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Diana, Goddess of the Hunt — for Ancestors!
 
'Diana of Versailles' Louvre Museum [PD-US]
Every-Name Index
 
The RASEY Y-DNA Surname Project
including Variations, such as, RAZEE, RACEY, RAZEY, RASAY, RAASAY, RAASEY, RACIE,
RAYSAY, RACEE, RACY, RASY, RAZY, RAISEY, RAISY, RASIE, RAYSE, RESEIGH, etc.
The purpose of this project is to utilize Y-chromosome DNA testing as a tool for genealogical research on surname RASEY and other phonetically similar surnames.  At this early stage in the project, the most burning questions have to do with the relationships between the U.S. immigrants, that is, between the American progenitors and their origins in Europe.  DNA testing is ideally suited to answering these questions.

The project is based at FamilyTreeDNA, but people tested elsewhere are welcome to join by sharing results and lineages, either unofficially or by officially transferring

Human gender is genetically determined by a pair of chromosomes that are, by convention, designated XX (for females) and XY (for males).  Only males have the Y-chromosome, and because the male Y-chromosome is handed down intact from father to son through the generations (except for rare mutations), Y-DNA testing can identify common ancestors on patrilineal (direct male) lines.

If you are researching any of these surnames or their variations, please consider having a male family member submit a sample to the project.  The more participants we have, the more we will learn about our origins!

And if you are new to genetic testing for genealogical purposes, you are encouraged to read the project FAQs and these two linked articles:

—  FAQs  —  Understanding You DNA Test Results  —  Introduction to Genealogy and Genetics   —
View the Alternate Project Web Site at FamilyTreeDNA
This site includes a distribution map of member origins.

FTDNA FAQs
Answers to an exhaustive list of questions relating to DNA testing.

To join the project, please email the project Administrator.
DNA Test Results and Lineages

The RASEY Y-chromosome DNA Surname Project was opened on 2 Feb 2006.  Currently, the project has four members, with results returned for all four.  These project members represent two of the key RASEY/RAZEE/etc. progenitors in the United States, namely:  Joseph RAZEE I of MA and Rhode Island and Joseph RASEY I of MA and New Hampshire.  Testing indicates the two are not related.

FamilyTreeDNA considers both families to be Haplogroup I21b (M233+), however both have been more deeply SNP tested indicating they belong to two — as yet unnamed — subclades of I21b (L801+ and L380+).  Eventually, these new subclades will be added to the Y-DNA haplotree.
 

Haplogroup I2b1x (M223+, L801+, L380-) — Continental-1 Cluster

Joseph RAZEE I (1687-<1755) of Bristol Co., MA, then Providence Co., RI, who married first Sarah WHIPPLE and second Widow Mercy (WHITE?) DAVIS. 

These two individuals have no significant matches in either the FTDNA or Ysearch databases, except with each other.  They match each other 35/37 (genetic distance 3), with all the differences being on fast-mutating markers.  Their results are consistent with them having a near common ancestor, which supports their paper genealogy.  They descend from two different grandsons of Joseph RAZEE I, so we can be confident neither has an NPE in their lineage. 

Both their SNP test results and their STR test results indicate they are not closely related to the descendants of Joseph RASEY I, thus disproving the assertion that Joseph RAZEE I was the father of Joseph RASEY I.
 

Haplogroup I2b1xx (M223+, I-L801+, I-L380+) — Continental-2a Cluster

Joseph RASEY I (c1734- ) of Worcester Co., MA, then Cheshire Co., NH, who married Mary HOLLON.

These two individuals have no significant matches in either the FTDNA or Ysearch databases, except with each other.  They descend from two different sons of Joseph RASEY I, so we can be confident 1) that neither has an NPE in his line and 2) that we are at least close to knowing the haplotype of Joseph, himself.

One of them has been deep SNP tested with the result that he is Haplogroup I2b1* (= I-M223) effectively debunking the legend of a connection to Malcolm MacLEOD of the Isle of Raasay, whose kin are Haplogroup R1b.  Given that they are in different haplogroups, Joseph RASAY cannot have had a common ancestor with any MacLEOD line for tens of thousands of years.

Update (30 Oct 2011):  This same individual has taken the WTY (Walk through the Y) test, and three new SNPs were discovered: 

  • V218.2, which appears to be synonymous with P19 and other SNPs defining Haplogroup I.
  • L800, which appears to be sysnonymous with M223 and other SNPs defining Haplogroup I2b1.
  • L801, which appears to be separating the "Continental" clusters of I-M223 from other M223 clusters, thus defining a new subclade of I2b1.  It is still listed only on the FTDNA Draft Tree, but will presumably appear, eventually, as a new subclade on the official tree.
  • All M223+ are urged to test L801 to clearly define which STR clusters do or do not belong to the new SNP subclade.  Our subject is also positive for L380, however, its position on the haplotree has yet to be determined.  Because the above RAZEE is negative for L380, this further supports that they do not have a near common ancestor.
    SUBSIDIZED TESTING!

    If you want to increase the probability of making a match and speed up the progress of this project, offer to subsidize a test, even if it's with just $10.  Donations can easily be made through the project's General Fund (see below).

