Common Melungeon Surname List
As time permits my intention is to research as many of these families as I can. Please contact me if you have any information you would like to share or questions.
North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky
Adams, Adkins, Allen, Allmond, Ashworth,
Barker, Barnes, Bass, Beckler, Bedgood, Bell, Bennett, Berry, Beverly, Biggs, Bolen/Bowlen/Bolling/Bowling, Boone, Bowman, Badby, Branham, Braveboy, Briger/Bridger, Brogan, Brooks, Brown, Bunch, Butler, Butters, Bullion, Burton, Buxton, Byrd,
Campell, Carrico, Carter, Casteel, Caudill, Chapman, Chavis, Clark, Cloud, Coal/Cole/Coles, Coffey, Coleman, Colley, Collier/Colyer, Collins, Collinsworth, Cook(e), Cooper, Cotman, Counts, Cox/Coxe, Criel, Croston, Crow, Cumba/Cumbo/Cumbow, Curry, Custalow,
Dalton, Dare, Davis, Denham, Dennis, Dial, Dorton, Doyle, Driggers, Dye, Dyess,
Ely, Epps, Evans, Fields, Freeman, French,
Gann, Garland, Gibbs, Gibson/Gipson, Goins/Goings, Givens, Gowan/Gowen, Graham, Green(e), Gwinn,
Hall, Hammon, Harmon, Harris, Harvie/Harvey, Hawkes, Hendricks/Hendrix, Hill, Hillman, Hogge, Holmes, Hopkins, Howe, Hyatt,
Jackson, James, Johnson, Jones,
Keith, Kennedy, Kiser,
Langston, Lasie, Lawson, Locklear, Lopes, Lowry, Lucas,
Maddox, Maggard, Major, Male/Mayle, Maloney, Marsh, Martin, Miles, Minard, Miner/Minor, Mizer, Moore, Morley, Mullins, Mursh,
Nash, Nelson, Newman, Niccans, Nichols, Noel, Norris,
Orr, Osborn/Osborne, Oxendine,
Page, Paine, Patterson, Perkins, Perry, Phelps, Phipps, Pinder, Polly, Powell, Powers, Pritchard, Pruitt,
Ramey, Rasnick, Reaves/Reeves, Revels, Richardson, Roberson/Robertson/Robinson, Russell,
Sammons, Sampson, Sawyer, Scott, Sexton, Shavis, Shepherd/Shephard, Short, Sizemore, Smiling, Smith, Stallard, Stanley, Steel, Stevens, Stewart, Strother,
Sweat/Swett, Swindall,
Tally, Taylor, Thompson, Tolliver, Tuppance, Turner,
Vanover, Vicars/Viccars/ Vickers,
Ware, Watts, Weaver, White, Whited, Wilkins, Williams, Williamson, Willis, Wisby, Wise, Wood, Wright, Wyatt, Wynn
I took a DNA test a couple of years ago and many of these names have shown up amongst my cousin matches surname list, especially Bass, Adkins, Castill, Carter, Dyes, Driggers, Goins, Sheppard and so many others. Thanks for posting.
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And thank you for checking in on my site, I hope you enjoyed reading!
Joyceann
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I was raised not knowing anything of my fathers family, he died when I was 18 months old.
I have EVERY characteristic of being of melungeon decent, shovel teeth, ridge at neck, disease, skin color, and the eye fold. All my mother would ever say is…I don’t need to know.
My mother is very racist and maybe she didn’t know until after I was conceived or whatever, but she tells me nothing. I did take my fathers death certificate when she was unaware. I know is name was simply Bill Hall and his father name was Earnest Hall. No indication of his mother, but it was not Alma Hall his other wife.
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My uncles name was Earnest Hall. I too have very little information about about my fathers family so if you would like to get in touch feel free to do so. My fathers name was Creed and his mothers name was Emma Jo Hall. They were from Roanoke Va
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Patty, if you’re on Facebook we can chat – find me Joyceann Gray
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I just checked your list of family names…found two
from my grandmother Burton. From my mother Chapman. Thank you. Jan
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My mammaw was a Smith , heard they Indians in there blood line.
