Wallbank DNA Project
The Wallbank DNA Project welcomes all Wallbank and name variant participants.
The project was started in 2007 and now has 14 members, representing four distinct groups. There are at least three separate Wilbanks lines in the USA, and at least two separate Wallbank lines in England. Furthermore, one of the USA Wilbanks lines is related to one of the England Wallbank lines. However, because of the limited data, only tentative conclusions can be drawn. More participants, representing any line, would greatly help in confirming the current hypotheses and throw more light on the origin of the Wallbank name. If you are a Wallbank or name variant, please consider joining the project to help you and us find out more about our common past.
The DNA test reveals two fascinating pieces of information. Your haplotype (Y chromosome DNA signature) tells you about you more recent past: the last 800 or so years since names started to be adopted (in England). By comparing the haplotype to others with a similar name, it is possible to estimate how closely you are related, that is the approximate date of your common ancestor.
Secondly, it reveals your calculated halplogroup. This tells you more about your ancient origins (before the adoption of surnames) and can to a certain extent be deduced from the haplotype. Your haplogroup tells you to which branch of the human tree you belong. A common analogy is to compare the haplogroup to the branch of a tree. The leaves on the branch are your haplotype. The branch is therefore our family group in the whole human family. The Wallbanks (and one line of the USA Wilbanks) have been shown to belong the Haplogroup I1, a group that probably started from one man about 5000 years ago. In turn, he descend from Haplogroup I, which came into existence about 25,000 years ago from Haplogroup F, and in turn F came from C, then C from Haplogroup A about 70,000 years ago. The change from one to to another is characterized by a mutation in a specific part of the DNA. This is what is measured in Deep Ancestry Testing. For members of Haplogroup I1, Deep Ancestry Testing is not necessary as a specific marker in the ordinary Y-chromosome test is a strong indication of the I1 haplogroup.
Therefore, in summary,participating is an opportunity to uncover information not provided in the paper records, which will help with your family history research. We will also discover which family trees are related. As the project progresses, the results for the various family trees will provide information on the evolution of the surname.
As the Y DNA test tells you about your direct male line, which would be your father, his father, and so on back in time, you must be male to take this test, and you should have one of the surnames shown. If you believe there is a Wallbank or variant in your direct male line, although you have a different surname, you are also welcome to participate. If you are female, please find a male to participate.
We encourage males who order a Y DNA test to order 37 markers, if possible. If you order less markers, you can upgrade later, though this costs a little more.
Both males and females may also be interested in learning about their direct female line, which would be their mother, their mother's mother, and so on back in time. You would order a mtDNA test.
Surnames in Project
Walbancke, Walbank, Walbanks, Wallbank, Wallbanks, Welbank, Wilbank, Wilbanks
Requirements
A Surname Project traces members of a family that share a common surname. Since surnames are passed down from father to son like the Y-chromosome, this test is for males taking a Y-DNA test. Females do not carry their father’s Y-DNA and acquire a new surname by way of marriage, so the tested individual must be a male that wants to check his direct paternal line (father’s father’s father’s…) with a Y-DNA12, Y-DNA37, or Y-DNA67 marker test. Females who would like to check their direct paternal line can have a male relative with this surname order a Y-DNA test. Females can also order an mtDNA test for themselves such as the mtDNA or the mtDNAPlus test and participate in an mtDNA project. What do you get when you are tested at FamilytreeDNA ?
The results of my DNA test show that I have a high probability of sharing a common ancestor with three Wilbanks in the USA.
Also the early results show that there are at least two unrelated Wilbank lines in the USA, one most probably of English origin.
However it is unlikely that a Walbank branch in Yorkshire is related to my Staffordshire line. This may indicate that there are at least two origins of the name.
The results below are taken from Wallbank project page at FTDNA .
14 May 2010: there are 14 members of the project.(13 tested with Familytree DNA; one at another testing- house) Thirteen members have their results posted on the Wallbank Project Page of Familiytree DNA.
