by Phillip G. Goff, GGFA Director of Genetic Genealogy
The GGFA recently completed a major update to the 1750 McGoff–McGough–Goff Genetic Family, originally associated with haplogroup I-Y67553. Thanks to new Big Y-700 test results and additional autosomal matches, this family has now been reassigned to the more refined terminal haplogroup I-FTF24508, and its internal structure has become clearer.
These three lines point toward an early-19th-century Mayo cluster with multiple siblings or cousins, with the family disbursing later to Scotland and America.
Conclusion
Hereditary surnames were adopted much earlier in Ireland than in England. Unfortunately, Ireland has suffered significant record loss. Big Y 700 is extremely powerful at recovering these very deep lineages.
For more information, please check our DNA Surname Study pages or email me at dna@goff-gough.com. Each new participant helps to fill in the history of the Goff/Gough families.
Phillip Goff is the co-author, along with Roy L. Lockhart, of The Four Goff Brothers of Western Virginia. Since 2004, he has run the Goff/Gough Surname DNA Study, which today has about 500 participants.