Why Start Beal DNA Project

I had noticed a number of questions that were being asked about our ancestors and no one could provide satisfactory answers.

There were individuals with the surname Beal, Beale, Beals, Beall and Bell that had never traced their ancestors beyond a few generations. They had no idea which lines were theirs.

Others had traced their ancestors for many generations, but still were looking for the place of origin and the first ancestor that had started their line.

BEAL: My first ancestor William Beale, b. 1664, York, ME. He had Zaccheus, Richard, Obadiah, William, Jr., Samuel, Simeon and Benjamin to carry on the family name. Later 4 generations down, Jonathan, Jr., dropped the "e" off and then the surname Beal carried down another 8 generations to my great grandsons, Christopher and Stephen Beal.

I have cousins that were spun off from various generations who still carry the surname Beal. They all ask who was the father of William Beal and from where in England did he come?

Another line, now determined by Y-DNA testing to not to be related, Arthur Beal, Edward, Mainwarring, Manwarren Beal, also of York, ME and England has many descendants living in the Jonesport and Beals Island area. I was very interested in proving or disproving a relationship with my line and finding their origin.This line has the fabled strongman, Tall Barney of Beals Island. You can find a News Release giving the details of the search and the determination of NO relation by checking my What's New web page.

In Hingham, ME & England, John Beal, started his American line and other lines of Beal existed at Portsmouth, ME; Boston, Marblehead, MA; York, VA; PA, NH and the other colonies.John Beal's descent has now been identified and a genetic signature established by Y-DNA testing!

They most often went by these surnames: Beal, Beale, Bale, Beel, Biehl, Beals, or other variations of the surname.

A legend exists that the Beale, Beall and Beal families were "Border" Scot Clans that raided into England during and after the 1100s. We even see Beal villages remaining today in Northumberland and North Yorkshire, England. Who established these villages?

BEALL: There were Beall families established in MD & VA, among the most famous was Ninian BEALL/BELL, an indentured Scot, sent to America, who became a Colonel and was known for his size and strength. Also well known are the lines of Alexander, Robert & Thomas BEALLwhich are contained in books sold by BEALL Family Association

We have now found a descendant of Ninian Beall and descendants of Alexander, Robert and Thomas Beall through DNA testing, see our News Release!

There were over 117 Patriots with these names in the Revolutionary War, including my ancestor Jonathan Beale, Sr., who also fought in the French & Indian Wars

You can read the "BEALL GENEALOGICAL NEWS" by the Beall Family Association, P.O. Box 33918, Portland Oregon 97292-3918 and their related publications, packed with lineage & sources, to learn about the many individuals with the above surnames. The Maryland Bealls pronounce their surname as Bell. Allthough we have now identified a line of Bealls in the same county, who pronounce their name as Beal

BELL: The BELL lineage,which rightfully claims a clan name in Scotland. They have spread throughout the United States and other countries. " BELL~A~PEAL" is the publication of CLAN BELL INTERNATIONAL, 12147 Holly Knoll Circle, Great Falls, VA 22066 and they also have many books. Like the BEALL GENEALOGICAL NEWS above, containing pedigrees and articles on BELL, BEALL, BEALE, etc.

The Bells have the best established ancestry connecting their US lineage to Scotland, Ireland & England, but these "unique" hapolytes established by recorded ancestry and DNA testing have not been validated yet by matching DNA tests into Ancestral Haplotypes (Genetic Signatures). Some have found matches, see our test results!

I have seen articles questioning the connections between the Alabama, Georgia, Texas Bells and their northern relatives? We will gradually solve many of these questions.

It is impossible to do justice to the many thousands of descendants descended from the above surnames, spread throughout the United States & other countries in this short article. I have covered in more detail throughout my web pages, the fact that we have many male participants with unique haplotypes in the thousands in our surnames.These are waiting to be matched and turned into Ancestral Haplotypes (genetic signatures).

If we can establish "Y" chromosome markers in the form of one or more Ancestral Haplotypes (genetic signatures) for each of the surnames that I am including in the BEAL, BEALE, BEALS, BEALL and BELL DNA studies that are part of:

we may have a better idea how our lineage's connect or where they come from in Scotland, Ireland & England or elsewhere.

Genealogists, who have dead ends, in their research, may be able to link their individual haplotype to a main stream surname haplotype established in this study, by making a genetic match to existing haplotypes(genetic signature).

Regardless of any name changes it is the genes that are carried by the Y chromosome from one male ancestor down though the male direct descent that will prove the lineage.

There may be exceptions arising out of adoptions, rape and affairs, but they should be small in number.

I think it is well worth the small amount of money required to be a participant in this study. We might be amazed at what is revealed. Current prices for participation have been greatly reduced, since we started the project, for individuals participating in projects like ours.Go to the What's New page or to Family Tree DNA, Ltd. for prices and to sign up quick to participate. Be sure to mention, you are a participant in the BEAL SURNAME DNA PROJECT to get discounted prices.

Your questions about genetic genealogy will find answers in the web sites listed on my home page describing and explaining the project. Explore the offered links.

Up until now, few projects have had so many participants and the goals of identifying surname lineage for genealogists who have already researched together for so many years, through recorded pedigrees and sources New surname projects are being started for many surnames, it is possible to go to FTDNA and put your surname into a space on their home page to determine if your surname is included in current testing.

I can only hope that an "Angel" in the true tradition of Broadway Shows will volunteer to furnish funds (no strings attached) for some of our genealogists who might not otherwise be able to afford to be a participant. HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL!

As mentioned on my What's New page, we offer for our overseas and US participants testing by DNA heritage (DNAH) Part of our test results come from their testing, They do only Y-DNA & SNP testing at this time!

Member NATIONAL GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY, NEW ENGLAND HISTORIC GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY, BEALS HISTORICAL SOCIETY, OLD YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY, MAYFLOWER SOCIETY, BEALL FAMILY ASSOCIATION & CLAN BELL INTERNATIONAL

For the initial published review of the BEAL SURNAME DNA PROJECT. It has also been mentioned in the FAMILY HISTORY MAGAZINE, BEALL GENEALOGICAL NEWS, and BELL~A~PEAL. and at www.google.com