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The Wallbank Project at Familytreedna
Project Goals:
* Discover information to help with our family history research
* Discover which family trees are related
* Discover information to help with brick walls
* Confirm surname variants
* Validate family history research
* Discover information about our distant origins
Project News:
There are now 14 members (14 May 2010).
The first results are proving to be very interesting. Twelve members have their results posted below. Two distinct English Wallbank lines and two US Willbanks lines have been found. One of the Wilbanks lines is probably descended from the English Staffordshire Wallbank line. The Wallbanks and one of the Wilbank lines belong to Haplogroup I1.
Project Results:
Twelve members have their results posted below. The base testing level is 37 markers although two members Ian Wallbank and a Wilbanks have tested for 67 markers. One member was tested at a different testing-house; only 19 of 37 markers are the same as FamilytreeDNA.
The 12 members so far tested fall into three groups (see results table as pdf image here ):
1. Wa(l)lbank of Yorkshire/Lancashire.
There are three members, belonging to Haplogroup I1 (Nordic/Saxon origin). The DYS390 value of 23 indicates taht this group is of Norse origin.
Of Yorkshire/Lancashire origin, the Wa(l)lbanks in this group show a close relationship to each other. In particular members 89850 and 108920 have a 35/37 marker match (and the other two markers differing by only one unit) giving a genetic distance of 2. This means that there is is a 96% probabilty that they share a common ancestor since 1600. However they have only a 23/37 match with Ian Wallbank, a Staffordshire Wallbank. This represents a genetic distance of 15, indicating that there is only about a 3% probability that the Yorks/Lancs and Staffordshire lines share a common ancestor since 1300.
Therefore there is a very high probability of at least two origins of the Wallbank name.
One member of the Yorks/Lancs group has markers imported from "Genbase". Only 19 out 37 markers are similar to those tested by FamilytreeDNA, but the closeness of the match of this reduced array of markers is sufficient to indicate a close relationship to the other two Yorks/Lancs Wa(l)lbanks. His earliest ancestor is from Giggleswick in the 16th century.
2. Wallbank/Wilbanks
There are five members of this group.
All members of the group share the the same Haplogroup I1 (Nordic/Saxon origin) . The DYS390 value of 14 indicates that this group is of Saxon origin.
a) Ian Stanley Wallbank & 37473 Wilbanks
Ian Stanley Wallbank (Staffordshire, England)and a United States Wilbanks (37473) show a 62/67match which represents a calculated genetic distance of 5. This means that there is a 99% probability that they have a common ancestor born after 1300 and an 88% probability that they have a common ancestor born after 1500.
b) 91791 Wilbanks
The 37 marker result of the second Wilbanks (91791)shows a close relationship (11/12 match : one step difference at fast mutating marker 385b, and a 33/37 match ) to both Ian Wallbank and Wilbanks (37473). However the 67 marker results show that this second Wilbanks (91791) has a 63/67 match with Wilbanks (37473) and a 60/37 match with Ian Wallbank. The results of the additional markers show that the relationship between Wilbanks (91791) and Wilbanks (37473) is much closer than to Ian Wallbank, which is not apparent in the 37 marker results. This demonstrates the advantage of the higher resolution test. The respective genetic distances at 67 markers are 4 and 7 respectively. This equates to a greater than 90% probability of sharing a common ancestor since 1600 for Wilbanks (91791) and Wilbanks (37473), compared with a greater than 90% probability of sharing a common ancestor since about 1400 for Wilbanks (91791) and Ian Wallbank.
c) 100983 Wilbanks
The third Wilbanks member (Roland J Wilbanks - 100983) shows a 12/12 maker match with Ian Wallbank and the first Wilbanks (37473). The 37 marker results show a 36/37 marker match (Genetic distance = 1) with Ian Wallbank and a 35/37 marker match (Genetic distance = 3) with the first Wilbanks (37473) . This is a surprising discovery as it appears to indicate that Member 100983 is more closely related to Ian Wallbank ( a Staffordshire, England Wallbank) than to the other Wilbanks in the group. This would suggest that there is a high probability that Ian Wallbank and members Wilbanks (100983) and Wilbanks (37473) in the Wallbank/Wilbanks Group have a common ancestor who was living in Staffordshire about 1600. In fact there is a 90% probability that the third Wilbanks (100983) and Ian Wallbank share a common ancestor since about 1800. This would be quite extraordinary if true. It would be very interesting to find what the 67 marker test would reveal.