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So you’re saying that your grandmother was a Melungeon?
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But I seen the Smith name we’re Melungeons just trying to find out about my family history.
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I think so
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Cool, but it was more Portegues blood than Indian
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Really
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I would be interested in this DNA I also have several of these sir names on my daughter dna
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Have you started a family research project?
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I was born and raised in Big Stone Gap Va I am of mulungeon descent. Surname is Turner. Would love to hear more.
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Thank you for contacting me, how can I help?
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I see you have the surname Quattlebaum in your files. My great grandfather was a Freeman of color in South carolina. My family has web page on Facebook. called Quattlebaum Nation: besides the Quattlebaum surnames, I see many other names on my family tree.
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We are cousins! Shari Wahl’s stepfather is Franklin C. Hatter
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Hello my name is Melissa Blevins Nesbit. My family grew up believing our Greatgrandma Skaggs was a Blackfoot Indian, My Fathers DNA shows otherwise. Turkish, Jewish, Italian, Syrian, Nigerian, My eldest cousin knows Great Grands maiden name. and we are talking and gathering info. Our grands are from Eastern KY our fathers were born there as well.
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Hi Melissa, How can I help you?
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Melissa, I too am from the Blevins family from Eastern Kentucky. We are Tackett’s, Dial, Salyer/Sawyer, Green, Smith, Mullins, Coffey, and Sizemore. We were Black Dutch, Melungeon, Blackfoot and Osage.
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As soon as I get things settled and get back to researching I’d love to connect with you.
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Hi Pinky Blevins, I read your post interesting. I’m from Eastern Kentucky also. Blevins, Gamble, Rucker, Hicks, Kelly, Howard, Thompson, Phipps, and more. I would love to talk with you and compare notes. I’m on Facebook as Corliss Blevins Wickline.
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Was that in Corbin??
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Hi, on my fathers side I have Davis, Spillman and Ramey as well as Berry all from south eastern kentucky. My grandmother Margaret Davis is dark and had coarse hair. Always claimed to be cherokee but nothing in my research shows it. My dad and all his siblings are dark skinned with dark hair with some having blue eyes. 3 great grandmother Ramey who wasnt related to my grandmother Davis was also said to be black dutch. I am stuck on finding any census records or ethnic listings for these women. My grandmother Davis’s mothers was kitts and I have that line complete. However I hit a dead end on her father, Thomas Davis and his parents. Any suggestions?
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Do you have a family tree I could vew that might help me help you?
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My 3rd great grandfather was called “Spanish Jim”. His name was James Turner born 1791 in Russell, VA. Is it possible he was Mulugeon? His grandfather may have been of African descent.
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I am a Denham..Been researching this info a great confirmation!
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Hello. I am researching my family tree. And I also did a dna test. But I still need help.
My great grandmother was Leona G. Phipps from Grayson County, Virginia. I believe that she was melungeon.
If anyone knows anything concerning the melungeons from Grayson County, Virginia. Thanks in advance.
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I am hoping to find out if there is any Melungeon history in from my past. I have attached some pics to this email of my great great grandfather, my 4th great grandfather, and my 4th great grandmother. Is there any way to find out if there is Melugeon in my history
My great great grandfather was born in Hancock County, Tennessee He lived from 1852 to 1927 On the 1870 Census it says that he is Mulatto.
Jackson Joel Gilliam is my 4th great grandfather, and he is from Scott County Virginia. On the 1870 Census it states that his race is Black.
I don’t have much on my 4th great grandmother, She is from Scott county Virginia. She lived from 1818 to 1894, but I don’t have any info on her race
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My great great grandfather’s name is Russell Vicars
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Jackson Joel Gilliam is my gggrandfather. My uncle says their daughter, Martha Gilliam Barnett, was 100% Cherokee. He also stated that his cousin, Beulah, told him in the ‘40s that she had documented this. So far this is all word of mouth and not confirmed.
