Calling All Sligo, Ireland Wynnes to Get Y DNA Tested !

… and Join the FTDNA Winn/Wynne Surname Project

Are we Sligo Wynnes Welsh?

Are we genetically Celtic? Anglo? Saxon? Jute?

Are we native Irish Wynnes?

Are we from Hazelwood Wynnes?

How close are we family to each other in Sligo?

These are the questions Y DNA testing will answer.

The Winn/Wynn/Wynne Surname Project on FTDNA

The Irish Y DNA Project on FTDNA

What is Y DNA Testing?

Most of the ancestry DNA testing is of the 22 pairs of autosomal chromosomes. Examples are 23andMe, Ancestry, MyHeritage, MyFamilyTreeDNA, & CRIGenetics. These of course have become invaluable in helping with ancestry and family tree building etc. However, the Y chromosome has some very unique properties to it that make its testing worthwhile as well and its results incredibly informative in genealogy.

How is Y Chromosome testing unique and powerful?

First, because it’s only passed from father to sons along the paternal lineage, it essentially follows the surname in those cultures where surnames are passed along paternal lines. So any given male Wynne should have a Y chromosome with haplotypes (single nucleotide variations) unique to all Wynnes. While female Wynnes do not have a Y chromosome they are still just as much a Wynne and simply have to recruit a male Wynne relative for their Y DNA. See below for more information. ( more specifically, this applies only to “biologic male biologic Wynnes” belonging to an unbroken chain of male biologic Wynnes — “biologic” means both being born with a Y chromosome and not being adopted into the family).

Second, because the Y chromosome stands alone within the cell nucleus by itself without a pair, there is less opportunity for crossover events to happen that occur with paired chromosomes. That results in a uniquely stable chromosome that’s good for testing over many generations. But while crossover mixing does not occur, it still slowly mutates creating unique single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These events happen very slowly, sometimes one new SNP identified every few generations. These changes create a timeline on the Y chromosome that’s not possible on genes that pair and mix. Much of the timeline has been worked out to the beginning of all humanity (The Genetic Adam) and through the past 370,000 years up until present. Indeed, The 2022 Nobel Prize in Medicine when to Svante Pääbo for this work in evolutionary and anthropologic genetics. We are now reaping the benefits of all that work in a new form of powerful genealogy.

Wynne Family Establishment in Tubbercurry, Sligo, August 2024

Y Chromosome Testing in Wynnes:

Wynnes likely have more than one Y DNA lineage. That is because the name often arose de-novo in different locations. Most commonly, the Wynne surname can be traced back to Wales. In some cases, Wynne is also derived from the Welsh word “gwyn”, meaning “white” or “fair” — particularly among families of Welsh origin who settled in Ireland.

timeline for development of haplotypes leading to family surnames developed around the time of the Norman conquest of the British Isles ~1060.

However there are likely Wynnes who arose de-novo in Ireland. The surname Wynne in Irish is typically an Anglicized form of the Gaelic “Mac Gaoithín” or “Ó Gaoithín,” meaning “son of Gaoithín” or “descendant of Gaoithín.” The personal name Gaoithín is a diminutive of “gaoth,” meaning “wind” — so the name can be interpreted as “little wind” or “windy one.”

Noble Wynnes of Sligo

One Wynne family that is well-known in Sligo is the Hazelwood Wynnes. The Wynne family’s establishment at Hazelwood Estate in County Sligo dates back to 1722, when Lieutenant-General Owen Wynne II purchased the 14,500-acre property, then known as Annagh. This acquisition included extensive lands and rights within the Borough of Sligo, such as fairs, markets, and tolls.

In 1731, Owen Wynne commissioned the construction of Hazelwood House, a Palladian-style mansion designed by architect Richard Cassels, who also designed Leinster House and Powerscourt House. This residence became the family seat for the Wynnes, who were of Welsh origin and had settled in Ireland in the late 17th century.

The Wynne family remained prominent landowners and political figures in Sligo for nearly two centuries. The last Wynne to reside at Hazelwood was Owen Wynne VI, who died in 1910 without a male heir. His daughter, Muriel Caroline Wynne, and her husband, Philip Dudley Perceval, occupied the house until 1923, after which the estate left the family’s possession.

The Wynnes of Achonry, Sligo

There is a large population of Wynnes that established farms in south Sligo in and around Cloonacool, Rinbaun, and Tubbercurry. It is unknown if these Wynnes are in any way related to the Hazelwood Wynnes. They are more likely of de-novo Irish origin. Y DNA testing will settle this question.

