Thomas Davenport (bn abt 1687) signature DNA project.

The Davenport Surname DNA project (www.davenportdna.com) was started in 2002 in an attempt to determine how or if the various Davenport lines around the world are related. This is accomplished with a simple swab of the cheek, by testing the DNA on the Y chromosome, which only males have. This Y-DNA is passed down from father to son, generation after generation, virtually unchanged. So the Y-DNA of a Davenport male today should be nearly identical to his male ancestor many generations ago. Thus, by comparing two individuals, we can determine if they have a common ancestor. 

The results have drawn together a worldwide community of Davenport families – located in England, France, Australia, USA etc. And the results have been fascinating.

Example One: Two Davenport lines – one descended from Leicester about 1550 and the other from Bunbury Cheshire about 1500 match on all 37 genetic markers tested. This means that these two families definitely came from the same Davenport line.

Example Two: Another four Davenport lines – one born in London in 1795, another a Davenport born in Ireland in the late 1700’s, a third descended from a migrant to the USA born in England in 1651 and a fourth appearing in the USA in the early 1700’s. The Y-DNA match, meaning they all had a common ancestor.

The results of these discoveries is a renewed interest in researching archives for greater understanding on how the families could be connected. The DNA information provides focus in what can sometimes seem to be an over whelming scene of choices and possibilities.

The DNA test from one male descendant of Thomas Davenport of Lower Withington gave a  DNA result which does not match any other Davenport tested so far. This could be the result of a “non paternal” event – somewhere the biological father was not who was expected to be. This could be by an undocumented adoption, a name change, affair, a Davenport daughter giving birth to a Davenport male, or whatever.

The task now is find other male descendants of Thomas Davenport of Lower Withington married 1712 to help verify the single Y-DNA result sofar. The Lower Withington Davenport project has funds to meet the cost of about 5 tests of Davenport males who can show their common ancestor is Thomas Davenport from Lower Withington. If you have interest please contact ian@davenportheritage.com .