Big News should be coming in the weeks ahead! If you are a male Curley, you can get involved by YDNA testing through FTDNA

UPDATES

5/2/2026 -     Something I did not see earlier and further evidence to support our brach was Continental prior to the 1066 Invasion of
                     England, a brother SNP under L1066, which is estimated to have occurred around 1950 BC, FTT22 appears to be solid
                     Continental, with modern descendants in Norway and Germany. This demonstrates for the potential for the brother SNPs
                     A6127 and FTT22 to be Continental SNPs, whereas other sons under L1066 went into Britain very early on during the
                     Bronze Age. In addition, we are still waiting for FTDNA to populate the information for 2 sets of "new" ancient remains
                     found to be positive for the SNP L1066. I am specifically interested in their age and locations. All FTDNA is saying is the
                     information will be available "soon".

Something else of high importance that was not previously considered, the Clan Curley founder Big Y test through FTDNA
was done back in 2013 and unfortunately this test is missing anywhere from 25% to 50% of the SNP coverage the new
Big Y 700 test provides. Because of this, our timeline is not as accurate as it should be so that will be rectified in the days
ahead because there will be an upgrade to Big Y 700. In the weeks ahead, we will have 2 new Big Y 700 results for our Curley
lineage and finally be able to demonstrate the true age of this lineage and the Curley surname.

 

4/19/2026 -  Currently awaiting testing results which will be extremely valuable in establishing the length of time this Curley family has
                    been connected to a variation of the Curley surname. I am expecting the distance to be at least back to 1350 AD but it may
                    end up even further back. We will also have a new SNP under the SNP A6119, a more recent SNP that will finally create a
                    branch in our Curley tree. This new SNP will represent an ancestor where the lineage split into separate families.

4/18/2026 - Apparently 2 more sets of ancient remains have been found under the SNP L1066, waiting for additional information to be
                    published, we do not know for certain what the locations or age estimates are for these remains.

 

Ancient Remains Updates   

Ancient DNA was found in Denmark, on the island of Funen, that are positive for a grandparent of our A6119 SNP lineage. These remains tested positive
for the SNP Z2185. This is a very significant discovery, it shows that there were related populations in Scandinavia prior to the commencement of the
Viking age. Unfortunately those testing the remains did not report a terminal/more recent SNP, they stopped at Z2185. There isn't any way to know at this
time if he is in our direct line under Z2185. This discovery is significant however, it reshaping how the genealogy and scientific community view this lineage
and other branches under L21. Originally L21 and its descendants were primarily thought of as Atlantic or Insular Celtic but ancient remains have proven
descendant branches of L21 were clearly in Scandinavia well before the viking age started, these are native Scandinavians who lived there for quite a long
time. There is a good possibility our A6127>A6119 lineage will be found in acient remains in Denmark, and that those remains will pre-date the viking age.

• Sample ID: 107529
• Location: Nymarksgård, Denmark.
• Time Period: Dated to approximately 666–774 CE, placing the individual in the pre-Viking Age.
• Genetic Marker: Positive for R-Z2185 (a branch of R1b-L21).
• Significance: This sample is frequently cited in genetic genealogy as a key reference point for the R-Z2185 lineage
  in Scandinavia,proving its presence in Denmark centuries before the height of the Viking expansion.
• More Recent SNPS - Z2185 formed approx. 2200 BC, test results for positive SNPs under Z2185 have not been
  released (as of 3/30/2026). It's possible further testing may reveal additional/more recent SNPs, we'll continue to monitor.

• Sample ID: VK431 (from the 2020 Nature Population Genomics of the Viking World study).
• Location: Gettlinge Grave Field, Öland, Sweden.
• Time Period: Dated to approximately 829 CE (±57 years), placing him in the early Viking Age.
• Genetic Marker: Positive for R-L1066 (also known as CTS1202), a lineage typically associated with the British Isles
  (R1b-L21).
• Social Status: Identified as a high-status individual. His burial at the Gettlinge site - one of the largest and most
  prominent ship burial grounds on the island—reflects a position of significant social or military standing.
• Significance: This sample proves that individuals with "Atlantic" paternal lineages were not just present in Scandinavia,
  but were fully integrated into the Norse elite. Rather than being a captive, VK431 likely represents a seafaring warrior
  or chieftain whose family had established roots in the Baltic through several generations of maritime trade and migration. 
• More Recent SNPs -

 

These are some of the other surnames that are part of our A6119 lineage, where the shared ancestor for all these men is
estimated to have lived approximated 250 CE. This date may change as additional test results are factored into the equation.
As shown below, we have a clear Norman cluster of surnames. Where we have evidence of these names found together in
Normandy, we also have evidence of them found in the same are in Ireland. This supports an Anglo Norman arrival in Ireland.

Ryan/Royan          possibly from - Rohan - Rouen (Norman)
Constant               possibly from Constantinus, Custance/Coustance de Cotentin (Norman)
Curley                  possibly from de Criol, Kyriel, Curly or de Curli (Battle Abbey Roll)(Norman) there is also a William Macarell that was listed as being
                            part of the Strongbow Invasion.
Tilley/Flood/Tully  possibly from de Tilley (Battle Abbey Roll) (Norman) Tully/Tilley and Flood are connected from the Gaelic Tuile, which can translate
                            back to Flood. It is possible members of the orginal de Tilley family later Gaelicized their name to a form of Tuile, and then were later
                            Anglicized back to Tully and Flood.
Petty                     possibly from le Petit - Ireland and Normandy
Burke                   This does not appear to be the historical de Burgh family but possibly a knight that may have taken the Burke surname very early on,
                            around 1275 AD
McMahon            The McMahon family under our A6119 cluster may actually represent the Norman FitzUrse family. FitzUrse means son of the bear -
                            McMahon means son of the bear. Some of the FitzUrse descendants in Ireland became McMahons because both names mean Son
                            of the bear. It's also possible it could be a one off NPE lineage but as FirtzUrse it fits the lineage and pattern. Originally the Oriel
                            McMahons claimed descent from FitzUrse but their DNA does not match as it should and that claimed origin has been disproven.