Hello,
So our family has done the whole DNA thing from different parts of the family and have a Y chromosome match at a 0 step 67 Y marker test from FTDNA and the farthest we can go back is to a Captain John Smuggler McKenzie. My line stayed in Nova Scotia and all the others went to New Zealand. I also share autosomal DNA as well as other testers in my family with members of this family in New Zealand. I match as a 4th cousin to the 0 step match.
Onto the gravestone: It is McKenzie with a stag's head and two cinquefoils. The cinquefoils are one on each side of the stag's head. In heraldry, we know the stag's head was used in the McKenzies. There were also cinquefoils used. It was confirmed that our Y chromosome is of the McKenzie core descendants (means some variation of the chief line, but probably not the carriers of the titles).
What I'm trying to find out is if anyone out there knows any professionals or experienced people that understand this heraldry on epitaphs and could give their opinion of what this could mean.
Does it mean birth order? What part of the family our ancestor comes from?
Thank you if anyone can help.
