The Sackett DNA Project
The Sackett DNA project is for men who carry the Y-DNA of their Sackett ancestor. Because Y-DNA is passed down from father to son, this means that the surname of the man who tests would also be Sackett.
Family Finder (autosomal DNA) tests, which trace maternal as well as paternal lines, may be useful to the individual participant. However, it is beyond the scope of the Sackett project to incorporate autosomal DNA test results as it is not an easy matter to identify what portions of the DNA might have been inherited from a particular ancestor. It is the male Y-DNA test that is most useful to the Sackett one-name study as it tracks the surname, helping to confirm our ancestral paper trails.
An early objective of the Sackett DNA project was to see if there was a genetic link between the lines of Simon Sackett the colonist (1595–1635) and John Sackett of New Haven (c1623–1684). According to family tradition, these men would have been uncle and nephew. Test results so far suggest that Simon and John were not related—leaving John's origins even more of a mystery.
Y-DNA testing has enabled us to identify some brick-wall Sacketts with the major Sackett lines. Skene Douglas Sackett of New Milford, Connecticut, Aaron Sackett of Litchfield, Connecticut, Captain Richard Sackett of New York, and Thomas Sackett of Hopewell, New Jersey, are all shown to be descendants of Simon Sackett the colonist. Joseph Sackett of Vermont and Jonathan Sackett of Milford, Connecticut, are found to be descendants of John Sackett of New Haven.
The Y-37 marker test, if a match is found, will confirm relationships with other Sackett men who have tested. Participants may then wish to upgrade to at least the 67-marker test to identify closer matches. The higher resolution tests may not help immediately, but the additional data may provide a benchmark for Sacketts who know only their recent origins.
Kits can be ordered at the FamilyTreeDNA Sackett Group Project web page. The cost of testing is the responsibility of the participant but there are group rates for our project.
Further details are available from Sackett DNA Project Administrator Patti Hobbs.
