WOLCOTT/WALCOTT   DNA  PROJECT

Updated November 2011

This information is intended for genealogical research purposes only and may not be used without permission, except that single copies may be printed for private use.  Questions and additions or corrections to this page may be sent to John Wolcott (johnwolcott at mail.com)

The Wolcott/Woolcott/Walcott/Walcutt/Wilcott/Woollacott DNA project was begun in November 2004. The purpose was to establish DNA base data for these families, to attempt to identify common ancestors, to ascertain how their DNA mutated, and to help Wolcotts, Woolcotts, Walcotts, Wilcotts, Woollacotts, etc. find or verify their descent. We also hoped to prove or disprove some relationships that have previously been conjectural.

We use a test for the Y-chromosome, which is inherited from father to son, with occasional but rare mutations. Samples from males in the male line are required for this.   Samples from 2 related males will show the Y-DNA of their common ancestor. For example, if you were to test one male and his male second-cousin and you find they are very similar, then you know that their great-grandfather carried that DNA.  In the case of Henry and John Wolcott, who immigrated to America in the early 1600s, we have many samples from descendants of each, with little differentiation, proving scientifically that their common great-grandfather,Thomas Wolcott, who was born about 1500, had that DNA. We know, therefore, that each of their supposed descendants who have similar results are genetically descended from them. Occasionally we find "anomolies", where a person is not genetically descended as thought due to an unknown adoption or out-of-wedlock birth.

Participants are asked to use a commercial 37 marker Y chromosome test at the participant's expense. Some participants have extended their tests to 67 markers, and a few participants have extended their tests further to include SNP markers which differentiate Celtic and Anglo-Saxon descent.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS:

A few of our participants have extended their tests to 67 markers. The results shows what appears to be a second marker that is different in the descendants of Henry Wolcott of Windsor and John Wolcott of Watertown. This is noteworth because a descendant of Samuel Wolcott of Charestown MA carries the mutation of Henry, while a descendants of Samuel Wolcott of Shrewsbury NJ carries the mutation of John. Neither family has yet been linked to either family by documentary evidence. Our sampling is small at this point, but this shows promise of another tool for genetically identifying branches of our family.

CURRENT RESULTS:

Most of our participants, Wolcotts, Woolcotts, Wilcotts, Willcutts, Walcuts, and Woollacotts, fall into a classification of Group R1b,Western European (Celtic or Anglo-Saxon). The SNP markers show us that Wolcotts and Woolcotts who are descended from Henry of Windsor, John of Watertown, and Samuel of Shrewsbury are of Anglo-Saxon descent. The Maryland Wolcots and Walcutts and the genetically similar Massachusetts Wilcutts, are Anglo-Saxon in origin, but do not share a common ancestor with the Connecticut and Massachusetts Wolcotts.

DNA of the Shropshire Walcot and Devonshire Woollacott members of our project shows a Celtic descent, but their markers are sufficiently different that two different original ancestors are indicated.

All our Walcott participants, with the exception of our African-American Walcott participants, have tested as being of Nordic descent. They appear to be from two different original ancestors from Eastern England where many Danes settled shortly before the Norman Conquest.

We have two African-American participants; one a Walcott and the other a Wilcots. Both DNA samples show pure African descent in the male lines, originating with two different ancestors in Central Africa.

Most of our participants are Anglo-Saxon Wolcotts and are close enough together to have a single common ancestor. That common ancestor is thought to been Ralph Wolcott of Devonshire, born c.1330. We are using the most common DNA markers of these Wolcott participants as our Wolcott/Woolcott "norm".  For privacy, exact numbers of the norm are shown here as "X", broken into groups of 10 Xs for legibility.  Participant's variations from our standard Wolcott norm are shown as + or - numbers, with the total variations being shown following. Most participans are descendants of either Henry Wolcott or his 3rd cousin John Wolcott. The 35th marker for these two families has a 2 point difference between descendants of Henry and John. We have used Henry's 35th marker for our norm, although it does skew the number of variations in John's descendants. Tests extended to 67 markers show a difference in the 8th from last markers for Henry and John's descendants, possibly another differentiation between these two branches.

1. The first Wolcott in America was Henry Wolcott (1579-1655), who immigrated from Somerset to America in 1630, and settled at Windsor CT. Henry's descendants make up about 70% of all American Wolcotts. These show a difference in the 35th marker that distinguish them from the descendants of his third cousin, John Woolcott of Watertown MA.
 
