Monthly Archives: November 2021

One thing most evident in constructions of genealogies of English settlers in Virginia is that their base almost invariably derives from ‘Burke’s Landed Gentry’, or suchlike, and because of that are almost invariably without any foundation. This is an easily … Continue reading →

The surest way of determining lines of ancestry within the same family is to trace successive relationships to another family which are specific to them. As I once wrote: ‘The Norman elite can be identified when the method by which … Continue reading →

Time moves on, but it seems as if yesterday I was contacted by a member of ‘Harris Group 4’ regarding ongoing research about the origins of Harris families of Virginia. A concensus at this time was that one such family … Continue reading →

As with any group of males who share close DNA matches, it is the case that they had a ‘recent’ ancestor in common. In regards to those claiming descent from Major William Harris the most recent common ancestor probably lived … Continue reading →

The reality of life in 17th century England was one of living within a closely-meshed kinship system, under the umbrella of its dominant families, to which all others aimed to be closer through the strategy of intermarriage. At first, to … Continue reading →