About us
General Testing Status:
The first (41) Y-DNA test result panels for our members are now fully posted below, (29) results grouped in Match Clusters A-F, and then the remaining (12) tests listed in the unmatched section. Note: Due to a recent software change, the links in this section are not currently working correctly. Note the line of interest, then manually select “Project Background” tab at top left in order to go to the tab with the full line listings.- A number of members have extended their testing from basic 12-marker panels to either 25 markers or 37 markers, thus giving greater levels of definition when comparing matches. Three members have now received full extensions to 67 markers, the most markers currently available in Y-DNA testing.
- Several members have also conducted SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) testing to confirm their Haplogroup (“Hg”), and three members have further refined their Hg data through Deep Clade SNP testing, thus giving even greater definition to the geographical region and time frame for their deep ancestral origins.
- Four members have conducted mtDNA testing (HVR1 + HVR2) for their maternal lines, and mtDNA results are posted below.
- Match Cluster-A, The TRAUT Brethren of Germantown, PA (Line #2) and related lines are proven exact matches with Line #4Christian TROUT; Line #5Joseph TROUT; Line #8 Balthazar TROUT of Colebrookdale Twp, Berks, PA; Line #11 Abraham Abner TROUT; Line #24 Jacob TROUT, Sr.; and Line #33 brother Abraham and John TROUT of Turbot Twp, Northumberland, PA above. Additionally, all (7) of these lines are near-perfect matches with Line #3 Paul TRAUT above, for a combined total of (8) lines validated as coming from same TROUT genetic stream, most likely originating in the Frankenthal region of the Palatinate prior to 1708, and sharing Haplogroup “I,” meaning that they descend from Nordic or Viking peoples in terms of deep ancestral origins (thousands of years ago). Results for Line #39 John G. TROUT of Rockbridge County, VA have recently posted and display a genetic distance of one from above matches, with the exception of Line #3 with a distance of two. These results suggest John G. TROUT was also closely related to the TRAUT Brethren genetic stream. Additionally, results for Line #41, George TROUT of Cameron Parish, Loudoun, VA, also come back as a perfect match with Line #2, the TRAUT Brethren. While not yet proven, is it suspected that George TROUT was the son of Line #42, Jeremiah TROUT, also of Cameron Parish, Loudoun, VA.
- Match Cluster-B now has a fully established “DNA Reference Line”. Y-DNA testing by well-documented descendants, Jerre Penn Trout 3rd and David Henry Trout, has resulted in double-validation of the DNA Reference Line (signature Haplotype) for Line #1 Johann Wendel Georg TRAUT, and their 37-marker test results are posted below. Y-DNA testing has also now predicted Line #1 as being Haplogroup “R1b1b2." Accordingly, all (9) members of “Match Cluster - B” in our study are now proven to be directly related to Johann Wendel Georg TRAUT of near Strasburg, Lancaster, PA. Also of interest, Match Cluster - B member Levi TROUT of Rockingham County, VA (Line #37) matches with Line #13 Jacob P. TROUT above. Also of interest, results for Line #35 George TROUT of South Carolina display an exact match with Lines 13 and 37. This finding may suggest that #35 George TROUT’s line originated in VA. This would be entirely consistent with the research theory that he descended from Hans Georg TRAUT, son of Line #1 Johann Wendel Georg TRAUT, to which all member of Match Cluster - B are related.
- Match Cluster-Creports Y-DNA test results for two distant descending lines from Line #7 Henry George TROUT b. 1770 in London, England. These two distant descending lines are validated as a perfect 12/12 match as anticipated, thus fully confirming traditional genealogic research reporting the same.
- Such efforts to validate are always an important step in solid genealogical research and are a perfect example of the important relationship between genetic genealogy and traditional genealogy.
- Match Cluster-D reports a surprise near-perfect 11/12 match between Line #38 Frederick TROUT b. 1802 Lebanon(?),PA, and Line #40 Carl Adam TRAUT b. 13 Jul 1864, Germany . In that Carl Adam TRAUT did not even immigrate to the U.S. until 1882, some 80 years after Frederick TROUT had been born in Pennsylvania, the two lines must be related at a much earlier generation in Germany. There is very circumstantial evidence that Frederick TROUT may have been descended from Line #14 Johannes TRAUT, beer brewer from Lambsheim, Germany, that later settled in Upper Dublin Twp near Philadelphia. His descendants settled in Lebanon County, PA where we eventually find Frederick TROUT and family. Research Continues.
