm) were likely the first people named Grant in Ireland. They invaded along with Strongbow if I remember right, and set themselves up near Waterford. Milo FitxDavid was their founder, and he was suppossedly a son or grandson of Gerald of Wales. This Gerald is a historical figure and the source of many Anglo-Norman familes, including the Fitzgerald dynasty and the de Barri family. But the Grants fro Iverk do not match them. It's possible there was a natural son somewhere during the 800 years that have passed. But the matches they do have within that time frame are de Poer family that later becam Marquesses of Waterford. This family includes a knight who fought with Milo FitzDavid during the initial Invasion. These Grants carry the SNP I-FGC67519.
On our DNA Results page, you will see subgroups in many different colors. (from the top of the results page, moving downward) a light blue subgroup is likely Norse Viking in origin. Dark green are the Chiefly kits. A lighter green are kits of Celtic origins, which would include Pictish highlander types as well. There are a lot of these, and it is what we would expect genetically from the Grants that would be the native inhabitants of the various Clan Grant lands. The dark blue are likely Anglo-Saxon origin kits and are generally found in England rather than Scotland. I will discuss many more of the subgroups in the coming months of 2024.