My preferred (non compensated endorsement) y-DNA testing company link https://www.familytreedna.com Cover photo Enoch Hays musket circa 1820 courtesy of Rachael McAllister
I was recently contacted by Rachael offering information on a Hays line:
I have a Hays family record that was given to my grandmother and then to me. It was put together in 1978.
I have many Hays family photo’s from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. If interested I have all the records and photo’s on my google drive. I can add you as a viewer and you can download everything I have for your records.
Thanks, Rachael McAllister
She provided the following links to the Nicholas Hays story and also Ancestor photo’s of N.H. (I believe you’ll need to contact her to gain access to them). I see by the story that Nicholas came to America from Ireland in 1746, arriving in Philadelphia and settling in VA before migrating to Greene, TN as the young nation grew. This similar to the migration of my, and many others, Hays line.
The back story of Nicholas Hays written in 1988 (without reference) states that they came from Tipperary (southern), Ireland with discussion of the lineage there (I refer you to the story for specifics). My line, as shown by my DNA goes back to Northern Ireland, most likely coming there from the lowlands of Scotland. Thus we may have two distinct unrelated lineages with a very similar diaspora and same surname on arriving in America.
The “Hay, Hays, Hayes” name has 3 main origins. One is English which is a place name (for example, an area in Kent). The second is Irish, an Anglicised name for “O hAodha” which was “Hayes” in Cork County (and “Hughes” in Ulster). The third from the Norman delaHaye and the formation of the Scot Clan Hay. Thus an an Ulster-Scot Hayes, Irish Hayes, and English Hayes most likely have distinct y-DNA lineages. This confusion of the source of “Hays” is added to by different spellings of Hays, in addition to inaccurate research, incorrect retelling of family history through the generations, and incorrect conclusions not based upon evidence.
While recent records help us follow our lineage and surname, historical records often leave large gaps in our knowledge and leave us guessing on connections with little evidence to go on. This especially as we go back in time and records become fewer with reduced accuracy in the records. Our connections to the mother country are often based upon scant evidence or hear-say passed down the generations. Here is where y-DNA helps.
By itself y-DNA will show a probability of a common ancestor in generations removed but if you add a common surname the odds of a common ancestor goes up. At 67 markers tested and a genetic distance of 3; the odds a non “Hays”surname is related is 24% for common ancestor 4 generations back and 84% at 10 generations but a “Hays” surname increases the odds to 46% related at 4 generations back and 10 generation back it is 93%.
So if the Y-DNA is tested and there are few matching markers the persons are most likely not related and the lineage is different even if it is the same surname (understanding if we go back 20, 30, 40 or 50 generations EVENTUALLY we will find a common ancestor as all y-DNA originated from one person “y-DNA Adam” in Africa). If a person is a close match but the surname is different the common ancestor in most likely further back in time.
For perspective it was 8 generations ago when my ancestors came to America (about 1720). I believe I have a good track and evidence back 6 generations but the DNA helped me connect with the most likely source of my line, John or Patrick Hays (assumed to be brothers) who arrived from Ulster. This helped greatly in building my story of my Hays line, even if I can not find evidence to connect the line (I have a one generation missing link at 7) .
10,000 years ago my DNA line crossed the Italian Alps eventually making its way to Scotland where it stayed for about 800 years. From there it came to America where we have now stayed for 300 years. The group it is in is one of the largest and most common. If a male relative of Rachael’s got the y-DNA test she would then be able to confirm her lineage and connection to the Irish Hays as it would be distinct from the Ulster Hays. As more Hays get their y-DNA tested and compared we’ll be better able to sort out the lineages and from whence we came.