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| *[http://www.familytreedna.com/public/coremelungeon/default.aspx Melungeon Core DNA Project] (FamilyTree DNA). This site is self-explanatory about the DNA projects hosted and currently underway. The site has list of known surnames. | | *[http://www.familytreedna.com/public/coremelungeon/default.aspx Melungeon Core DNA Project] (FamilyTree DNA). This site is self-explanatory about the DNA projects hosted and currently underway. The site has list of known surnames. |
| *[http://www.jgoins.com/core_melungeon.htm Melungeon DNA Project] | | *[http://www.jgoins.com/core_melungeon.htm Melungeon DNA Project] |
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| A recent DNA study has been highly publicized as indicating that Melungeons in [[Hancock County, Tennessee]], [[Hawkins County, Tennessee]], and [[Lee County, Virginia]] descend from African males and European females. Conclusions of this study were published in ''The Journal of Genetic Genealogy'' (April 2012). This was widely reported in the news media through such articles as [http://news.yahoo.com/dna-study-seeks-origin-appalachias-melungeons-201144041.html DNA study seeks origins of Appalachia's Melungeons] (AP).
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| While this study has been widely publicized as though it completely settles the question of Melungeon origins generally, it does not. Various surnames traditionally associated with Melungeon identity were not included in the study. In addition, it leaves untouched some of the families who in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were typically classed as whites, but who claimed Native American ancestry, such as the Sizemore claimants among the Eastern Cherokee applicants.
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| Here is another reason to doubt this DNA study. A highly touted feature of a Melungeon and descendant is light colored eyes (generally blue) and darker skin. Blue eyes are a recessive gene. Quoting ScienceDaily, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061023193617.htm "...The laws of genetics state that eye color is inherited as follows: If both parents have blue eyes, the children will have blue eyes. The brown eye form of the eye color gene (or allele) is dominant, whereas the blue eye allele is recessive. If both parents have brown eyes yet carry the allele for blue eyes, a quarter of the children will have blue eyes, and three quarters will have brown eyes." To take this a step further, the world population shows that brown eyes are predominant in 55% of people, while blue eyes account for only 8% of the population. Blue eyes are most predominant in northern countries, led by Finland, while brown eyes are predominantly in equatorial regions such as Asia and Africa. Therefore, it would require that two parents carry the blue eye gene for a child to have blue eyes. Blue eyes are in Africans, but it is rare. An assumption that all Melungeons are descended predominantly from African males is wrong. Most likely, Melungeons are descended from a mix of both European, Hispanic, Native American, Asian and Africans. This is the only way to account for incidence of blue eyes and in some cases, red hair, which is not uncommon in Melungeons.
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| ==Origins== | | ==Origins== |