    1.  The project is offering to subsidize the full cost of a 67-marker test to any RASEY / RASAY / RACEY / RAZEY / etc. born in and living in the British Isles or France, with patrilineal ancestors born in the same country (i.e., an individual with "known roots").

    2.  The project is also offering to subsidize the full cost of a 67-marker test to one patrilineal male descendant of each of the following progenitors:

    John RASYE / RASEY / RAZEY (b. ca. 1530s), of Wiltshire, England 

    Luke RACEY (1750-1813), of Norfolk, England, who settled in Hampshire Co., WV 

    James RASEY / RACEY / RACY (1792-1883) of Franklin Co., NY 

    For all subsidies, subject must be willing to join this RASEY project here at FamilyTreeDNA.  Subjects must be surnamed RASEY or variant and descend from the indicated ancestor on a patrilineal (direct male) line — no females can break the line of descent.  Acceptance of the subject is at the discretion of the donor (i.e., upon the researcher's satisfaction that there is a valid paper connection between the test subject and the ancestor), and the test subject must agree to sign the Release to allow sharing of his test results and to having their results uploaded to Ysearch.  Please note that sharing of results does not necessarily mean sharing of identity.  Only the project administrator and donor necessarily have to know the identity of the test subject.  Normally FamilyTreeDNA and matching test subjects would also know, though they can be excluded if necessary.

    General Fund

    In recognition of the fact that some individuals may find the cost of DNA testing prohibitive and that these individuals may be the only representatives of key lines in our genealogical research, Family Tree DNA has instituted "General Funds" to allow researchers to subsidize the testing of these key individuals.  The fund can also be used as a simple way to give someone a gift of DNA testing.  Please see this link at Family Tree DNA for more details.  And please consider a donation to the project as a way of bringing more lines into the project, especially to help some of our elder kin be tested who may not otherwise be able to afford it.  There is also a field on the donation form allowing you to make a donation in honor of a specific person.  The funds will be entirely collected and held by Family Tree DNA, but their dispursement is implemented by your project administrator.  You can inform your project adminstrator whose test you want subsidized with your donation or, if you wish, you can leave it up to the project administrator to decide where the funds can best be applied.  Please note that anonymous donations are not just anonymous to the public; they are also anonymous to the project admin.  If you want the admin to know you made the donation and/or have a special request for how it is to be spent, please notify the admin by email at the time you make the donation.

    There has been an instance in one of my projects where a donor sent a prospective member a check, then the person never followed through by joining the project.  This situation can be avoided if the researcher has, instead, donated the money to the project's General Fund, because the money simply won't be spent if the person fails to join.

    There has also been an instance in one of my projects where a donor agreed to fund a test based on the promise of a secure line to their progenitor, only for me to discover there was an adoption in the line.  In this case, the researcher had donated their money to the General Fund, and I caught the NPE in time to deny the subsidy to the test subject.  This situation is also a reminder to examine someone's line, yourself, before agreeing to subsidize their test — not that there was intentional deception here, just flawed paper genealogy.

    Bottom line:  before sending a stranger a check, please consider making a donation to the project's General Fund, instead.  And, please, in no case send money to me; I do not want the responsibility of handling it.

    RASEY-DNA Mailing List
    Anyone interested is welcome to join the list, whether a member of the DNA project, or not.

    Note that the above is a different list from the
    RASEY Surname Mailing List at RootsWeb,
    which you are also welcome to join, of course.

    If you are seeking general information, I would recommend joining either or both of these lists:
    GEN-NEWBIE and/or GENEALOGY-DNA
    The former is, obviously, aimed at the novice, while the latter tends to be advanced and technical.

    And for the gateway to genealogy web links, specifically DNA links, see Cyndi's List - DNA.

    Every-Name Index to RASEY / RACEY / RAZEE / etc. Family Group Sheets

    Link to /R/ Folder to Browse Family Group Sheets by Husband's Surname

    Links Hub for RASEY / RACEY / RAZEE / etc. U.S. Census Records

    RASEY / RACEY / RAZEE / etc. of Note

    Arthur George RACEY (1870-1941), of Montreal, QC — fine artist, political cartoonist
    Jean RASEY (living), of Duluth, MN — actress
    Patricia A. RASEY (living), of Napoleon, OH — author

    How Our Surnames Rank in Frequency in the 1990 U.S. Census
    RACEY 23470
    RASEY 29783
    RAZEY 60901
    The list of surnames at the www.census.gov web site ranks the top 88,799 surnames in the 1990 U.S. census.  Only three of our surnames appear in the rankings; all other spelling variations (at least the ones I could think to try using the Find feature of my browser) are too rare to be listed.
    The project administrator and webmaster is yours truly, Diana Gale MATTHIESEN.  I am a volunteer and receive no financial remuneration of any kind from FamilyTreeDNA.  I'm a retired zoologist/paleontologist, and genealogy is my hobby.   My interest in RASEY stems from my descent from Joseph RASEY I, although I "daughter out" in the 4th generation:  Joseph I > Joseph II > Joseph III > Polly, who married Willard BROWN.
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