Glenn YDNA Cluster Balmuto, Fife, Scotland

The Glens of Balmuto on the Family Tree DNA Project have been likely identified and are listed under the results page as:

Scottish Lowlands, R-U106 > L48 > S18372 > R-BY14199 Haplogroup, Genetic Homeland Likely: Balmuto, Fife, Scotland - Likely Ancient Glen Family of Balmuto

YDNA Cluster Fife, Scotland
YDNA testing has found two distant but related branches within this cluster. The time to most recent common ancestor is estimated to 1300-1500 A.D.

Fife Branch:
The first and main branch has origins in Fife, Scotland with the oldest known ancestor being Alexander Glen born 1605 Dysart, Fife, Scotland (Dobson, 2013). Test kit 52239 has an impeccable documented pedigree proven back to Alexander Glen. Test kits 206875 and 360626 both are likely decedents of Alexander Glen but have yet to prove it through paper documentation.

The likely progenitor of the Glen Fife cluster is John Glen born circa 1275 who was granted a charter for the lands of Balmuto, Fife, Scotland circa 1320 by King Robert the Bruce (Robertson, 1798). It should be noted that Balmuto and Dysart are 7 miles from one another hence it is assumed that Alexander Glen is likely a descendant of John Glen of Balmuto.

The senior branch of the Glens of Balmuto ended circa 1430 when a direct decedent of John Glen Mariota Glen married John Boswell and Balmuto came into possession of the Boswell family. Therefore tracing a direct line back to John Glen of Balmuto is unlikely. Junior branches still remain through Alexander Glen but proving any direct line back to John Glen of Balmuto may simply not be possible do to lack of historical records.

Argyll Branch:
The second branch is that of the McGlen family of Lochgoilhead, Argyll, Scotland. This family likely added the highland patronymic "Mc" circa 1700. It should be noted that the “Mc” prefix does not make a surname exclusively Gaelic in origin, the “Mc” was sometimes adopted by Norsemen and by some Lowland Scots, particularly on the Highland periphery, e.g. MacGibbon, MacRitchie (Scotland's People, 2016). Test kit 266963 oldest known ancestor is John McGlen, born c.1700 Lochgoilhead, Argyll, Scotland.

The likely progenitor of the Argyll Glenn branch is Paul Glenn a possible decedent of John Glen of Balumoto. He is recorded receiving a charter of lands of Stronwhillen and Finnart in the Highland periphery of Kilmun, Argyll, Scotland 1373 (Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts, 1874 p. 476).

As mentioned above a small number of Paul Glenn’s decedents adopted the Highland-naming patronymic of “Mc” to their Glen surname circa 1700. This resulted in the founding the McGlen branch of this family.

Future Goals and Research:
Recruiting Glen/McGlen individuals living in Scotland and England that trance their families back to Argyll or Fife, Scotland to further support or disprove conclusions about the Fife Cluster.

References

Dobson, J. B. (2013, October). Recent Literature on the Duncanson Sisters of New Netherland. New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, 144(4), 306-309. Retrieved July 15, 2016, from http://library.uwinnipeg.ca/people/dobson/genealogy/documents/Duncanson_sisters_of_New_Netherland.pdf

Robertson, W. (1798). An index, drawn up about the year 1629, of many records of charters, granted by the different sovereigns of Scotland between the years 1309 and 1413, most of which records have been long missing. Retrieved July 15, 2016, from https://archive.org/details/indexdrawnupabou00grea

Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts (1874). Report of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts (Vol. 4). Retrieved September 28, 2016, from https://books.google.com/books?id=hZXSAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

Scotland's People. (2016). Mac Surnames. Surnames. Retrieved November 3, 2016, from https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk/research-guides/surnames

Copyright Ryan McGlenn