Location of Wynne farms in the 1850s in and around Cloonacool, Mullaun, Pullagh, Clooningan, Rinbaun, and Tobercurry

Y Chromosome Testing isn’t just about pedigree

But the value of the Y chromosome does not end with knowing which Noble Wynne House one belongs. It’s also powerful for proving distant genealogical relationships too distant for autosomal DNA testing to assess. The strength of autosomal testing is stretched beyond 4 to 5th generations. Once the Wynne Y chromosome is more fully mapped, it is anticipated that generational relationships can be taken all the way back to the re-population of Ireland following the Norman invasion. With further refinement, we will be able to have the mega-tree that your family might be just one or two generations from connecting.

As an example of what can be achieved with Y DNA testing; This is an diagram of Maxwell lines that descend from one particular Maxwell born in 1432. Y DNA testing allowed for the many Maxwell lines throughout the world to trace their ancestry back to him. This shows the potential to build a distant Wynne pedigree back 600 years.

One example of the use of Y chromosome testing for genealogy is the following; one traces their family tree back further than ever and finds a tentative relationship with a 5th or 6th or even further great-grandfather. Although there are compelling clues that he is a distant great-grandfather Wynne, one can’t be certain. However, there is information on one or more of his sons. One then traces forward down a line from son to son of that tentative great-grandfather to a living male Wynne who might be your fifth or sixth or beyond cousin. If that cousin is willing and gracious, he can test his Y chromosome too and theirs should should match very closely to yours but perhaps with a few new variants found thus proving your common ancestry at or near that great-grandfather. This powerful genealogical tool can be done well into the 10th and 12th common ancestor range and beyond. The new Y variants then become the signature Y DNA variants that define that part of your Wynnes (your haplogroup). Only Wynnes descending from that common ancestor would have that unique haplogroup signature anywhere in the world.

This is a more refined diagram of Maxwells that descend from a single Maxwell born in Tyrone Ireland in 1703. This demonstrates the potential tree building that is possible for the Sligo Wynne lines.

How is the Wynne Tree Strengthened and Refined?

While the information from that example helps one further establish their own tree and Y DNA signature, the FTDNA Winn Surname Project and Irish yDNA Project uses that new information to further refine and strengthen the Wynne Tree. Suddenly, a whole new part of the Wynne Tree has new light shone upon it that other Wynnes can use to connect their tree.

As it currently stands, much of these “timeline variants” still need to be worked out. That is done by more and more Wynnes participating in the FTDNA Winn Surname Project and Irish yDNA Project. As the haplotype variants are found, ancestry assessed, and trees constructed the timeline of haplotype variants is refined down to the generation and family from whom they arose.

How does one test their Y DNA?

The Big Y DNA assessment is performed by FamilyTreeDNA. This can be found here: https://www.familytreedna.com/products/big-y. Using FamilyTreeDNA, one can also have their mitochondrial DNA tested and it’s a similar idea as the Y along maternal lines. This test can be found here: https://www.familytreedna.com/products/mt-dna. The only thing different is that the haplotype timeline still remains very crude with mitochondrial DNA. As yet, it’s not been helpful in placing individuals on specific branches of trees as the Y DNA can. FamilyTreeDNA also performs the same autosomal testing as the other labs and has a DNA Matching database as well. This can be found here: https://www.familytreedna.com/products/familyfinder-mydnawellness. The results can be downloaded to GEDCOM format and uploaded to GEDMatch like the other labs. This can be found here: https://www.gedmatch.com/

How do Females test “their” Y chromosome?

While female Wynnes do not have a Y chromosome they are still just as much a Wynne and simply have to recruit a male Wynne relative for their Y DNA (brother, father, uncle, cousin, second cousin, great uncle, third cousin is all acceptable for Y DNA testing. Note that a son is not acceptable to test their mother!). The Y DNA is so stable and strong that analysis of a relatively close male Wynne relative Y is just as good as if from you.

Cost:

It should be mentioned that the full Y DNA testing is not inexpensive. Note that FamilyTreeDNA has sales and promotions often but expect the Big Y standard cost to be $449 with frequent promotions at $349. One can also start at a lower level for as little as $119 and upgrade that report later.

Conclusion:

So, hopefully as many Sligo Wynnes as possible will consider this and find out from what line you descended as well as help refine the parts of the Wynne Y and Big Y Chart still unknown.

Find out more on the FTDNA Winn Surname Project at this website: https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/winn/activity-feed

Or by contacting one of its founders and project leaders,

Administrators

• Constance Cole
• Stephanie Miller

Co-Administrators

• Julie Zapf
• Michael Wynn
• Murphy Winn
• Warner Winn

[Disclaimer: The author of this blog has no relationship, financial or other with FamilyTreeDNA or any other testing lab. The author’s motivation is to build the best Sligo Wynne Big Y Tree possible.]

Memorial Stone of Henry and Bridget Wynne found in Kilcummin Cemetery near Cloonacool