Welsh Haplogroups

Some years past, my decision to have my DNA tested was finally made.  For years [some 50+], the genealogy virus had lead me to what seemed my own JONES family origins.  North Wales it was, or at least I thought this was the case.   Uncertainty gave way to verification as my DNA haplogroup returned R1b1b2 [now classified as R1b1a2 ].   The following table shows the haplogroups for my JONES surname from 2011 and 2016.  They are then compared to haplogroups from North Wales reported in 2011.

In 2011, my R1b1 haplogroup made up around 82% of folks seeking their DNA from North Wales.  Those in my JONES surname groups made up 75% of this R1b haplogroup.  From North Wales indeed it would seem.   Other haplogroup percents are shown, which again follow the same pattern as North Wales.  The 2016 group shows that several other haplogroups have been reported to carry the JONES surname which indicates a lot more folks have become interested in all this DNA stuff.

Now the following figure shows roughly how this R1b haplogroup got to Wales.  [It was drawn when my haplogroup was still R1b1b2]  How the genes did flow, from A to R1b some 60,000 years in the making.

Royal Tribes of Wales (I)

Tribal groups were associated with geographic areas in Wales.  This was primarily due to the geological status of mountains, rivers, valleys, and the settlement pattern of family groups.  In Burke [1884 edition] there are recorded "Royal Tribes of Wales" divided by the major areas "North Wales" and "South Wales".  The next several post will present these tribes as identified.

North Wales:

     "Griffith ap Cynan, King of North Wales, A.D. 1079, derived from Anarawd, King of North Wales, eldest son of Rhodri Mawr, King of Wales, A.D. 843; founder of the I. Royal Tribe."

                       The arms are described: "Gu. three lions pass. in pale ar armed az."

                               Gu. = red [color of shield] :  three lions pass. [full body lions standing on feet]
                            
                               in pale ar [formed by two lines drawn perpendicularly from the top to bottom of the shield comprising a third of the field, in this case it would be colored silver and the three lions would be placed equal distance from the top to bottom in the middle of the sheild]

                               armed az = the claws of the lions would be colored blue