Welcome! This site presents results and tutorials for participants in the Gossett YDNA Genealogical Research Project, through FamilyTreeDNA.
Objectives
Our genealogical research has two objectives: (1) to determine the European origins of the Gossett families in America; and (2) to determine the interrelationships among them. In particular, genetic genealogical methods (based on YDNA-marker analysis) are capable of assisting with both objectives. YDNA-marker analysis has become popularly available only recently. Much of this site is devoted to presenting results from such analyses, and explaining what they mean in the context of our two objectives.Directory (click on a link) Comments or Questions?
Results
YDNA-based analysis
02 September 2009
The analysis of YDNA markers shows that the majority of Gossetts in America are closely related -- probably descended from a single immigrant (or multiple, but closely related immigrants) -- with a most recent common ancestor who was born ca. 1660 (± 100 years). YDNA evidence strongly suggests no close relationship between the American Gossetts and descendants of Jean Gosset of Jersey Isle.
European Origins of the American Gossetts
Recent evidence -- from both traditional genealogical research and from YDNA analyses -- casts strong doubt on the myth that the Gossetts in America descend from Jean the Huguenot of Jersey Isle. The story of our supposed Norman-French origins, and the emigration of two Gosset brothers -- grandsons of Jean -- from Jersey Isle to America, has been repeated many times in many places. Here, however, we subject it to close scrutiny in light of new evidence. The evidence from conventional genealogy strongly suggests that most of the American Gossetts descend from John Gossett and Jane Williamson living in New Castle County (now part of Delaware) before 1709.
Resource Files
Tutorials
Interpreting YDNA Results – Estimating Time to Most Recent Common Ancestor
Supplementary Material
Our Distant French Cousins: Interesting reading about Gossets of Normandy.
While recent evidence debunks the myth of American Gossetts' descent from Jean of Jersey, it remains likely that we all share a common, Norman-French origin -- but much further back in time than previously thought. Here we present some background on the Gossets of Carantilly.
Château de Vaudrimesnil -- Home of Gossets in Vaudrimesnil (Manche/Normandy/France). The central portion was originally constructed as a manor house at the beginning of the 17th century; it became a château with the addition of two wings in the 19th century. It entered into the heritage of the Gossets in the first half of the 18th century, was lived in by Gossets up to 1916, and remained with descendants of other surnames up to 1960. Photograph ca. 1922, kindly supplied by a Gosset cousin, Jean Paul Gires.