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Have you taken a DNA test yet?
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Does that name ring any bells?
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I was wondering if you have any information on the Browns in or near Halifax County, NC and the border of Virginia? My great grandfather is Harris Brown, a Melungeon, and also has Portuguese ancestry, however I don’t have information past his father John Brown who married Eliza Ann Jenkins Richardson a
“Native American” descendant. Any information would be great.
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Have you ever heard of Lowery’s or Roses in your findings?
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Anything on the Coley’s or Mozingo’s.
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Thank you for providing a surnames list, I’ve been trying to find out anout my mother’s father’s side, surname is Boone and Richardson. George Boone 1850 m. to Rose/Rosa Richardson. The family claimed Cherokee and white but resided around Roanoke, VA at least since the 1850s. My grandfather was known as “Brownie” because of his color, and had indian looking features but his sisters had blonde hair. They were listed as white on census, but I’m at a dead end before 1850 census, a Daniel Boone is listed as the father, and the only other earlier record I can find is a Daniel Boone in Amherst, VA that fits his birth year, but listed black. Any info on the Boone line would be appreciated, or sites with Boone dna projects. I have photos, and a tree on family search org if anybody’s intersted. Thanks, Rachel
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Any information on the Halls in Hertford County NC and Virginia. My mother and grandfather are directly from the Hall lineage. Where can I look to find more information?
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Hello, I looking for any information on the Collins, Campbell, Burford, Taylor so what I am looking for is any information on families that moved to Texas. My husband is a Buford, Collins, Conner. If anyone can help us that would be amazing.
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Does anyone know anything about Po (Napoleon) Brown from south east Kentucky? He was my Grandfather but I know very little about him and believe he may have been Melungeon.
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The family line I have been researching is Perkins. Glad to see the name here. They were from tennessee and mixed but no paper trail to show that. Our DNA came back though with european, african, NA . I hope I’m on the right track.
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I haven’t done a lot of research on these names yet I just know they show up in my line.
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My name Is Brent Stanley, I live in CT. But i was born in the dark piney woods of Starks,LA. From the Little Peedee in S.C. too Hancock Cty.,TN. Redbone & Melungeon’s !!!! MY Grandmaw was Janie Perkins on my Moma’s side. On my Daddy’s side my Grandmaw was Pearl Bass. Some of the other names in my tree of life are Ashworth,Sweat, Hoosier. just to name a few. Grandmaw Janie Perkins always told me we came from the Carolina’s and the Virginia’s. It is nice to find this site. But alot of these surnames are in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana AKA No Mans Land.
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I am researching my family….actually that of my husband and children. Naturally there are many questions. My son’s DNA came back recently with >1% Cameroon/Congo. Knowing it could be a false positive or perhaps true, I have pursued that info. Found your list of names. Hendricks/Hendrix and Graham from Virginia and Kentucky are prominent in his heritage. What can you tell me? Thanks for what you are doing.
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The college of UVA Wise, Va. held an event several years ago about Melungeon. There was a guy by the last name of Kennedy. You may be able to find valuable information there at the college.
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Thank you!!
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Hello! I have several names on your list who are in my direct line: Dalton/ Brown/ Clark/ Davis/ Evans/ Freeman/ Hill/ James/ Jones/ Martin/ Moore/ Osborn(e)/ Powell/ Pruitt/ Williams. There are many more on the list who are indirect ancestors surnames. I would love to find out if any of them are Melungeon! My DNA shows a very small amount of sub saharan Congolese (.3%) and .5% Native American.
I really enjoyed reading your article, and hope to learn even more in the future.
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It was great to get your email, I’ve been asked to speak in Charles Town and as soon as I finish up with that presentation I’ll be back on my Melungeon research.
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What do you have on the BARKER’s, my grandfather on my father’s side was GEORGE WASHINGTON BARKER.
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Did you find any info on the finger print info??