- Match Cluster-E reports the near perfect match (11 out of 12 markers) of confirmed descendants of Line #10, Rev. Stephen M. TROUT b. 1810 in Russell County, VA, d. 1893 in Pike County, KY. Such a match between separate descending lines of Line #10, Rev. Stephen TROUT helps validate the haplotype (Y-DNA signature) for Line #10, confirming that it is a unique, free-standing line not related to other TROUT lines tested so far in our study.
- Match Cluster-F reports the perfect match (12 out of 12 markers) of confirmed descendants of Line #36, William TROUT b. 1790, probably in Cumberland or Cape May counties, NJ and Line #46 John TROUT b. circa 1786, perhaps in Burlington County, NJ. Research continues regarding the relationship between various TROUT lines in southern New Jersey.
- Un-Matched Members include the remaining (12) test results panels that do not yet match other results. As additional test results come back, and as additional researchers join our project through testing, it is fully anticipated additional match clusters will result, thus continuing the process of sorting and connecting our various TROUT-variant surname lines.
- Supplemental traditional genealogy has now confirmed that Line #33 brothers Abraham and John TROUT of Turbot Twp, Northumberland, PA are actually the sons of Line #8 Balthazar TROUT, Sr. of Colebrookdale Twp, Berks, PA; who in turn is the presumptive son of Hans Georg TRAUT and grandson of Line #2 Johann Heinrich TRAUT of the TRAUT Brethren. Similarly, Line #24 Jacob TROUT, Sr. of Earl Twp, Berks, PA is now believed to also be the presumptive son of Hans Georg TRAUT and grandson of Line #2 Johann Heinrich TRAUT of the TRAUT Brethren, and therefore a brother of Line #8 Balthazar TROUT, Sr. of Colebrookdale Twp, Berks, PA.
- However, much work remains to be done. While both Line #5 Joseph TROUT and Line #11 Abraham Abner TROUT of VA are directly related and descend from the TRAUT Brethren genetic line, the intermediate generation(s) linking them to the TRAUT Brethren remains elusive, and research continues.
- Even more elusive is the relationship of Line #3 Paul TRAUT of Hellam Twp, York, PA who is a near-perfect match with the above group. It would appear that he also is related to the TRAUT Brethren, but perhaps at a much earlier generation.
- Testing has also proven that Line #13 Jacob P. TROUT, b. Ohio 1830 is directly related to Line #37 Levi TROUT b. 7 Dec 1805, Rockingham County, VA, but no obvious link has been found. Perhaps Levi had a brother that was the father of Jacob? As reported previously, this is actually the “true” genetic stream for Line #1 Johann Wendel Georg TRAUT.
- However, Y-DNA testing has proven through their shared Haplogroup (Hg) that they were not indigenous Germanic peoples as anticipated, but instead were of Nordic of Viking origins. This could have occurred (examples only) during last half of the 1500's when Netherlanders immigrated in large numbers to the Free City of Frankenthal to escape religious persecution, or in the alternative, could have been the result of Viking invasions in the 8th and 11th centuries where invaders either remained, or fathered children in their wake. While this shared Hg indicates Nordic or Viking origins, emerging population genetics research suggests that Hg “I1” (eye-one) may have first emerged in what is now Northern France many thousands of years ago, looped north through Northwest Europe, then again extending back south into Germany and Central Europe in a broad route roughly resembling a giant question mark. How fitting!
- While many other Hg test results were entirely consistent with indigenous European peoples, the second major surprise was the Hg for Line #15 Hans Martin TRAUT which came back “J2," or that is to say of Semitic origins, such as Israel. The very great genetic distance (17 steps) from Line #1 Johann Wendel Georg TRAUT is further explained by the latter being of indigenous European origins (Hg “R1b1b2").
- As a final unexpected result, results for very well documented Line #7 George TROUT, b. 1770 London, also came back as Hg “I1,” meaning this particular “English” TROUT line also ultimately had Nordic or Viking deep ancestral origins!
- Genetic research can now often help scientifically prove what we thought we knew, but in other cases, disprove our presumptive line and allow us to confidently redirect our traditional research as appropriate.
- As a reminder, you only submit one DNA sample, and any other desired testing, upgrades, SNP tests, and even mtDNA tests, can all be run at your request from your original one-time sample. You never need to submit a second sample.