The third Wilbanks (100983) has a 11/12 marker match and a 32/37 marker match (Genetic distance = 5) with the second Wilbanks (91791)
d) 132029 Wilbanks
The fourth Wilbanks member of this group has tested at 37 markers. The 12 maker results are exactly as those of Ian Wallbank and the other Wilbanks , excepting Wilbanks (91791) who has a 11/12 maker match. (1step out at Marker 385b).
The 37 marker results show a a 33/37 match with Wilbanks (91791); a 34/37 match with Wilbanks (37473) and Ian Wallbank ; and a 35/37 match with Wilbanks (100983). This is translated into the following genetic distances and probility of a common ancestor in a given timeframe.:
Wilbanks (100983) - Genetic Distance 2. 90% probability of common ancestor in 12 generations
Wilbanks (37473) - Genetic Distance 3. 90% probability of common ancestor in 16 generations
Ian Wallbank - Genetic Distance 3 . 90% probability of common ancestor in 16 generations
Willbanks (91791) - Genetic Distance 5. 90% probability of common ancestor in 24 generations
Familytree DNA regards a genetic distance of 2 or 3 at 37 markers showing a relationship. A genetic distance of 5 iindicates a probable relationship.
There are a lot of unresolved possibilities that should become clearer with the testing of more members.
We have characterized each member of this group by his most distant known ancestor in order to compare the families at the same time as protecting the privacy of living members. I have waived that option so the Wallbank shown is me, Ian Stanley Wallbank.
The most distant known ancestor of each member is:
Wilbanks (100983): Most distant known ancestor is Richard Woolbanks b 1740
lineage is:
Robert F. Willbanks b 1896
John L.Willbanks b 1860
John Wilbanks b 1837
William Willbanks b 1815
John Wilbanks b unknown
Richard Woolbanks b 1740
Wilbanks (91791): Most distant known ancestor is Wiley Willbanks of Lincoln Co, TN, b. abt 1801 in South Carolina.(maybe brother of Reuben below)
Wilbanks (37473): Most distant known ancestor is Reuben Wilbanks of Lincoln Co.,TN, b abt 1803 (maybe brother of Wiley above)
lineage is:
Jesse Paul Wilbanks b 1910
Samuel Wilbanks b 1873
Jeremiah Wilbanks b bef. 1850
Reuben Wilbanks b abt 1803
Ian Wallbank (78648): Most distant known ancestor is Thomas Wallbank bur 1661 in Ellastone, Staffordshire, England
lineage is:
Charles S Wallbank b 1927
Thomas H Wallbank b. 1897
Thomas Wallbank b 1860
Joseph Wallbank b 1829
Thomas Wallbank b 1803
Walter Wallbank b 1764
Samuel Wallbank b 1726
Richard Wallbank b 1682
Thomas Wallbank b 1643
Thomas Wallbank bur 1661
All the above Wallbanks of North Staffordshire, England.
My tree can be seen here
3. Wilbanks 2
There are four members of this group.
All members share the the same Haplogroup R1b1 b2 (European origin)
The group consists of three United States Wilbanks who have a 99% probability of sharing a common ancestor born since 1600, and an 88% probability of sharing a common ancestor born since 1800.
They are not related to the four members in the Wallbank/Wilbanks Group as the genetic distance is about 47 which indicates that the time to the common ancestor was greater than several thousand years ago. Also the haplogroup is very different, suggesting the common ancestor was tens of thousands of years ago. It is a completely different branch. (see here).
