COMBS-COOMBS &c.
INTERNATIONAL DNA STUDY

LINEAGE STUDY PROTOTYPE John Combe, Citizen, Draper, Merchant & Adventurer and Margaret Archdale, His Wyfe of St. Mary the Virgin Aldermanbury, London, England

[ Overview | Research Goals | Study Learnings | Descendancy ]

Key to Links:
Family history research
Lineage “Snapshot” & Contact
DNA Findings
Lineage Studies
Oral History

Overview

This is a study of the male DNA that has been passed from generation to generation among those descendants of John COMBE and Margaret ARCHDALE of London, England. The lineage emphasizes those descendants who bare the COMBS surname of this specific lineage. Like a trunk of a tree, this is a main lineage from which many branches of COMBS derive -- particularly those with COMBS surnames residing in the United States descending from the immigrant ancestor Archdale COMBE who first appears in the Virginia Colony in the late 1660s. Our research demonstrates, there are no known siblings or uncles of Archdale COMBE with any “issue” which is why we go back to the grandparents for furthering the ancestry of this COMBES lineage using a “Y” DNA approach.

Research Goals

FOCUS: Our goals to be derived from this study for this trunk of our COMBS-COOMBS tree are:

1. Creating the “lineage genetic profile” that distinguishes this branch of COMBES.
2. Utilizing this profile to clarify the descendants of this branch of COMBES and validate their descendancy to this specific lineage for as many branches, as possible.
3. One of the biggest challenges will be to confirm branches thought to be related, but for which documentation has been scant or nonexistent here in the US.

   Specific roadblocks have been:

   1. The identities of three different Joseph COMBS in Fayette Co, SW PA in the late 1700s and their correct branch of COMBS to be traced.
   2. Who are Charles COMBS of Essex County, VA mentioned in a Veale will in relation to the Butlers; Austin COMBS, Edward COMBS and William COMBS of King George Co, VA in the 1700s and early 1800s?
   3. With respect to the generation of Mason COMBS Sr. who are Henry COMBS of Frederick CO, VA in the 1760s, Jeremiah COMBS of Surry CO, NC and George COMBS of Wilkes CO, NC? These should be ruled in or out as related to this branch?

Do you have your own research “dilemmas” or “mysteries”? Submit additional goals for your specific branch of this lineage to our list Combs@combs-familes.org to the attn of the Project Administrator. The Administrator will let you know if this can be included based on the kinds of concerns a study like this can resolve.

4. Determining how related are the other main trunks of COMBS during the Colonial period, Maryland's Abraham COMBS, North Carolina's Mason COMBS, any other Virginia COMBS, etc.
5. Eventually identifying the English COMBS branch from which JOHN COMBE who married Margaret ARCHDALE is derived. (As far as we know this family is centered in London as far back as the mid1500s and may have stayed in that location for many generations back since there is evidence of the COMBE name in London and surrounding areas, like Middlesex, very early. See our research project for the discussion as to why this branch is unrelated to Richard COMBE of Combe Manor, Devonshire, a popular belief, undocumented, among Combs researchers.)
6. Determine if there are relations of Ellis COMBE, kinsman, of John COMBE, who would participate in a DNA study that may hold the key to the ancestry of this branch of COMBEs.
7. Identify participants with early forms of the COMBS surname who may help us link to the ancient COMBS ancestry pervading generations of no records, and learn of the earliest origins. This may also make distinctions between Scot, English, French and Irish COMBS-COOMBS &c. surnames.

[These goals are considered dynamic and therefore may change as we find answers to our questions or come upon new dilemmas to solve.]

DNA Study Learnings

(A description will be appear here once DNA testing results can be assumed; and, will be updated as information becomes available. Updates will depend on the data from the test kits submitted. As more researchers submit DNA, the better we should know of the relatedness of COMBS-COOMBS descendants. The learnings unique to this group will be placed here. Be patient because it will take time for this picture to form.)

Descendancy of John COMBE & Margaret ARCHDALE

(This will illustrate the branches of the families that descend from John COMBE and Margaret ARCHDALE. The primary purpose of illustrating the descendancy will be for researchers to see what relationships have been supported by both well documented family history research and by DNA “genetic profiles”. It will help researchers see opportunities for linking up to this branch of COMBS. This will be facilitated through electronic links, as noted above, to research specific to this family in our project, lineage "snapshots" of known descendants, and DNA findings. Assumptions can be made about the relatedness of different branches being traced by researchers from this combined information.)

If you would like to submit a Lineage “snapshot”, want to include some study goals or have any feedback or questions regarding this “trunk” of our Combs-Coombs &c. International DNA Study, please contact the Project Administrator, Denise Mortorff at webmaster@combs-families.org