DNA Testing For Scots-Irish

The basics:  The Scots-Irish DNA project recommends the 111 marker Y chromosome DNA test.  If this is not within your budget, the 67 will do and the 37 is an acceptable start.  We use the Family Tree DNA lab in Houston, Texas.

Who are the 'Scots-Irish?'  Or Scotch-Irish?  Generally speaking the Scots-Irish are the descendants of settlers to Colonial and early Republic America from the nine counties of the province of Ulster, in Ireland.  As a group the Scots-Irish were majority Presbyterian, though not all were and most descended from Scots families that had migrated to Ireland.  Also of note, some 'Scots-Irish' migrated to the Colonies from other parts of Ireland outside of Ulster.

The main migration of Scots to Ireland came during the Ulster Plantation (circa 1609 to early 1700s).  These Scots came primarily from the Scottish Lowlands. There is also a substantial number of Highland Scots that became Scots-Irish.  Most of these Highland Scots descend from families from Argyll, Lennox, and the Hebrides, that migrated to Ulster in the 1500s. 

There are other components of the Scots-Irish which include French Huguenot, Manx, and Border English, who settled in Ulster and migrated to the New World in the Ulster Migration.  They married into and became part of the people and society we now call Scots-Irish.

There was also a large migration of Presbyterian Irish into Canada in the nineteenth century. They went mainly to New Brunswick and Ontario.  Many of these families were of 'Ulster Scots' ancestry from both Lowland Scottish and Highland Scottish ancestry.  In the past the term Scots-Irish has not been applied to this group, but increasingly the term has expanded to include the descendants of the Canadian migration. Nomenclature has been problematic in regards to the Scots-Irish for a long time.  The term today reflects a better awareness of the descendants of Ulster Scots in the Diaspora.

Most families 'know' or self-identify as Scots-Irish.  These are the families that are participating in the Scots-Irish DNA project.

The Laggan Army 1640s

James McKeane, above, believed to be the grandfather of James McKeen of the 1718 fleet fame

One valuable primary source for Scots-Irish family historians is the 1642/43 muster rolls for the Laggan Army. This muster roll includes the many Scottish families settled in east Donegal from Lifford, north into Inis Eogháin.  The list reflects the makeup of the Scottish settlement and there are surnames from the Scottish Highlands, primarily from mid Argyll and Lennox and from the Lowlands, primarily from Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Gallowaysrhire.

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The Portlough Muster Roll 1630

One early primary source available for Scots-Irish research is the 1630 and 1642 muster rolls taken in those areas settled by Scots.  In the Laggan district in east Donegal the Scots' settlement was in the Portlough precinct.  It is interesting for several reasons, not only does it show Lowland Scottish settlement from Ayrshire, but also many Highland Scots from Argyll and Lennox.  In a muster such as this one the abled bodied men of every family in the district was expect to appear.  This makes the muster rolls function like a census.    If you have DNA tested and your match group includes links to the Laggan, your ancestor will very likely be on this muster roll.


Below is the entire Portlough 1630 muster roll.  The surnames have been left as they were written.

 