G. F. W., descendant of Henry, Henry, Samuel, Samuel, Samuel Wolcott:
XXXXXXXX-1X  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXX 1 var.
M. F. W., descendant of Henry, Henry, Samuel, Samuel, Samuel Wolcott:
XXXXXXXX-1X  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXX 1 var.
R. G. W., descendant of Henry/Henry, Samuel, Samuel, Samuel Wolcott:
XXXXXXXX-1X  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXX 1 var.
J. W. Wolcott, descendant of Henry, Henry, Samuel, Samuel, Elisha Wolcott:
XXXXXXXX-1X  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXX-1XXXXX  XXXXXXX 2 var.
J. R. W., descendant of Henry, Henry, Samuel, Samuel, Josiah Wolcott:
XXXXXXXX-1X  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXX 1 var.
R. J. W., descendant of Henry, George, George, George Wolcott
XXXXXXXXXX  XX+1XXXXXXX  XXXXX+1XXXX  XXXXXXX 2 var.
R. L. W., descendant of Henry, George, George, Joshua
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXX 0 var.
D. L. W., descendant of Henry, George, John, Noah Wolcott
XXXXXXXXXX  XX+1XXXXXXX  XXXXXXXX-2-1  XXXX+1XX 5 var.
E. S. W., descendant of Henry, George, John, Noah Wolcott
XXXXXXXXXX XX+1XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX-1  XXXX+1XX 3 var.
T. B. W. , descendant of Henry, George, John, Noah Wolcott
XXXXXXXXXX XX+1XXXXXXX XXX-1XXXXX-1  XXXX+1XX 4 var.
M. L. W., descendant of Henry, Simon, Henry, Henry, Henry Wolcott:
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXX-1  XXX+1XXX 2 var.
G. M. W., descendant of Henry, Simon, Henry, Thomas, Thomas Wolcott:
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXX-1X 1 var.
Jo. B. W., descendant of Henry, Simon, Henry, Thomas, Thomas Wolcott:
XXXXXXXX-1X  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXX+1  XXXXXXX 2 var.
XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX
T. P. W., descendant of Henry, Simon, Henry, Thomas, Thomas Wolcott:
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXX-1XXXXX  XXXXX-1X 1 var.
K. E. W., descendant of Henry, Simon, Henry, Thomas, Thomas Wolcott:
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXX-1XXXXX  XXXXX-1X 1 var.
R.M.W., descendant of Henry, Simon, Roger, Roger, Epaphras
XXXXXXXXX+1 X+1XXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXX_ ________XX 2 var,
Ja. B. W. descendant of Henry, Simon, Roger, Alexander Wolcott:
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX +1XXXXXXXXX X+1X+1XX 3 var.
E. A. W. descendant of Henry, Simon, Roger, Alexander Wolcott:
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXX+1+1XX 2 var.

2. Descendants of Samuel Wolcott (1630-1687), who immigrated from Devonshire to New Jersey in 1660, have very similar DNA results to the descendants of the Henry Wolcott and John Woolcott, but the exact relationship is still unknown.

E. F. W., descendant of Samuel, Peter, Benjamin, Benjamin, Peter Wolcott:
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXX-1  XXXXXXX 1 var.
XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XX+1XXXXXXX
J. M. W., descendant of Samuel, Peter, Benjamin, Benjamin, Benjamin Wolcott:
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XX-1XXXX 1 var.
XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XX+1XXXXXXX
M. R. Wolcott descendant of Samuel, Peter, Benjamin, Benjamin, Amos Wolcott:
XXXXXXXXXX XXX__XXX_X XXXXXXXXX_ ______X 0 var.

3. Descendants of John Woolcott of Newbury (c.1635-1690), son of John Woolcott of Watertown, (1599-1638), third cousin of Henry Wolcott, the immigrant, show the Wolcott norm with a 35th marker that is 2 steps above the CT/NJ Wolcotts markers. In the extended tests there appears to also be a difference in the 8th from last marker which is different from the Connecticut Wolcotts, but similar to the New Jersey Wolcotts. John's descendants include the Pennsylvania Wolcotts, described in the article, "The Illusive Wilcotts", found on the "Descendants of John Wolcott of Watertown" page at this web site, and the Delaware and North Carolina Wilcotts.

