O’Neill Y-DNA: Various O’Neill Clans By M.O’Neill

The truth is that from the years of 1036 to 1177 the O’Neill’s genealogy of pedigree is not really known that is over 140 years! Let’s say an estimated 4 generations. For any O’Neill to claim to be from the Royal House O’Neill, it is total ignorance and stupidity. There are countless y-dna snp’s found among the O’Neill’s and to this date in 2012. We have yet to know the true Haplotype, or the SNP of the Royal House of O’Neill. A true shame! Also there are plenty of O’Neill’s who are truly Geoghegan’s and not O’Neill’s, in various parts of Ireland, Australia, and North America. This is due to the assumption of the O’Neill surname by a Geoghegan in the early 1800’s.

According to the Pedigrees:

1. Aedh Macaemh Toinleasg O’Neill “Lazy Youth”, is the progenitor of the Tyrone and Clannaboy O’Neill’s.

2. Eoghan O'Neill (1432-1455), is the most recent common ancestor of the Tyrone and the O’Neill’s of the Fews.

3. Conn Baccach O’Neill (1519-1542), the 1st Earl of Tyrone, possible most recent common ancestor of the Tyrone O’Neill’s and the McShane. 

I strongly believe a NPE (Non Paternal Event) occurred among the Royal House of O’Neill’s during a wide time frame of 900’s - 1500’s. A more selected time frame I believe is around 900’s – 1177’s, and possibly there were more than one NPE that occurred exclusively among the Royal House of O’Neill’s.

 The coined phrase of the “O’Neill Variety” I have a theory that they were men absorbed into the clan from the surrounding population, and all shared a common ancestor from an ancient progenitor, but they are not of the Royal House of O’Neill. I will not be surprised that up to 60% of those O’Neill’s that are currently of the SNP L21/S145/M529 R1b1a2a1a1b4 (4,000 ybp) will end up being of the Dál gCais R1b1a2a1a1b4h R-L226 origin. Let’s see how many O’Neill’s upgrade their current SNP.

This will explain how these O’Neill’s survived in Ulster and Ireland, during years of wars, when the members of Royal House of O’Neill’s were being prosecuted and hunted down in Ireland. A y-dna sample of any of the descendants of the O’Neill’s who immigrated to Spain, Portugal, Holland, and the Caribbean will shed light on the Royal House of O’Neill.

I broke down the various SNP’s found among the O’Neill’s, since no one really seems to care or want to do so.

O’Neill’s L21/S145/M529 R1b1a2a1a1b4 4,000 ybp estimated circa 1990 B.C. PROGENITOR UNKNOWN.

R1b1a2a1a1b4 R-L21/ M529/ S145 are mainly found in England and Ireland and among the majority of O’Neill.

O’Neill’s of the SNP S28/U152     R1b1a2a1a1b3 3,500 ybp estimated circa 1480 B.C. PROGENITOR UNKNOWN.

SNP S28/U152 R1b1a2a1a1b3 is found among those of origins in the Rhine, Meuse & Rhône basins, Alps, and North Italy. The theory is that its origins are in the Hallstatt-La Tène cultures and it’s an indication of an Alpine Celtic origin.

O’Neill’s of the SNP M222 R1b1a2a1a1b4b 3,000 ybp estimated circa 1480 B.C. PROGENITOR NIALL OF THE NINE HOSTAGES.

R1b1a2a1a1b4b R-M222 is associated with the Irish and Scottish, but especially the northern Irish. Often associated with the Uí Néill dynasty Niall of the Nine Hostages closely related to the Connacht dynasties, the Uí Briúin, and the Uí Fiachrach.

(Note: The progenitor of the Royal House of O’Neill’s is a Niall Glundubh mac Áedo, and not Niall of the Nine Hostages.)

Common O’Neill’s Y-DNA P312/S116 R1b1b2a1b 5,300 ybp estimated circa 3280 B.C. PROGENITOR UNKNOWN.

O’Neill’s of the SNP L2/S139 R1b1a2a1a1b3c 2,500 ybp estimated circa 489 B.C. PROGENITOR UNKNOWN.

SNP L2/S139 R1b1a2a1a1b3c is mainly found in Italy, Germany, Belgium, Britain, Ireland, and Norway. The theory is that it’s of an Alpine Celtic origin.

Neely/O’Neill’s of Pennsylvania SNP M405/S21/U106 R1b1a2a1a1a 3,500 ybp estimated circa 1480 B.C. PROGENITOR UNKNOWN.

 R1b1a2a1a1a M405/S21/U106 is found in the geographical regions of Frisia, Benelux, England, Austria, and northern Italy. It’s referred as a Western Germanic SNP and associated with the Germanic tribes. Only way this SNP which is not found with frequency in Ireland is part of the O’Neill’s is either through a Celt – Germanic tribe like the Belgae ,or the Menapii both recorded in Ireland anciently , or a NPE involving the French Normans, Anglo – Saxons, Danes, or Vikings. The O’Neill history has had enough of a dubious genealogy and several NPE (Non Paternal Events) that anything is possible.

O’Neill’s of Puerto Rico SNP L48/S162 R1b1a2a1a1a5c 3,600 ybp estimated 1300 B.C. PROGENITOR DON CONSTANTINO O’NEILL.

 SNP L48/S162 R1b1a2a1a1a5c (A sub clade of the R1b1a2a1a1a M405/S21/U106), it’s only to date found among the O’Neill’s in Puerto Rico is said to be of a Germanic origin. This SNP maybe of a group of early Germanic tribes settling in the Elbe watershed, and named the Herminones by Tacitus’s in 98 AD who placed them as one of the tribes of Mannus. Some theories believe that this Haplotype of the O’Neill’s of Puerto Rico maybe of an  East Germanic tribe that constituted of migrants who may have moved from Scandinavia into the area between the Oder and Vistula rivers circa 600 and 300 B.C.

Dál gCais O’Neill’s / O’Neill’s of Thomond R1b1a2a1a1b4h R-L226.PROGENITOR UNKNOWN.

 R1b1a2a1a1b4h R-L226 referred to as Irish Type III; it is concentrated in central western Ireland and associated with the Dál gCais of Ireland.  The Dal gCais claim to be the descendants of Cas mac Conall Echlúath, who is believed to be the brother of the mythological Éogan Mór, son of Ailill Aulom, of the Eóganachta dynasties.

Clannaboy O’Neill’s of Portugal SNP UNKNOWN PROGENITOR HUGH BUIDHE O’NEILL.

O’Neill’s of the Fews SNP UNKNOWN PROGENITOR AODH OF THE FEWS.

POSSIBLE FUTURE SNP’s THAT COULD BE FOUND AMONG THE O’NEILL’s:

R1b1a2a1a1b4f R-L159.2 associated with the Kings of Leinster and Diarmait Mac Murchada. It’s found among those tested in the coastal areas of the Irish Sea, the Isle of Man, the Hebrides, Norway, western and southern Scotland, northern and southern England, northeast France, and northern Denmark.

R1b1a2a1a1b4g R-L193 estimated to be 2,000 years old, and associated geographically with the western "Border Region" of Scotland. I’ve yet to see any O’Neill’s tested for this SNP.