Discussion of Results:

More detailed trees can be seen when looking at the list of researchers & participants..

To-date there are 97 sets of results (these include 3 siblings, their uncle and uncle's cousin: also a father and son). Of these 98 sets of Atkinson results 46 can be grouped into 12 possible family groups. Groups are becoming more evident. Of the remaining 49 individuals a fair number can't be grouped purely because they haven't tested on a sufficient number of markers to give conclusive results. A number of individuals can be linked quite closely to other surnames indicating possible early descent from these other families. Likewise a number of non Atkinson individuals can be linked to Atkinson families; suggesting early Atkinson origins.

NB: where data has been obtained from the Sorenson Project the person who tested is unknown. The names used refer to an ancestor of the participant.

FAMILY ONE:

For me all five objectives of the DNA Study have been achieved. I had my own Y Chromosome results checked. (Both my brother's, my paternal uncle* and his cousin have taken part.) The results are becoming increasingly promising. Recently (Nov '08), a unique SNP has been identified (L6) which may be a 'private family SNP', and if found should be evidence of a link to my branch of Atkinson's.
 

I started my family research some 30yrs ago and almost immediately hit a brick wall with my main branch. At last with a bit of research in Kew and a DNA test I think I'm in the process of bridging that wall. The chief problem is that Atkinson is such a common name. Particularly in the north of England. And they all seem to have the same Christian names.

My GtGt Grandfather William Atkinson was c.1808 at Bishop Burton son of John & Ann. They had two children at Bishop Burton and then vanished. I found myself drowning in a sea of John & Ann Atkinson's. I found a possible candidate for his parents....but proving it! This John Atkinson & Ann (nee Waugh) married in Beverley in 1804. So the timing was good as was the locality. A possible source to research was that this John claimed he was in the Cumberland Militia. Did this mean he was from Cumberland or Yorkshire...and where exactly?

I seem to have found him in the Militia Records at Kew. His regiment was encamped on Beverley Westwood at that time (even closer to Bishop Burton). The first reference of him in the Militia is in Penrith, Cumberland in 1799. To-date I've found no attestation papers but a later reference to a John lists a John as being from Edenhall, Cumberland. Possibly the same John? Question is, is the John from Cumberland my ancestor? Another trip to Kew is still warranted.

I have found very distant matches to individuals by the name of Atkinson; indicating that my Atkinson line is traceable in an unbroken line to ancient times. However, as time goes on, I have found many links to individuals bearing other surnames. My closest matches are non Atkinson. The implication of this is that they have earlier Atkinson origins i.e.  The chances are that they descend from my branch of Atkinson's via a non-paternity event. These surnames include: Guinn, Cope, Maxwell and Rastrick.

The DNA Study is proving useful. I already know my gene results are rare. All the better in that I have found a connection with Mike Atkinson in the USA who shares this rare result. Mike and I, based on comparing 48 markers, are at a genetic distance of 5. Mike is descended from Wiley A Atkinson son of Burnwell Atkinson bn 1814. Good unusual names. I had speculated that, Burnwell was descended from a Shadrack Atkinson bn 1706 who emigrated to the USA. See http://www.atkinson-family.com/info.htm . My hopes here have proved ill founded. A descendent of Shadrack (Richard) has since tested and there is no connection.

Searching the Sorenson Database http://www.smgf.org/ I found John Fate Atkinson son's results. Jimmy is the earliest ancestor of John Fate. He was born on the 20th March 1830 at Hartsville, South Carolina and married Nellie Pope. Of interest Mike's family are from this area. It is clear that myself and Mike & John Fate share a common forebear.  For example, his father or grandfather, or even further back. John Fate differs from Mike on one marker DYS 438. Chris & Mike are both DYS 438/12, John Fate DYS 438/13. This is significant in that this is clearly a mutation that has taken place from the early ancestor down John Fate's line. It will be present in all John's descendents but not Mike's. Any Atkinson's in the USA with this marker will be able to localize themselves to John's branch of the family. This may give them clues as to localities in which to focus their research but certainly as to family groups. Mike has successfully traced John's son, who we now know to be Fred Atkinson. Fred & Mike match at a genetic distance of 1 based on 43 markers. they have a 50% probability of being connected within 4 generations or a 95% probability of being connected within 13 generations. Mike always suspected a connection with his family and that of Phillip. Phillip has now taken part, confirming Mike's assumptions. He tested 37 markers. He is at a GD of 1 from both Mike and Fred.

