| My paternal line is presently the focus of genetic research. Based upon Y-DNA testing at the 111 STR marker level, my paternal line is of Scandinavian or Nordic ethnicity, confirmed Haplogroup I1a2 (Confirmed Z148+ YSC0000299+ YSC0000298+ YSC0000280+ YSC0000265+ YSC0000264+ YSC0000260+ YSC0000259+ YSC0000257+ V9+ V205+ V189+ V186+ PF970+ PAGES00123+ P30+ P187+ P166+ P160+ P159+ P158+ P151+ P148+ P146+ P145+ P141+ P14+ P138+ P136+ P135+ P130+ P127+ P126+ P124+ P123+ M94+ M89+ M450+ M42+ M307+ M294+ M253+ M170+ M168+ M139+ L80+ L75+ L69+ L594+ L578+ L575+ L574+ L566+ L552+ L517+ L516+ L515+ L509+ L498+ L493+ L477+ L470+ L468+ L403+ L366+ L350+ L187+ L16+ L157+ L15+ L132+ L125+ L124+ L121+ L118+ F1046+ DF29+ CTS3654+ CTS6364+ CTS11441+ Z63- Z58- P303- P259- P15- P109- M69- M227- M21- M201- L22- L211- ). A first cousin was also tested and matched me, but no other Day FTDNA project participants. We did, however, have a few distant Norwegian and Finnish matches that were identified by researcher Kenneth Nordtvedt. The Cullen Haplogroup Predictor identified my haplogroup as I1a-Norse. My earliest known paternal ancestor, Thomas Day, was reportedly born in Bedford County, Virginia between 1740 and 1755. However, no one has been able to identify the parents of Thomas Day, which is why I have turned to Y-DNA testing. Other surnames which have been researched include Cutrer (Couturier), Grigaitis (Grigat), Ruhnke. Ilian, Hughes (Hewes), Lea and Henderson. The Cutrer line's origin is France, with the earliest ancestors using the surname Couturier. The Hughes name is derived from Hewes, which is Welsh. Lea and Henderson are English and Scottish respectively. Grigaitis is derived from the East Prussian / Samogitian Grygajt which was Germanized to Grigat and then Lithuanized to Grigaitis. I have also seen a Polonized version spelled as Grygajtis. The area around Taurage, Lithuania, where my grandfather grew up, was influenced by Samogitian and Norse culture. Ruhnke and Ilian appear to be German or Prussian in origin, though there is some doubt about the origin of Ilian. In order to research these lines, it was necessary to obtain original Lutheran church documents from churches in the Taurage, Lithuania region, and translate them from Russian, German, and Lithuanian into English. In addition, some documents were retrieved from the Lithuanian State Archives in Vilnius. In both cases, outside assistance was utilized in retrieving and translating documents. There are missing family connections between Grigaitis family members who resided in Sakiai, Lithuania and those who resided in the area of Taurage, Lithuania prior to WWi. The earliest Grigaitis ancestor was born in Sakiai according to church records, and other Grigaitis names were found in Sakiai. However, I was unable to trace back before the early 1800s, just after the partitioning and ceding of the Lithuanian-Polish Commonwealth to Russia, Prussia, and Austria. Surviving descendants from the Grigaitis family in Taurage, Lithuania were found living during Soviet times with several births noted during the late 1950s. However, it is unknown who the descendants of those individuals are in present-day Lithuania or other parts of Europe. Guests are invited to provide any missing information not shown in the family tree. Guests are invited to provide any missing information not shown in the family tree. If you have any comments or feedback about this site, please click fday@huskers.unl.edu to contact me. The site was last updated on September 4, 2012. Enjoy! Fred Day |
