Merrill DNA Support

   Deane Merrill supplied the following for those interested in the scientific means of exploring the Merrill genealogy.

   There are about 40,000 living Merrills (excluding Merrell) in the US today. http://merrill.olm.net/family/merrill/p1850-1990.html That is about 0.013 percent of the population, a figure which has remained pretty constant since 1850. Including Merrells, perhaps 0.016 percent, or 50,000. Half of those, about 25,000, are males. So far, 36 male Merrills or Merrells have had Y-DNA tests, about 0.14 percent. This is consistent with the estimate of 0.13 percent for the male population at large (see 1b above).

   Of the 36 Merrill/Merrells tested so far, 16 have matching DNA of haplotype G. 12 of those have known ancestry back to Nathaniel. Presumably all 16 descend from Nathaniel's Suffolk line. The remaining 20 are of haplotype R1b, but not all related to each other. The largest single group (about 3 or 4) appear to be descendants of Richard Merrill who emigrated from Warwickshire, England to Staten Island, New York.

   Exciting news here. In April 2007 a resident of the UK was tested whose Y-DNA is consistent with that of the 12 known descendants of Nathaniel 1601. He traces his ancestry back to 1790 in Woodhurst, Huntingtonshire (not too far from Suffolk). If more UK residents with the same DNA are located, we may eventually identify their common ancestor, presumably an ancestor also of Nathaniel 1601.

   More exciting news. Jack Merrill (and others) have stated that Thomas Merrill of Saybrook CT and Nathaniel Merrill of Newbury MA were first cousins. The evidence is very thin, and Gary Merrill remains skeptical. To date 12 known male Merrill descendants of Nathaniel have been tested, and their DNA confirms their common ancestry. Until a week ago not a single male Merrill descendant of Thomas was known to be living. With help from Howard Merrill I located a living descendant, who also has a living son. The father responded by email and is considering having a DNA test.