1.  The Lord Duke of Lynox, undertaker of 4000 acres, his men and armes

Swords Only

Robert Leackye

James Wood

Andrew Wood

Mathew Lyndsey

William Douglas

Robert Lyndsay

Robert Buchanan

John Galbreath

Alexander Buchanan

Alexander Lawder

James Denniston elder

Andrew Royare

William Laughlan

John Lowrye

John Ralston

William Cokeran

Hector Hinman

Robert Cocheran

John Buchanan

John mcConochy

Robert mcPeter

George Haldin

Robert Horner

Donell Galey

Robert mcKyndely

Robert Glass

Archbell Campbell

ffyndley mcKindley

Andrew mctyre

Alexander Galbreath

John mcKaire

John Thromble

John Smyth

Dunkan mcffarlen

Patrick mcNeron

Wm. McLentock

George Colmories

Robert mcffarlan

John mcffarlan

Patt  mcAndrew

Patt. mcArthur

Robert Denyston

Donnell mcBaxter

John Boyd

Humfrey Colquphone

William Gulilan

John Steward

John McIlman

John Scot

Robert Boyde

Thomas Lowrye

Swords and Snaphances

John Wood

John Martin

John mcLenochan

John Cambell elder

William Deneston

John Buchanan

John Cambell

John mcffarlan

Donnell mcffarlan

Robert Michell

Costyme Ranckein

John Allen

Gilbert mcLyntock

John Brice

James Allan

Dunkan Speney

Thomas Ramsey

John Cock

James Cock

Andrew Cock

William Scot

John mcCawly

John mcGourden

Andrew Lackye

James mcKennye

James Hustone

Robert Lackye

Snaphances Only

James Dromond

Archbald Gambell

 

Swords and Pikes

Morrice mcConnell

John Cocheran

John Snodgarse

John Cambell younger

Owen mcNair

David Lyndsay

Alexander mcLentock

Robert Aickeene

Robert Morison

James Kilsoe

Donnell mcNichol

Dunkan Cambell

Donnell mcBaxter elder

Robert Barlaine

James Richye

John Swayne

John Valentyne

Dunkan Graham

 

Pikes Only

Robert Calmeris

Andrew Calmeris

Sword and Halbert

Hugh Greire

Sword and Calleuer

John mcffarlan

 

No Arms

John Royer,

Morrice Peacock

Walter Lowrye

William mcNevin

Robert Campbell

John mcKyndley

David mcKan

John mcIldonagh

Dunkan mcffarlan

John Crawfford

John Sempell

James Symison

William mcarthur

Robert Reroch

Thomas Crafford

Camack mcCole

Henry Cruse

John Barlone

Thomas Swaine

Patrick Porlerm

Randall mcAlexander

John Douglas

James Logan

Alexander Hamond

Mathew Gillrew

William Hewes

Robert Leman

Donnell mcCahey

Adam Quahone

Neece mcGilrouse

John mcffarlan

Walter Deneston

Anthony Steward

William Noble

John Parmenter

Andrew Galbreath

Willliam Wood

John Wood

John Steward

James Deneston

James Muthey

John Pecock

Walter Roger

Robert Craufourd

John Brittein

Archbald Ballintyne

John Young

Thomas mcKeeg

Gawen mcConnell

John Logan

John Watson

Lamock mcColl

Walter Henry

John Buchanan

Robert Cambell

David Gibb

Dunkan Crafford

John Pearce

George Allyson

John mcGillione

 

2.  The Lady Conningham Widdow of Sir James Conningham, undertaker of 2,000 acres, her men and armes.

Swords and Pikes

William Conningham

James Calquahan

Andrew mcCorkill

John mcCorkill

Tobias Hood

James Davye

Peter Starret

John mcquchowne

James Knox

Adam Garvance

 

Swords and Snaphances

James mcAdowe

ffyndlay Ewing

Dunkan mcffarlan

Ninian ffoulton

James Scot

William Rankin

Daniell Ramsay

Martin Galbreath

Patrick Porter

 Swords and Calleuers

William mcIltherne

David Walker

John Barbor

Sword and Halbert

James Makee

 Swords Only

Andrew George

James mcIlman

Michaell Rot[h?]es

Patrick Miller

Robert Muntgomery

Alexander Conningham

Richard Leaky

Robert Staret

John mcIlhome

Sallomon Giffin

David Reed

Donnell mcDonnell

Alexander Carlell

William Gafeth

 

No Arms

Gilbert Highgate

Patrick Porter

Robert Hasta

William Gambell

John Hunter

John Crawfford

Robert Johnston

Henry Smyth

William Boyes

David Ramsay

William Steward

Robert Crafford

James Conningham

Andrew Conningham

John Crafford

John Hunter

John Wilson

James Bredyne

Mungo Davy

William Richey

John mcIlhome

Henry Hunter

John mcHutchon

James Rankin

William Killy

Robert Pots

William Gambell

John Lyone

James Knox

 