Wilbanks (84692): Most distant known ancestor is William Woolbanks/Wilbanks of Bute Co., North Carolina in 1772 before migrating to Union District, South Carolina where he raised his family with wife Abarilla Gos(t)wick
lineage is:
James W. Wilbanks, b. 1904
Harmon Hosea Wilbanks, b. 1871
John W. Wilbanks, b. 1848
Hosea Wilbanks, Jr., b. 1817 in South Carolina
Hosea Wilbanks, bc 1775 in Union District, South Carolina
William Woolbanks/Wilbanks, of Bute Co., North Carolina in 1772 bef. migrating to Union Co., SC
Wilbanks (88833): Most distant known ancestor is William Woolbanks/Wilbanks of Bute Co., North Carolina in 1772 before migrating to Union District, South Carolina where he raised his family with wife Abarilla Gos(t)wick.
lineage is:
Samuel Lucius Wilbanks, b. 1896
Samuel Easley Wilbanks, b. 1855
John W. Wilbanks, bc 1817 in Pendleton District, South Carolina
Shadrack Wilbanks, bc 1785 in Union District, South Carolina
William Woolbanks/Wilbanks, of Bute Co., North Carolina in 1772 bef. migrating to Union Co., SC
Wilbanks (84732): Most distant known ancestor is William Woolbanks/Wilbanks of Bute Co., North Carolina in 1772 before migrating to Union District, South Carolina where he raised his family with wife Abarilla Gos(t)wick.
lineage is:
John Holland Wilbanks, b. 1838
William H./W.Wilbanks, b. 1804 [understood to be most likely link to the family of William Woolbanks/Wilbanks]
Hosea Wilbanks, bc 1775 in Union District, South Carolina
William Woolbanks/Wilbanks, of Bute Co., North Carolina in 1772 bef. migrating to Union Co., SC
Wilbanks (N30619): Newest member. No ancestoral information available.
3. Wilbanks 3
There is one member of this group, Wilbanks (180134), the most recent member of the project. This member lives in Georgia, USA, and no ancestral information is available. With a I2b1 haplogroup, and a genetic distance of over 30 from all other members of the project, this Wilbanks does not share a common ancestor with other members of the project within the last several thousand years. It is therefore a distinct Wilbanks line.
Note about Haplogroups I1, I2b1 and R1b1 b2 .
R1b1b2 is believed to have originated about 4000 years ago, and is most commonly found today in north-western Europe, where it has the following concentrations:
England, 21.4%;Denmark, 17.7%; Netherlands, 37.2%; Germany 20.5%, Switzxerland, 13.3% ;and Austria, 22.7%. It then dimishes further to the Mediterranean and east.
Haplogroup I2b1 probably originated in the north German plain about 9000 years ago. Today it is found at moderate frequency in the populations of north-west Europe, with a peak frequency in Lower Saxony in north-west Germany.
Haplogroup I1 mutated and branched from Haplogroup I about 15000 years ago after the retreat ice of the last ice age .During the ice age (Last Glacial Maximum), the ancestors of I1 probably took refuge in Iberia, moving north as the ice retreated. Although the haplogroup dates to 15 000- 20 000 years ago, it is thought that the most recent ancestor of members of this haplogroup was living in the region of Denmark about 5 000 years ago. Therefore, all members of this haplogroup probably descend from this one man. His descendants went on to form significant concentrations in Scandinavia and northern Germany (40% in western Finland, 35% in southern Norway and Sweden, then tailing off into northern Europe (Denmark and Germany where the Angles, Saxons and Jutes lived, and from where they invaded England in the 6th century onwards.
About 10% of British people belong to Haplogroup I1, and are believed to be descended from Anglo-Saxon and Viking invaders. Furthermore, it is believed that two Y-chromosome markers can differentiate between the Anglo-Saxon and Viking tribes. This difference is shown by the Yorkshire Wallbanks, who are of Viking origin, and the Staffordshire Wallbank/Wilbanks, who are of Saxon origin. This is further evidence of the high probability of at least two origins of the Wallbank name. (One in East Lancashire/Yorkshire, and one in the East Midlands of England).
Order a test kit here
Find out more at FamilytreeDNA
Go to the Wallbank Project Page at FamilytreeDNA