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Haven’t heard back from George yet, when I do I’ll be sure to let you know!
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I have several of these surnames in my tree. My ftdna family finder test revealed several matches within the Melungeon Families of Interst Group Page. One set of my 7th great grandparents were Jane Bunch, Carolinas, 1740-1782 m. Hugh Smith, d. Wilkes Co. NC, 1738-1781. Also Mary Bolling 1720-1790 Wilkes NC m. Andrew Baker 1720-1779 Rowan NC. Children of both these sets were Morris Baker 1750-1810 m. Jane Smith 1755-1810, my 6th great grandparents both Wilkes NC. Morris Baker and Jane Smith had a daughter, my 5th great grandmother, Mary “Polly” Baker 1780-1831 m. Owen Meredith Ballou, my 5th great grandfather, 1766-1847. I have been trying to place my Melungeon ancestors as well as my Native ancestry. Maybe in finding this site I can do so know. I would really like to know all I can find out about my grandparents.
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Finally, my first identified link!! Could use any help I can get from you or anyone reading this on pinning things down. It’s been a long road just to here! I also have linked back with Mary Bolling and a Bunch surname. I also have connections to various surnames on common Melungeon surname list and trace various branches back to the different areas moving E to SE in Virginia, NW NC and SE Kentucky (Hall surname in Floyd Co. KY). Father’s surname of CROS(S)LOW seems to hit a wall several generations back. I’m now wandering if may have originally been a Custalow or Croston??? Family still has very unique mix of features listed in connection with Melungeon. Had always been told a great great grandma was Native-Cherokee but both my father’s and my own DNA shows minimal to no Native. I’m just so tired of not knowing a connection and many of extended family feel the same
People are always asking me “exactly what are you?” Anyone with any info or connection, please email me!!!! I have family tree and dna to work with! Fingers crossed!
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Thank you for writing, so let us see where this takes us. I too have always thought Cherokee but found out it was Creek. My email is msladyjae@gmail.com and I have a tree and DNA to see if we have a connection.- Joyceann
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There is a Melungeon Historical group that meets annually. This year’s meeting is in a couple of days! I won’t be attending, as I live 3000 miles away, but it might be useful to you who live near Virginia.
I, too, have no Native American or black ancestry showing up in my DNA results from ancestry.com, nor any Spanish, Portuguese, or Mediterranean ancestry. Yet my son’s 23&me results showed Iberian Peninsula ancestry that is not showing up on mine, nor on my husband’s, from ancestry. Do the companies get different results? My grandfather used the term Portuguee with affection, and his Melungeon (I assume) Indiana grandparents were Malissa Delph and William Addison Wright from Tennessee.
Sent from my iPad
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My grandfather’s mother came from Kentucky and her last name was Bolling. The Bollings go all the way back to Eastern Virginia in the 1700’s. If you look on Ancestry.com, you may be able to link your lineage.
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Mary Bolling is my 5x great Aunt
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This is so confusing! Family is from WVA named McCumbee but I now find he was from NC and it seems it was Cumby/Cumbo/. My 84 year old Aunt just did DNA it came back with Camaroin/Bantu/Congo. Other relations are Chavis and Locklear which are frim the Lumbee Indians.HELP!
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Can you give me access to your family tree? msladyjae@gmail.com
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The Lumbee Indians live down toward to coast of N.C. Carol Kaurish
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Okay Thanks
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My direct line melungeon surnames are
Adams/brown/butler/campbell/lots of clarks from virginia/cole/davis/garland/hall/hill/,lots of Jones from bristol/abingdon,Virginia into east Tennessee near Johnson city,lydia Martin from Richmond,va/nichols/robertson/Mary rock (Smith) who married samuel Denton my 8 th gg/talitha cumi Steven’s who married my 2 bd gg huh. F denton/watts fron jamestown/white/Sara William’s ( b1720’s) married to samuel jobes (born 1720’s) married in the 1750’s lived in roqan,nc/woods marriedcinyo my froakie in 1800’s in jobesborough,tn area.
