DNA analysis has confirmed that the people of the world can trace their ancestry back to Africa some 150,000 years ago but what can we find out about our Tuckley ancestors ? Analysis of the male Y- chromosome is a message from the past and is our genetic legacy.

The DNA of four male Tuckley’s [with ancestors all born in Willenhall, Staffordshire] has been analysed by Professor Sykes at Oxford Ancestors. The results indicate that all 4 individuals were found to have similar Y- chromosome signatures suggesting a common paternal ancestor living within the last 200 to 300 years.

All the descendents of the Willenhall Locksmiths have a common ancestor in Humphrey Tuckley born 1745. The DNA results corroborate the integrity of the documented Willenhall Staffordshire Family Tree

The Willenhall Tuckley Y-chromosone has been identified as being of probable Norse Viking origin. And belongs to a group which is frequently found in regions settled by Norse Vikings, like Orkney, Shetland, the Outer Hebrides and Iceland.
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The DNA of a further three male Tuckley’s [all born in Northampton] has been analysed but it did not show an similar Y-chromosome pattern to each other or to the Willenhall group. They all seem to belong to a different haplogroups which implies that the two groups have not been related for several thousand years. It might be that they are not all descendents of a male Tuckley ancestor.

What does this mean ? Possibly that more than one family with the original name Tuk established family groups in England but migrated here by a different route?

So how did our ancestors migrate from Norway to the Midlands of England ? Did they migrate directly from Norway or through the islands off Scotland or through Normandy in France ? Further DNA research in Northampton, Birmingham and Normandy is required.

There is some evidence from Wills in the 17th and 18th Century that the surname Tookey and Tuckey was used sometimes in the same document and they appear in areas where there were Tuckley families. A DNA comparison would be helpful..