Melungeons

To get started in American Indian Research

[[Image:

Arch Goins family, Melungeons of Graysville, TN ca. 1920

]]

History and Tidbits

The term "Melungeon" has generally been applied to a widely distributed group of people associated with the general region of Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Kentucky in the United States, but perhaps concentrated in the general area of Eastern Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and Northwest North Carolina. Although definitions of what exactly constitute a Melungeon differ, these are a mixed-race people.

Some have been described as being "swarthy" or at least somewhat dark-skinned in appearance, but the physical characteristics of Melungeons differ greatly. Because this is a mixed race group of people, and because the exact racial characteristics vary, it is impossible to pin down a precise Melungeon appearance. In addition, again because of the mixed race nature of Melungeons, even siblings can differ greatly in their physical characteristics. That is demonstrated by the photo that accompanies this article.

Melungeon identity is assumed to involve a mixture of some combination of Western European, Native American, and African ancestry, with early assertions of "Portuguese" or "Portuguese Indian" background being widely claimed. The term "tri-racial isolate" has been academically applied to this group, but this term is problematic in that not all Melungeons claim a tri-racial identity and, in many cases, these families appear to be anything but "isolates."

Stories and claims abound as to how this group of people descend from Portuguese, or Turks and/or Moors, who navigated to the American shores with the Portuguese, and who intermarried with Native Americans prior to English settlement.

Some of the most prominent surnames that have been claimed as potentially associated with a Melungeon identity include Bowling (Bolin), Bunch, Chavis (Chavez), Collins, Francisco, Gibson, Gill, Goins, Goodman, Minor, Mise, Moore, Mullins, Ridley (Riddle), Rodrigues, Stowers, Williams, and Wise.

Resources

DNA Project

This site is self-explantatory about the DNA projects hosted and currently underway. The site has larger list of known surnames.

The Melungeon DNA Surname Project.

References

Bibliography

Probably the best-known book concerned with this subject is N. Brent Kennedy, The Melungeons: The Resurrection of a Proud People: An Untold Story of Ethnic Cleansing in America

Many have taken issue with Kennedy's conclusions, probably most notably Virginia Easley DeMarce:

DeMarce, Virginia Easley. "Review Essay: The Melungeons," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 84, No. 2 (June 1996):134-139. FHL Book 973 B2ng

DeMarce, Virginia Easley. "Looking at Legends - Lumbee and Melungeon: Applied Genealogy and the Origins of Tri-racial Isolate Settlements," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 81, No. 1 (March 1993):24-45. FHL Book 973 B2ng

Genealogy and History Websites

1. Melungeon Heritage Association
2. Melungeons