I am 4 th cousins with….bakers/lowry/revels and cox per my ancestry.com DNA test results in June of 2018.
I grew up in upper east tn living in the tri cities (bristol/kingsport and Johnson city) area from 1964 until 1988 when I moved toive in Richmind,va.
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Hello again Ms. Gray. It’s Brent Stanley aka “Peppy” my Louisiana Redbone name. I just uploaded me DNA from Ancestry to Gedmatch Gensis. Wow!! I guess we didn’t like staying that home.. If you would like to check it out it’s kit#XN3591432. Who knows we my be related. The thing I have been asking, but still don’t know. My 4th G-Grandpaw was Jeremiah Bass Jr. b.1746 Bertie, N.Carolina d.1808 Addams Co, Mississippi. His son Moses Bass b.1778 Duplin, N. Carolina d.1845 Bear Head Creek, Starks, Louisiana is my 3rd G-Grandpaw. My Grandmaw Pearl Bass always told my father Jasper Stanley. That we were from the Carolina’s , Virginia’s and Appalachia’s. Jeremiah’s father Jeremiah Sr. b.1724 then Edward Bass b.1697 Bertie, N. Carolina. After that it gets shaky. My Big Question is does this line go back to the Nansemond Tribe of Virginia?? Well hope you know and I hope you enjoy my DNA. Sincerely Just Another Redbone Looking For Roots! God Bless
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Comparing Kit A861408 (*JGray) [Migration – F2 – A] and XN3591432 (Brent Stanley) [Ancestry]
Sorry, we don’t match but then again DNA gets diluted after 4 generations. So then we need to go to our trees
mine is public on Ancestry: Main Tree (Hatter/Walker/Pegg/Page)
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My maiden name is Page and I suspect Melungeon DNA is my line that ended up in south central Kentucky. It possibly accounts for my 0.7% West African/Congolese DNA. Is there a place I can compare my family tree to yours?
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Yes, on ancestry, send me your email and I’ll invite you.
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I’m going to share your comments with Angela Walton Raji and Melvin Collier, they have Bass out of Arkansas.
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I have lots of Bass surnames including Aaron Bass of Bertie, NC. His wife was Nancy Gray and son was Moses Bass. This match comes up as 4th gen cousin to me. I guess Brent Stanley could be my match!
Hey, his email came back to me as address not existing!
This is my email:
Hi Brent,
My name is Nikki Landerkin. Joyceann Gray passed your info to me because I have Bass matches. Looking at my Ancestry DNA, I have a match with a common Bass ancestor. We share Aaron Bass of Bertie, NC. Aaron had a wife, Nancy Gray, and a son named Moses Bass.
I believe we could also match and I am eager to speak with you. Please email me when you are available.
Nikki
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Thanks Ms. Gray! Any help would be awesome. If this helps my ftdna kit # B511534. Well hopefully you can work your skills to help me find a better understanding. Because I just don’t know. Holler back!
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Look for an email from Nikki Matt Landerkin
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Okay Thanks! I joined facebook today. So hopefully I can hear more. Thanks again and I’ll keep a lookout for the mail. God Bless
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Note: One of my ancestors, a Mulungen, was a signer of the Declaration.
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Really??? Who?
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I will research from one of my books and let you know…
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I was always told my father’s maternal grandmother was Cherokee. Chau Mecca Burton Ferrell. She died in 1906 during childbirth with my grandmother. She was in her 20’s, married to James Elbert Manis Ferrell.
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My son’s dna showed black ancestry circa 1700. My blue-eyed, somewhat darker skinned, maternal grandfather had a “mysterious” father whose parents, William Wright and Malissa Delph (my great-great grandparents) were born in Tennessee and both age 24 in the 1860 census. I suspect that they were mulungeon and passed as white after moving to Indiana. Are there any distant cousins related to them? My siblings and I and my children are the only living biological descendants of this line as far back as my maternal grandparents’ generation if not farther.
