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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Antrim => Topic started by: timothychambers on Sunday 01 January 17 16:49 GMT (UK)
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Has anyone with the surname Chambers in Antrim (or Down) taken the yDNA test with results R1a?
Typically Chambers in Northern Ireland test results are "R1b" or "I" from their descendants in the USA.
My family test as "R1a" with sub-branches down to YP1420, showing that our paternal ancestor was a Norwegian Viking
Supposedly, my Chambers family was originally named McCambridge and MacAmbrois before that and came into Ireland with the MacDonalds from Kintyre/Islay.
I tested with FTDNA and don't have access to results from Oxford Ancestors or other testing agencies in the UK.
Thank you,
Tim
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Quite a few have read your post, but unfortunately no replies so far.
Whilst I have no Chambers in my own lines, I have in the past undertaken a little research on the name Chambers for someone else, but unfortunately they have not had any DNA tests done.
Their Chambers goes back to a Thomas in County Down in early 1800s. Little known about Thomas (probably born c 1810-20), but at least one child's birth registered at church in Ballynahinch, County Down in 1840s. Possible links to Magheradrool and later to Donaghcloney and Seapatrick Parish.
Realise this is not what you need, but thought I would post anyhow, in case it means anything to other Chambers researchers who may happen to look in on your post.
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Thanks for the reply, Scotmum.
There are many unrelated patrilineal lines for the surname, Chambers. All seem to be represented in Ireland from:
The Norman invasion, MacDonald settlement, Redshanks from Scottish isles (especially from Clan Donald and Clan Cameron), the Plantation, the Cromwellian Settlement and other pollinations from England and Scotland.
Clan Donald estimates that 1 in 210 Chambers came from Kintyre or Islay and are claimed as a Sept. I'm fortunate that those Chambers (and maybe Clan Cameron) would be haplotype R1a. As more people test perhaps my descendants will know their true ancient family history.
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Remember that a Chambers in Ireland may be descended from a Scottish Chalmers. They are basically the "same" name. I had Chalmers ancestors in Drumbo, near Lisburn. The name is fairly common in Scotland, and the Ulster ones may well have come over from Ayrshire, where Chalmers of Gadgirth were a well-known family.
Harry
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You're right, Harry.
There are two Chambers lines that descend from Clan Cameron Chalmers/Chambers in Ireland that I know of. One is in Sligo (Cloverhill) and the other in Donegal (Rock Hill and Fox Hall, Letterkenny). At one point, I gave up on Clan Cameron because, in their DNA Project, their yDNA was R1b with some I. Recently, one Chalmers tested as R1a so that puts their ancestry to my family back to "possible".
Tim
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There is a Chambers who purchased land in Downpatrick, County Down about 1598 (he arrived from Scotland about 1595. The farm still exists and is owned by the same family. It's called Tullynaskeagh. That's before the plantation which began in 1609. I read that his descendants, born on that farm, started Chambers Motors Ltd. in Belfast, an early automobile manufacturer. (The Belfast Museum has one of the surviving cars).
Since the ancestor came in before the Plantation, it is likely that he came in with the MacDonalds and possibly from Kintyre as an Anglicized McCambridge or perhaps a Clan Cameron Chambers (or Chalmers)
I wonder if there are any yDNA tests done on this family?
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Update:
I previously posted that The Chambers of Sligo were Clan Cameron. That was from a 18th century document that Called Roger Chambers "Mr Chalmers". He was mistaken. Since then I have gotten a copy of Betham Sketch Pedigrees that show the Sligo Chambers are a branch of the Kilboyne Chambers in County Mayo. The Kilboyne Chambers descend from the Chambers In Hertfordshire according to a Grant of Arms awarded to Thomas Chambers of Kilboyne.
Since Roger Chambers is an unusual name in Connaught (none in Mayo) and family first names repeat, a Roger Chambers that emigrated to America in 1880 would be related (his father and son were also named Roger. A descendant has agreed to take a yDNA test. I anxiously await the results.
Tim
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5963 Will of Wm Chambers, Mayo 1714
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSNJ-G165?i=103&cat=185720
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Hi, there are Chamber families in North Antrim area.
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Yes, I would love to do a yDNA on the Chambers in North Antrim. It is recorded that McCambridge, in some instances, became Chambers "in Northern Ulster." Since the McDonnells owned Antrim and McCambridge comes from Kintyre, it is likely the the name change happened in Antrim.
I have posted elsewhere that the Chambers of Tullynaskeagh, County Down match the Cushenden, Antrim McCambridges. They are R1b and descend from the Ur Niall (Niall of the Nine Hostages), High King of ireland.
I haven't lost faith yet in my search. All Scottish Clans and families have mixed yDNA. R1a runs anywhere from 1% to 25% in Highland and Western Scottish Clans. More than one McCambridge family may have had their name changed to Chambers in Antrim.
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Update:
I previously posted that The Chambers of Sligo were Clan Cameron. That was from a 18th century document that Called Roger Chambers "Mr Chalmers". He was mistaken. Since then I have gotten a copy of Betham Sketch Pedigrees that show the Sligo Chambers are a branch of the Kilboyne Chambers in County Mayo. The Kilboyne Chambers descend from the Chambers In Hertfordshire according to a Grant of Arms awarded to Thomas Chambers of Kilboyne.
Since Roger Chambers is an unusual name in Connaught (none in Mayo) and family first names repeat, a Roger Chambers that emigrated to America in 1880 would be related (his father and son were also named Roger. A descendant has agreed to take a yDNA test. I anxiously await the results.
Tim
Date of current deed 31 May 1721
CHAMBERS Roger of son of F
F = CHAMBERS Michael of Kill McOwen, Co Sligo
https://irishdeedsindex.net/mem.php?memorial=18702
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hi Tim
I am descended from William CHAMBERS, a weaver from Ardoyne via his daughter Sarah CHAMBERS ( born about 1825, who married John HOGG in 1846 at the Linen Hall Church, Belfast ( was announced in the papers and I have the cert.).
I have recently got dna test results back from ancestry and My Heritage ( ancestry gave me a neat 3% Norwegian- so that proves your theory -lol and MH 11.1% Scandinavian). I am still trying to work out what it all means but MH sent me a 'cluster report' the other day which shows 2 separate clusters within my known HOGG matches. I am wondering if one group belongs to my CHAMBERS line.
Have you loaded your results onto Gedmatch yet? Its an amazing site and you'll get loads of matches with good information, plus a lot of other fun things...and its free - for the most part:
https://genesis.gedmatch.com/login1.php
I have been thinking about doing the same test as you have done to see what else I can find ( MH also tested my ancestry kit for free and I got a bit more of some ethnicity and a bit less of other things, but got far more information than ancestry bothered to give)