3.  William Steward Esqr.  Lard of Dunduff, undertaker of 1,000 acres, his men and armes.

Swords Only

Archbald Thomson

Andrew Thompson

Robert Alexander

John mcKey

David Kenedye

Patrick Baruzathyn

Anthony Steward

John Steward

Archbald Steward

John Browne

Andrew Browne

Edward Roger

John Moore,

John mcCullagh

John Moire

Patrick Conningham

John Allyson

John Smeally

 Swords and Pikes

John Davidson

Archbald mcEmmory

Roary mcCleane

Patrick Thomson

Donnell Or

Mungo David

John Cambell

John mcLynienie

Archbald Hourd

William Houston

James mcKee

Anthony Kenedy

George Steward

John mcClen

John Cambell

Hugh Gamill

 Swords and Muskets

Robert Thomson

John ffife

 Swords and Snaphances

James Squire

John Conningham

Steaphen Marshell

John Smyth

Michaell Smith

Michaell mcCleary

Donnell Cambell

Archbald Bredene

 

No Arms

John Kelly

Humphrey Cooke

William Wan

ffynley mcKirdly

Alexander mcClaney

John Conningham

John mcffay

Donnell mcNevin alias McNit

John mcKee younger

John mcWalker

James mcKergour

David Kenedy

Alexander mcWilliam

Patrick Steward

Donnell mcCarslaire

James Kenellye

John Campbell

 4.  Mr. Alexander Steward, undertaker of 1,000 acres, his men and armes.

Swords and Pikes

John mcIlwane

Callum mcMuyre

James Cambell

Robert mcKenily

William To[y]es

William Conningham

William Home

Neall mcCurid

Alexander Cambell

 

Swords and Snaphances

Alexander Cambell

John mcKenely

Robert Boyd

Robert Henedy

Storiment Carr

 

Sword and Musket

John Niweme younger

Sword and Target

Walter mcffarlen

Swords Only

John Kennan

Ninian Steward

 

No Arms

Andrew Cambell

Gilbert mcKenny

John Gillaspy

Robert Steward

John Steward

Archbald Steward

William Cambell

James ffyfe

Arch Alexander

John Roger

John Boyill

William Boyill

John Cambell

Gilbert mcCan

 5.  James conningham Esqr.  undertaker of 1,000 acres, his men and armes.

Swords Only

Andrew Crafford

John Gills

Hugh Lokehart

Arch ffynlagh

ffynlay mcCredy

John Browne

Swords and Pikes

John Alexander

George White

Snaphances Only

Andrew Arnott

John Alexander

Adnarle Hoomes

Robert Graham

 

Swords and Snaphances

John Smyth

William Gall

Andrew Smyth

James Gillmore

Robert Roger

Thomas Roger

Thomas Lars

John Adam

Robert Davison

Michaeli Beare

Swords and Halberts

Robert mcKeene

Mathew Giesse

 

No Arms

James ffulloone

George Steavenson

Joseph Browne

William Galbreath

Hugh Leag

Andrew Browne

John Harper

Thomas Stole

Patrick Robison

John Enery

Andrew Leag

John Hururence

John Hamilton

James ffulloone

Robert Patterson

John Cunningham

George Naught

Hugh Leag

James Browne

John mcEuan

George Speare

Mathew mcCadame

John Dyne

Andrew Dyne

Arch Boyle

John Calwell

Robert mcCamy

Robert mcCamy younger

Dunkan mcWrick

Thomas Richmoule

John mcJohn Keine

Mungo Willy

Andrew Cambell

Hugh Mure

Andrew Callhow

 

6.  Mr. John Steward, undertaker of 1,000 acres, his men and armes.

Swords Only

Arch Steward

Andrew Cambell

William Cambell

Illime mcKaine

James ffife

John Steward

 

Pike Only

John Barkly

 

Sword and Snaphance

William Conningham

Sword and Pike

John Bullesine

Pike Only

Robert Steward

John Boyle

John Roger

Arch Alexander

 

No Arms

William Conningham