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Good afternoon, I have been on a search for a little while now trying to find out where my heritage rests. Growing up I was told tales that on my dad’s side we had a definitive blood line to the Monacan Nation out of Amhurst County VA. On my mom’s side I was always told her family was Melungeon and my Greatgrand father having the name Woodrow Baker. I saw where the name Branham is mentioned and my great-great grandmother’s name was Ressie Branham and her husband was Charels Zolly Moody. I’m a 25 year old Graduate student and I just want to know more about where my family comes from.
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I would suggest you begin with establishing a family tree and building from there. That is the route I took and it worked quite well. Interview your folks and any elders still alive. Look in Bibles and record any folklore that might have been passed down. If I can help I’d be glad to offer more suggestions once you begin your tree.
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The best way to find out your heritage is to do a DNA test with Ancestry. Com. This is what my husband and I have done. We are finding out all kinds of things about our heritage that we never knew.
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I’ve been interested in my family history for my entire life. A few years ago I came across a possible Melungeon connection. Would love to research this further. I have the “knot” . Crooked pinky fingers, high cheekbones, lumps under my jawbone, ridiculously thick, curly hair, shovel teeth on SIX teeth. Rumors of Indian heritage, a great grandma that ran a “hotel “ for coal miners in WV and family from Kentucky, WV , VA, OH and NC
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Also, my maiden name is Gwinn
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I am a Cooper. My ancestor, John Washington Cooper, left Virginia for Louisiana circa 1830, where he and his children married into old French Creole families. All I know is that his mother was likely named ‘Polly’, and I can find a Polly Cooper in the 1810 Virginia census with appropriately aged dependents; she is listed as a ‘person of color.’ From DNA tests, I know I have both Iberian and Native American DNA. I’m not sure how you can help, but if you can think of any way I might learn more about the Cooper Melungeons I would be very thankful.
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sounds like you’ve done a lot of work already, do you have a family tree established?
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There are a lot of Cooper’s in Eastern Kentucky, especially Somerset, Ky. I do not know if they would be of your lineage but you could check those out. All of the people with that last name probably came from the same last name when they came here to the U.S. My husband had a distant relative to contact him about 2 months ago about her relatives. She was a black person in Memphis, Tenn., I believe. I found the connection and sent it to her. Although, he did not show any DNA connected to black people, he did show 1% of unknown. I also had 1% of the unknown but I have known for years that I had in me the melungeons lineage. I do not have dark skin and for the most part people are shocked about my skin. I have a light olive skin and can wear colors that a lot of other people in my family cannot wear. I learned about these colors when I was in Fashion for 28 years. Neither of my parents had the same color of my skin and neither of my brothers. I know that these roots come through my mother’s family who I have traced back to when they came here to the U.S. I do not have everything but I now have a pretty good collection. It has taken years and both of my parents have been gone over about 20 years. Hope you can find your connections.
Carol Kaurish
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Hello Ms. J Gray: On another list the surname Riddle was given as a surname for Melungeons. My daughter’s paternal grandmother (from Eastern Tennessee) told me her two great grandmothers were both full blooded Cherokee (and her maiden name was Riddle, I believe). She had pictures of both g- grandmothers. No Cherokee blood showed up in my daughter’s DNA test. But, some of her DNA was from the Mediterranean.
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Hello! My families are listed here, and we are known to be of Melungeon origin on certain lines. We are generally from the VA/NC/KY area, with some lines being in SC (our Hicks/Love line). The Bass family married into my Malone family, so if you need any info on that-I can help.
Just to note, a lot of Melungeon families are mixed with Roma. Some families that descend from lines known to be of Melungeon origin, but cannot find Native ancestry, may need to search more in that direction for their exact mixture.
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Hey Brent i’m from Louisiana Grant Parish Area, funny we are doing the same research for Mulungeon Ancestors. The Majority of my ancestors are from The Appalachians. By the way we are a 9CM match on gedmatch, distant cousins.
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