Biblio

Houghton DNA Database Results

The Houghton DNA database has 21 volunteers who have donated their DNA sample for the following lines:

Ralph Houghton of Lancaster, MA (2 volunteers)

John Houghton of Lancaster, MA (11; including Jotham, Reuben, Jonathan Houghton lines)

John Houghton of New Jersey (1)

Elijah Houghton of Virginia (1)

Thomas Houghton of England (1)

Matthew Houghton of Liverpool, England (1)

Frederic S. Houghton of Norwich, England (1)

Richard Haughton of England (1)

Alfred Haughton of England (1)

Joseph Haughton of Ireland (1)

There is now preliminary evidence that the 4 major Houghton lines (John and Ralph Houghton of Lancaster MA, and John Houghton of NJ, Elijah Houghton of VA) are genetically separate. Two unrelated lines, of Reuben Houghton and Jotham Houghton, appear to be genetically related to John Houghton of Lancaster MA. The Elijah Houghton line is a separate line. The Thomas Houghton line, the Matthew Houghton line, and the Frederic S. Houghton line, all of England, are separate lines. The three Haughton lines are unrelated. There are now 10 separate Houghton/Haughton American lines based on DNA evidence.

Genealogical research has begun relying on the biological fact that the Y chromosome (the male sex chromosome) is passed virtually unchanged from father to son down through 250 generations. It is possible to do a simple DNA analysis on two men and learn whether the two are related on the paternal side or not. By testing direct male-line descendants of the early Houghton/Haughton immigrants, we can learn whether the immigrants were in fact related. It is necessary to test several descendants for each immigrant in order to get accurate results. The DNA test measures the lengths of 12 (or 25 or 37 or 59) specific markers (often called loci) on the Y chromosome. These markers don't have any genetic function, and so the test will not reveal any physical characteristics, genetic diseases, or innate tendencies. It will only reveal whether the test subjects are related to each other. Since this test applies to the Y chromosome, the test subjects have to be male and, in particular, have to have the Houghton surname (with a few exceptions due to adoptions, name changes, and such).

The goal of all of this is to initially come up with (collectively) at least two male-line descendants of each identifiable Houghton or Haughton "founder," (i.e. Ralph or John Houghton of Lancaster, MA, John Houghton of New Jersey, Alfred Haughton, Joseph Haughton) preferably through at least two different sons of the founder. Assuming that the DNA test results agree for the documented descendants of the progenitor, we can "reconstruct" the haplotype (DNA pattern) for that progenitor and then compare against the haplotypes of other progenitors to see if they were related.

The goal of all of this is to initially come up with (collectively) at least two male-line descendants of each identifiable Houghton or Haughton "founder," (i.e. Ralph or John Houghton of Lancaster, MA, John Houghton of New Jersey, Alfred Haughton) preferably through at least two different sons of the founder. Assuming that the DNA test results agree for the documented descendants of the progenitor, we can "reconstruct" the haplotype (DNA pattern) for that progenitor and then compare against the haplotypes of other progenitors to see if they were related.

The following are the current tested results of the volunteers who have given permission to publish their results:

	Kit	Name	H	3	3		1		3		3		3		4		3		4		3	3		3		4		4		4		4		4		4		4		4		4		4	4		4		4
			A	9	9		9		9		8		8		2		8		3		8	9		8		5		5		5		5		5		4		3		4		4		6	6		6		6
			P	3	0				1		5		5		6		8		9		9	2		9		8		9		9		5		4		7		7		8		9		4	4		4		4
			L								a		b								\|			\|				a		b														a	b		c		D
			O																		1			2
	Click on the kit number to see the lineage (work in progress), user browser back when through

	Descended through Ralph Houghton of Lancaster, Massachusetts, USA
19467		Hayward S. Houghton II	--	14	23	14		10		14		15		11		15		11		12			11		28																										Ralph Houghton, s. James
71066		Albert Leroy Houghton	I1a	14	23	14		10		14		15		11		15		11		12			11		28		15		8		9		8		11		23		16		19	29	12			14		15		16	Ralph Houghton, s. James
Descended through John Houghton of Lancaster, Massachusetts, USA

20723

Raymond C. Houghton

R1b1