The Herrick DNA Surname Group

The Herrick Family Association has a Herrick DNA Surname Group.

There are currently thirty seven members from the Herrick of North America that trace back to Henry of Salem, Henerie Hericke. There are three others from the UK. There are four others whose surname is not Herrick that match the Y-Chromosome DNA records that we have. At least two of them are making progress working of their actual roots and how they connect to the Herrick Y-Chromosome DNA project. There are two others whose Y-Chromosome DNA results do not match the bulk of the members of the Herrick DNA surname project. Their ancestry has not been determined to date.

The Herrick DNA Surname Group is managed by three co-administrators: Curtis James Herrick, Jr., Kenneth Roy Herrick, and Richard L. Herrick. The HFA uses Family Tree DNA (FTDNA), that is supported technically by the University of Arizona, for performing the testing and to maintain a worldwide database.

We are having success using the DNA testing results of current members to add a technical aspect to the traditional paper-trail research. Although we track male and female results we rely largely on the on the male Y-Chromosome DNA test results. These results track the male line back for over 500 hundred generations. Interestingly, based on the DNA testing results for our entire male group appear to be related.

We descend the lines of Henry of Salem's four sons known to have married and had issue, as well as one daughter known to have married and had children. With the natural minor changes or mutations in the Y-Chromosome DNA markers over time we are able to identify individuals in two of the four not named Herrick. This technical assistance has aided several Herrick Family Association members to verify that they are in the Henry of Salem line and then to focus their research on specific lines. In this manner members have been able to overcome paper research “brick walls”.

The DNA for the female called mtDNA is found in the mitochondria particles located outside the nucleus of the DNA cell. Unfortunately this information is harder to use than the male Y-DNA. Our society does not track female lines well and mtDNA matches have a lower probability of being closely related. Fortunately some ladies with considerable research are finding ways to verify their DNA and paper trail matches.

Individuals may determine their family group or Haplogroup by testing other markers found in the male Y-Chromosome DNA and in the female mitochondrial DNA. The Herrick family group has been determined to be in the I1a or Viking group. According to FTDNA the I1a linage is likely to have roots in northern France. Today they are found most frequently with Viking/Scandinavian populations in northeast Europe and have since spread down into central Europe, where they are found in low frequencies.

Of interest is that 5 members of our group are involved in a University Leicester 2,500 man study with a 20 person Herrick surname group. Eighteen members of the group were found to be closely related. One of the UK individuals whose DNA test results closely match a number of our members has a paper trail that leads to Leicestershire in the 1600s.

Additionally some members of the Herrick DNA Surname Group have joined the IBM and The National Geographic Society "Genographic Project". The Genographic Project is collecting test results from people across the world to further verify the path of family groups back to their origin in Africa. This worldwide project provides an interesting educational package with a DVD and a personalized webpage report.

To learn more about DNA geneological research and joining the Herrick DNA Surname Group you may email the lead group co-administrator, Curt Herrick. To find the Herrick DNA Surname Group webpage, go here. You can find more detailed information about DNA geneological research on the FTDNA webpage.

You can also join the Herrick DNA Surname Group by using this web page. The fee for the basic male 12 marker Y-DNA and the female mtDNA tests is $99. We suggest you consider the Y-DNA 25 marker test for $148 to support better analysis.

The FTDNA test kit consists of two cheek scrapers and two collection tubes designed for a single person to use. Each tube contains a fluid designed to arrest bacteria growth and protect your sample. You may scrape the inside of your cheeks and return your kit in any type of weather. The freshness of your sample will remain intact for months. The DNA test results provided for family history use do not contain personal medical information.