D. J. W., descendant of John, John, John, John, John, Timothy Woolcott:
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXX+2XX 2 var.
J. W. W., descendant of John, John, John, John, John, Solomon Woolcott:
XXXXXXXXX+1  X+1XXXXXXXX  XXXX-1XXXXX  XXXX+2XX  4 var.
C. R. W., descendant of John, John, John, Nathaniel, John Wolcott:
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXX-1X+2XX  3 var.
C. W. Wo., descendant of John, John, John, Nathaniel, John Woolcott:
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXX+1XX  XX-1XXXXXXX  XX+1X+2XX  5 var.
XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XX+1XXXXXXX
J. E.W., descendant of John, John, John, Nathaniel, John Woolcott:
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXX+2XX  2 var.
XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XX+1XXXXXXX
J. R. D. W., descendant of John, John, John, John, John2, Abner Wolcott:
XXXXXXXXX+1  X+1XXXXXXXX  +1XXX-1XXXXX  XXXX+2XX  6 var.
C. R. W descendant of John, John, John, John, John2, Abner Wolcott:
XXXXXX+1XX+1  X+1XXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX XXXX+2XX  4 var.
P. W. W., descendant of John, John, John, John, John2, Silas Wolcott:
XXXXXXXXX+1  X+1XXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX XXXX+3XX  5 var.
S. W. W., descendant of John, John, John, John, John2, Silas Wolcott:
XXXXXXXXX+1  X+1XXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  X+1XX+2XX 5 var.
R. M. W., probable descendant of John, John, John, John, John2, John Woolcott
XXXXXXXXX+1  X+1XXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX _____XX  2 var.
D. R. W., descendant of John, John, John, John, John2, Barnabus Wolcott
XXXXXXXXX+1  X+1XXXXXXXX  X+1XXXXXXXX  XXXX+2XX  5 var.
C. W. Wi., descendant of John, John, John, John, ?, Elijah Wi.
XXX+1XX+1XX+1  X+1XXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX XXXX+2XX  6 var.
G. D. W., descendant of John, John, John, John, Joseph?, Thomas Willcutts of NC
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXX+2XX  2 var.
XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XX+1XXXXXXX
J. F. W., descendant of John, John, John, John, Joseph?, Thomas Willcutts of NC
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXX+2XX  2 var.
W. R. W., descendant of John, John, John, John, Joseph?, Reuben Wilcott of DE (1761-1854)
XXXXXXXXXX  XX+1XXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXX+2XX 3 var.
XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XX+1XXXXXXX

4. Three other participants, descendants of Samuel Wolcott of Charleston MA (c.1700-1773), appear to be related to the above groups, but the relationship is unknown. A change in their 9th marker distinguishes them from other Wolcott groups. Extended test results are identical to those of descendants of Henry Wolcott of Windsor CT.

G. B. W., descendant of Samuel, Samuel, Jesse, CalvinWolcott :
XXXXXXXX+1X  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXX-2  X+2XX+3XX 8 var.
Je. B. W., descendant of Samuel, Samuel, Jesse Wolcott
XXXXXXXX+1X  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXX+1XXX _____XX  2 var.
J. C. Wolcott, descendant of Samuel, Samuel, Jesse Wolcott
XXXXXXXX+1X  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX  1 var.
XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX

5. Another group of participants are quite different from those above and very similar to each other. They descend from John Woolcott (c.1630-c.1669) who immigrated to Maryland in 1649, and from Philip Willcutt of Hingham, Massachusetts (c.1690-1771). They undoubtedly share a common ancestor, possibly John who is two generations earlier than Philip. The extended test of one participant shows them to be of Celtic ancestry and therefore definately not related to the above families. Because of this we have given them their own norm and show the mutations within this norm as plus or minus steps.

J. R. W. descendant of John Woolcott of MD (c.1630-1669):
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXX 0 var.
L. E. W, descendant of John Woolcott of MD (c.1630-1669):
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXX 0 var.
J. R. W., descendant of Philip, Joseph Willcutt of MA:
XXXXXXXXXX  XX+1XXXXXXX  XX-1XXXXXXX  XXXXXX 2 var.
W. D. W., descendant of Philip, JesseWillcutt of MA:
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XX-1XXXXXXX  XXX-2XXX 3 var.
J. M. W., descendant of Philip, Jesse Willcutt of MA:
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXX-2XXX 2 var.
R. P. W., descendant of Philip, Jesse Willcutt of MA:
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX  XXX-2XXX 2 var.

 6. DNA results from two descendant of the Woollacotts of Devonshire show some similarity to the descendants of John of MD above, including a Celtic origen.
A. W., descendant of JohnWoollacott of High Bickington (1695-1737)
X+1+1XXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX +5X-1X-2X+1XX-2 +1+3-2+2XXX 21 var.
C. J. W., descendant of Henry Woollacott of London (1905-1945)
X+1X+1+1XXXXXX XX+1X-1XX+1XX +1X-1X-2-1+1XX-2 X+3X+1XXX 17 var.