Of late we have found a connection to Donald Wayne Atkisson & Eric Norman Atkisson. Though they have yet to find a papertrail connection they are clearly connected to Mike, Fred & Phil.

*my Uncle Eric has a mutation not present in myself, my brother's or his cousin, indicating that this mutation would not have been evident in his father my grandfather.

Joseph would appear to be a distant connection to myself. We could only compare 32 markers together as he had tested with a different company.  We mismatched on three markers.  I purchased the further 5 markers, enabling a 37:37 comparison. This changed the match to a 32:37 match. He has also taken part in the Sorenson project and in all now has 47 markers back. This now becomes a 42:47 match. He is classed as being at a Genetic Distance of 5 from myself. This is a very distant connection. His kin are traceable to a William Atkinson bn. circa 1730 lived in Brunswick County, VA and d.1807. William married a Martha Pepper. Like myself, Joseph has taken a test to look at his deep ancestry. It is through this test that one can identify the L6 SNP, as discussed above. Joseph, like myself Joseph is positive for L6.

The GD's between myself and Phillip are very high ie 7 & Philip & Joe 8. These distances would be questionable for a link but other factors taken into account suggest that this link, within the time frame of surnames, does indeed exist. My suggestion is that the link between Chris & Joe is very early in the history of surnames. That Chris (that is myself), has a closer connection with Mike & Fred's ancestor and that from one of his sons Phil's line descends. As time goes on I hope we can provide more evidence for these suppositions.

Six non Atkinson individuals have been found to be connected to this family group. Namely, RICK RAKESTRAW, RICHARD MAXWELL, GARRY MAXWELL, ROBERT LEE HENDRIX, EARLE COPES & JOHN HAROLD GUINN. The  two Maxwell's have a shared connection to a William Maxwell born 1815-20 in Ireland. Moving to Scotland in the 1840's.  Rick & Robert are a closer match to each other. The latter two are quite a close connection to myself; possible sharing ancestors about 6 generations back. The DNA indicates that all 6 share Atkinson ancestry.

There is a possibility that David Paul Atkinson is very distantly connected to this family (I'm inclined to think that he is). Robert Lee Hendrix's recent 67 marker results adds evidence to this. In that he is at almost equi-distant from both myself, Joe & David. Robert has also been found to be positive for the SNP L6. If all the individuals above where found to be L6 it would eliminate any doubts that they all belong to the same family.

Earle Copes has tested on 43markers tested with Ancestry.com. His results show that he is potentially connected to the Atkinson's. He knows that his grandfather was adopted.  He may find the markers tested by FTDNA (in their 3rd band 26-37 markers) may be of use to him. That plus the L6 SNP - in truth, in his position I would go the whole way and take the 67 marker test and L6.

James Harold Guinn is my closest match. As such I would love to have some information on his ancestry.

FAMILY TWO:

Marcus Wilson Acheson & Larry P Atkinson I have written to both these individuals but am yet to receive a reply regarding their ancestry. Any connection is possibly distant and seems to fall away at the 95% probability level. Thus, the best I can say on the numbers of markers they have tested on is that this is a possible match.

FAMILY THREE:

Robert Nelson Atkinson's grandson & Leander Atkinson's son are both participants in the Sorenson project. John Allen Adkison has now tested on 43 markers with Relative Genetics: he is an exact match to Robert Nelson Atkinson's grandson and 42:43 to Leander Atkinson's son. They are clearly connected. I note that the Sorenson project list Leander's earliest ancestor as Cornelius Atkinson bn 1739 Ireland. There are a number of other possible matches but based on insufficient numbers of markers. Here I've included Frank Atkinson.

FAMILY FOUR:

FRANK ATKINSON & DON VINCENT ATKINSON appear to match. I have written to them both for more information but am yet to receive a reply.

