Tyner/Tiner DNA Project

Summary of Results By Groups

As of September 9 , 2009, we have we have identified Y-DNA test results for many participants by searching different DNA databases.  The majority of these participants carry either the Tyner or Tiner surname. Depending on the source, a family can be found listed using various spellings on different types of documents. In Group 1, for instance, two branches from the same ancestor carry a different spelling than the other.

There have been interesting developments due to the test results. Theories have been disproved and new connections established.  

Most Tyner/Tiner Family Trees usually start with Nicholas Tyner I from England to the Isle of Wight, VA. DNA testing has helped to verify which individuals are actual descendants while others are having to re-evaluate their data. We are hoping that descendants of the Tynes clan of the Isle of Wight will test soon to see if the Tyner's and Tynes of this location are related.

Sarah Tyner, who bore John Harris three children, is speculated to be Nicholas Tyner I's daughter. Decendants of Sarah carry the Tyner surname but match Harris DNA.

Dempsey Tyner's DNA matches Sarah Tyner's children but his father has yet to be identified.

Richard Tyner of Elbert Co, GA, which includes Joshua, has fallen into a separate group. He DOES NOT match Nicholas Tyner I or the Tyner/Harris Group. He DOES match various Holmes testers.

Elijah Tyner of Effingham Co, GA, whose descendants scattered across the United States, and many still reside in Florida, matches Richard Tyner of Ireland. Several of Richard's descendants came to the United States, through Canada. There are still descendants in Ireland today.

Several of the participants match other Surname Groups. Most of these groups have been identified and checked to verify matches. The difference in the testers here and the matching surname group could be due to an early choice of a surname or there may have a "non-paternity event" in his direct male line such as an adoption, step-child name change, or child born out of wedlock.  In such a case, it is often helpful to test more descendants from that particular family line.  According to the FTDNA company, the chance of a DNA mismatch due to a "non-paternity event" is about 2%-5% per generation.  That works out to 18%-40% in 10 generations (roughly 250 years).

If you don't match the other descendants of your presumed ancestor, scour your family tree for clues such as remarriages with step-children, divorces and separations, and children who seem to be either too old or too young considering their mother's age and date of marriage.  You may be able to identify where the "break" occurred.  For example, one classic scenario is a child born out of wedlock who is raised by his maternal grandparents.  He will probably be the youngest child in the family and possibly separated from his next-oldest "sibling" by several years.  His "mother" (grandmother) may have been in her 40's or even 50's when he was born.  He will be identified as a son on census records because of the social stigma of illegitimacy.  Another common situation is a woman who marries after being divorced or abandoned by a first husband, or having a child out of wedlock, and the child takes the step-father's surname.  County divorce records, bastardy bonds and records of "base-born" children who were "bound out" can be rich sources of genealogical information.  Wills are another source so if you find a wife and a son who receive $1 while the rest of the children receive all other goods, there may be a clue there. You may have to search original records or microfilm at the county court, state archives or at an LDS Family History Center.  In most places, only a small percentage of the available court records have been indexed and published.

A few of the participants have unique (non-matching) DNA results meaning there are no other matches or the matching surname group has not been identified. 

Many websites and family trees will continue to carry pre-DNA testing theories but the more test results obtained, the more these theories can be challenged and, hopefully, corrected..

As the project progresses, we hope that some of our "uniques" will ultimately find a "match" that will reveal new, as-yet-unidentified Tyner/Tiner/Tynes family groups. There are several Tyner/Tiner/Tynes clans that have no test results and we are anxious to find a male who would be willing to take the test and include their clan in the project. DNA testing would greatly benefit their researchers. We also have many testers who cannot go further their family tree so additional matching results with the sharing of information can only help with those "brick walls".

THANK YOU FOR VISITING!