7. DNA from a descendant of the Shropshire Walcots shows considerable variation from the Wolcott norm, and a Celtic origin, as would be expected by their history of a Welch descent. Their test indicates a seperate historical ancestor from any of the above Wolcotts or Walcotts. Here we show their differences from the Somerset Wolcott norm. They are equally distant from the Maryland/Massachusetts norm. We hope to find a second participant from the family to verify the descent.
J. H. W., descendant of the Shropshire Walcots:
X+2XX+2X-1XXX  XXXXXXX+1XX  +2-1-1-1-3 X+1XX-1X+3+1+2XXX   22 var.

8. Ten Walcott participants fall within a separate genetic group, Group I1, which in England indicates early Danish or Norman origins. The family probably originated in eastern England where these invaders settled.

The first seven are descendants of William Walcott who immigrated to Salem MA in 1636. We here use a norm based on the most common results for descendants of William of Salem.

M. C. W., descendant of William, Jonathan, John, Jonathan:
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXX-1  XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX 1 var.
T.B.W., descendant of William, Jonathan, Jonathan, Jonathan
XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX no var.
XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX
J. E. W., descendant of William, Jonathan, Jonathan, Jonathan:
XXXXXXXXXX   XXXX+1XXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX 1 var.
M. S. W., descendant of William, Jonathan, Jonathan, Joseph:
XXXXXXXXXX   XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XX+1X+1XX 1 var.
XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX +1XXXXXXXXX
W. A. W., descendant of William, Jonathan, Jonathan, Stephen:
XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX no var.
XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX +1XXXXXXXXX
M. E. W., descendant of William, Jonathan, William, Benjamin:
XXXXXXXXXX   XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX XXX+1XXX 1 var.
W. S. W., descendant of William, Jonathan, William, Benjamin:
XXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXX+1XXX-----XX 1 var.
XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX

The other two each show 9 variations from William's descendants, but only 4 variations between each other, indicating a possible common ancestor between the two, and probably a different ancestor than for William of Salem:

R. I. W., descendant of Eyare Walcott of Barbados (1615-1671):
X+1XX+1+1XXXX   XXXXX-1XXXX  X+1XX+1XX-1XXX   +1XXXX+1X.
D. T. W., descendant of Thomas Walcot of  Hampshire c1680-1722:
+1 +1XX+1XXXXX  XXXXX-1XXXX  X+1XX+1XX-1XXX    X-1XXX+1X

9. Two African-American Walcotts and Wilcots show descent from two different African ancestors.

10. Anomolies, with broken DNA lines of male descent due to adoption, illegitimacy, etc., occur in four test participants who did not carry Wolcott or Walcott DNA. Test evidence indicates that one of these had a paternal ancestor who was a members of the Blinn family which twice married female descendants of George Wolcott, son of Henry the immigrant.  We believe that the broken line was George Wolcott, 1747-1809, probably son of a Wolcott mother and Blinn father, adopted by her Wolcott parents.

EXTENDED TESTS: A number of our participants have extended their tests to 67 markers but at present there are not enough participants to show any significant differentiation.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROJECT:

Additional participants are needed to verify some DNA lines. We invite any male Wolcott, Woolcott, Walcott, Walcutt, Woollacott, Willcutt, Wilcott, etc. to participate. Charles Wolcott, 10 Marilane St., Houston TX 77007, is in charge of the project. His email address is cwwolcott@gmail.com. If you are interested in participating in this test, please let Charles know. You should also give him your Wolcott/Walcott/Wilcott line of descent as far back as you know it. We will be happy to assist you in connecting your genealogical line with known Wolcott/Walcott/etc. family data. For this assistance please contact John Wolcott, johnwolcott@mail.com. If you participate, Charles will receive the results of your test to be used for comparison with others. Your information will be used only for the purpose of this genealogical project, and only initials for first names will be used in published results.

We are using the Family Tree DNA testing program, and are testing for the Y chromosone only. The Y chromosone is the male chromosone, and traces male descent only. For this reason, only males in a direct Wolcott/Walcott line can participate. There is a charge by the laboratory to process your DNA sample, but no other cost for participating in this all-volunteer effort run entirely by participants in the project.

You can register yourself and order a DNA kit by going to www.familytreedna.com/, then clicking on "Surname Projects", then on "W", and then on "Wolcott". At the bottom of that page is an order form that will allow you to join the Wolcott Surname Project and order a test kit from FTDNA. You may take the 25 marker YDNA test currently priced at $148, but prefer the 37 marker YDNA test at $189. The procedure is easy. You will receive a kit in the mail containg two swabs and two containers for returning them. Swab the inside of your cheek vigorously, wait 8 hours and do it again with the other swab, and return them to the test lab. You will be advised of the results. Lab processing usually takes over one month.

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