castle3
02-22-2016, 07:08 AM
The S389/L624 haplogroup has now been found in over 40 Scottish surnames. In some, the surname concerned has S389/L624 as the mainstream HG, while in others it is in the minority, or perhaps the result of an NPE etc.The HG has a north-east Scottish bias, but with hot-spots in Stirling, Argyll (nr Loch Fyne) plus Dumfries & Galloway.
Interestingly, S389/L624 falls under ZZ37, which contains S27900 - a very Welsh HG. Initially I wondered if there was something in the old myth which suggested that Cunedda, reputedly of Clackmannanshire, had settled in Wales. However, I think it likely that this was yet another case of propagandists at work trying to bolster the prowess of their ancestors. The only two S27900 testees who aren't, at the time of posting, of likely Welsh origin are via Scotland.
That said, the link to Wales needs explanation. It's been suggested that Ancient Welsh DNA most closely resembles that of the post-Ice Age settlers in Britain, so is of great interest. My current view is that Beaker Folk (metallurgists?) entered north-east Scotland, then followed the Great Glen south-west into Argyll etc. The trade route down from Argyll to Wales & Cornwall is well documented, with Cornish tin & Welsh gold found in Scottish & Irish artefacts etc. Beaker pottery was found in Llannon, Carmarthenshire which resembled that found in Ballymenach, Argyllshire. Llannon lies a few miles east of Allt Cunedda Hill, near Kidwelly. Ironically Caradoc, who is known to Welsh researchers, had a nickname which is of great interest to me as it mirrors my surname. The timescale means that this was almost certainly a coincidence!
Obviously, ancient DNA testing of Scottish remains will be vital, so the current work of bodies such as Aberdeen University etc are of great interest. In 2015, the University suggested that potential Pictish & other remains were being analysed.
Interestingly, S389/L624 falls under ZZ37, which contains S27900 - a very Welsh HG. Initially I wondered if there was something in the old myth which suggested that Cunedda, reputedly of Clackmannanshire, had settled in Wales. However, I think it likely that this was yet another case of propagandists at work trying to bolster the prowess of their ancestors. The only two S27900 testees who aren't, at the time of posting, of likely Welsh origin are via Scotland.
That said, the link to Wales needs explanation. It's been suggested that Ancient Welsh DNA most closely resembles that of the post-Ice Age settlers in Britain, so is of great interest. My current view is that Beaker Folk (metallurgists?) entered north-east Scotland, then followed the Great Glen south-west into Argyll etc. The trade route down from Argyll to Wales & Cornwall is well documented, with Cornish tin & Welsh gold found in Scottish & Irish artefacts etc. Beaker pottery was found in Llannon, Carmarthenshire which resembled that found in Ballymenach, Argyllshire. Llannon lies a few miles east of Allt Cunedda Hill, near Kidwelly. Ironically Caradoc, who is known to Welsh researchers, had a nickname which is of great interest to me as it mirrors my surname. The timescale means that this was almost certainly a coincidence!
Obviously, ancient DNA testing of Scottish remains will be vital, so the current work of bodies such as Aberdeen University etc are of great interest. In 2015, the University suggested that potential Pictish & other remains were being analysed.