FAMILY FIVE:

James L Atkisson & Steve Prescott Attkisson both have a papertrail back to Henry Atkinson b. 1685 Va. The DNA seems to confirm this. For certainty it would be of benefit if James upgraded his markers as these conclusions are only based on 21 markers which he can compare to Steve. This really isn't enough to be 100% sure. But certainly Steve Prescott Attkisson has a match with Julian Silas Adkins. They have both tested on 67 markers and match at a GD of 3 out of 67. this gives them a 50% probability of a connection within 7 generations and a 955 probability of a connection within 15 generations. Recently I have been able to add John Harry Atkinson III to this family group.

See also Asa Carl Atkins (list of Atkinson researchers). Carl is descended from a female branch of the family.

NB: For the rest of this study I will not give further reference to individuals who have only tested on 12 markers - it is clearly insufficient for a prolific names such as Atkinson

Family Seven:

I've placed these 5 individuals in one family group but am uncertain. This may be one family with very ancient links and consequent large genetic distances. However, if one looks at the 95% probability table the links fall apart. We may in fact be looking at 3 different families. See the discussion in family 6 above regarding the two Alfred's, who are clearly kin.

Family Eight:

Richard Berrie Atkinson and Rev Joel Walter Atkinson are clearly connected at a GD of 1 out of 37 markers. Van  belongs to the same family group being an exact match to Joel but having only tested on the 32 markers he can compare with him. Van tested  with RG. and has tested with the Sorenson project. Bennett Stevens Atkinson is an exact match with him - I have been unable to contact him.  Mark Allen Adkison has tested 67 markers with FTDNA. He matches Joel Walter Atkinson at a GD of 2 out of 37 markers. I've been unable to contact him or access his results.

Family Nine:

Willard Glenn Atkinson & Ken Adkisson can both trace their roots back to Elijah Adkinson bn abt 1802. He married Sally Todd 1823, Warren County., KY. I am yet to receive a tree for Jeffrey Carl Atkisson.

Family Ten:

Jerry Adkisson has a match with an individual who has tested on Sorenson. This individual's grandfather is listed as Lillard Thurston but their Gt Grandfather listed as James Sherman Adkisson & GGrandfather as William Walker Adkisson bn. Maury Co.,Tn. Thus, he not only has a papertrail back to a shared ancestor of Jerry but is also an exact match on 43 markers.

Family Eleven:

David N Atkinson has a match to an individual who tested with Sorenson. David's family have roots back to Cheshire. This individual descends from a 'Johnny', Atkinson bn. in Ireland.

Family Twelve:

This is a possible very distant match with an individual who tested with Sorenson descended from Thomas Atkinson bn abt 1730 of Mansfield, NJ, USA & an individual on Ancestry who has signed up to the Atkinson group.

The other participants have yet to find connections.

Note: Robert & William are in fact first cousins. There has been a family legend that William's grandfather was illegitimate. This has been confirmed by their results. Furthermore the story indicates that William's Gt Grandfather had the surname Fulford. He has in fact been found to match a member of the 'Fulford DNA Study', confirming both strands of this family legend and enabling his line to be taken back to the early 1700's.

NB James Atkisson & Arthur Atkinson show possible connections to members of the Atkin DNA Study

The descendent of Joseph Atkinson bn circa 1790 in Northumberland, would appear to be potentially connected to a number of the group participants i.e., he is at a GD of 2 from Rob Atkinson (based on 26 markers), a GD of 3 to Van (based on 26 markers), GD 3 to John A Adkison (also on 26 markers), and a GD of 1 to Robert Louis (only comparing 12 markers). It would be interesting to see if this was to be borne out further in any of these individuals with upgraded markers.

_{NB: My best advice to people is to test on as many markers as they can afford. certainly 25 or more (preferably 37 or more). For a common surname like Atkinson any less, in my opinion, is meaningless. When results have been received upload them to Y Search - this will enable access to a larger database then individual companies maintain, thus increasing the odds of finding a match. (I think it also helps to upload a Gedcom File). When reading results I would suggest that the number of generations back to the earliest origin of surnames is probably no more than 20 to 30 generations ie about 800 yrs. Finally, if you don't have a paper-trail which is confirmed by the DNA, I would probably be guided by the 95% probability results.}

_{*NNB: I worry that despite writing to everyone for information & permission not everyone has returned my messages. I don't wish to infringe anyone's privacy, or pester anybody and nothing I've written should compromise anyone in any way but if people object please contact me and I will withdraw what infmation I have written. I do believe that for people to get the best service for their investment involves the sharing of data.}