As of 25 August 2008, The Lay Surname Project has the following major subgroupings charted on the Y-Results tab. Each major subgrouping is unique in that the men represented within each group are not biologically related to the men of the other subgroups.
BLUE GROUP
Represents Lay's who are widely dispersed throughout the southeast United States by the early 1800's. The earliest paper trail among the kits appears to be David Lay, Sr. who is recorded in 1750, Granville Co., NC on the Country Line Cr. tax district. The genetic distance between kit #49517 and the descendents of Rev. William L Lay indicate the common ancestor for the entire group is pre-colonial America. A descendent of Marcel LeRoi [translated 'of the king']-Quebec, Canada is also an exact match with this group. Is this a spelling variant and possible clue to the deep ancestry of this Lay group? Two other LeRoi's [LeRoy] are known to have tested. Their DNA neither match our LeRoi participant or themselves. Parish records record both a Lay family branch and a LeRoi family branch in Suffolk Co., England. Could they be related?
BRITISH I1a
Represents a descendent of a large cluster of Lays in the Netheravon/Enford area of Wiltshire, England. This Lay DNA does not match the Pewsey, Wiltshire, England Lay branch
British R1b
Represents a descendent of a presumed daughter of William and Ann Lay from Stood, Kent, England.
COASTAL CAROLINAS
Represents descendents of a branch of Lay's from Brunswick Co., NC, - John & Joseph Lay who migrated to GA and AL in the early to mid-1800's. The DNA results indicate a high probability of Irish ethnicity. They share Y matches that are predominately Irish/Scots-Irish which agrees with the known Scot-Irish migration to the Cape Fear River basin of southeastern, coastal North Carolina.
CONNECTICUT
Represent a descendent from the Lyme, Connecticut Lay's. The Connecticut Lay's are NOT genetically related to any colonial southern Lay line. Research published on the web indicates these Lay's are recorded in Braintree Parish, England prior to their arrival in Colonial America. The project needs another tester from this Lay line to verify the results. FTDNA has predicted this Lay lineage to be haplogroup R1b1.
GREEN GROUP
Represents a group of Lay's whose ancestors have a geographically centered paper trail in the Piedmont and Western area of NC. This Lay branch share close matches with a Lee whose oldest known ancestor is from NC and a Lusk whose oldest known ancestor is from Tazewell Co., VA. This Lay family group belongs to Haplogroup R1a which is a minority haplogroup in the British Isles and is most often found in the northern counties of England bordering Scotland.
ISAAC LAY/PATTON
Represents the descendents of Isaac Lay of Burke Co., NC. Two descendent from son, James Newton, and a descendent from son, Benjamin, have tested. There are conflicting results. Isaac also had sons William and Lawrence. Lawrence carried the surname of Agee in adulthood. We need participants from those brothers. This subgroup is not genetically related to the Wilkes Co., NC Lay's.
PA CUMBERLAND CO and LEH, LEE, LOY
Represents both a Pennsylvania descendents of Felix Lee who arrived in Philadelphia, PA in 1743 and a descendent of John Lay of Perry Co., PA. Genealogical DNA has proved that these two lines are NOT genetically related and have completely different deep origins. Previous research paper trails linking these two lineages appear to be in error. Further research indicates that Felix descended from Henrich Lee b. 1575 Glattfelden, Switzerland.
PINK GROUP
Represents the U.S. descendents of Abraham Lay born in Essex, England who moved to Fairfax Co., VA in colonial times. FTDNA has predicted this Lay lineage to be Haplogroup I.
U.S. UNIQUE LAY HAPLOGROUP
Represents a descendent of John Lay b. 1879 in Pulaski Co., KY. Present day descendents spell their last name Leigh. This subgroup does not match other Lay's from Pulaski Co., KY.
PEWSEY, WILTSHIRE, ENGLAND
Represent descendents of a large cluster of Lay's in the Pewsey area of Wiltshire, England. Two branches have participated - one from Australia and one still living in the Wiltshire area. DNA has proven a common ancestor.
WUERTEMBURG, GERMANY
Represents the Ley's. Descendents of Christopher Lee, son of Casper Lay, died 1798, Franklin Co., PA and descendents of Johann Jacob Lay, born 1715 of Wuertemberg whose descendents immigrated to Owen Co. IN are a match in this group. The haplogroup is confirmed by FTDNA as R1b. This haplotype has a rare null at marker 389II.
*The Blue Group and the Green Group are NOT genetically related. Researchers are cautioned to remember: 1. There are TWO Bird Lay's living about the same age during the same time frame. In 1810 there is Bird Lay of Warren Co., KY with one male child and Bird Lay of Caswell Co., NC with no children! 2. There are THREE Jesse Lay's in 1790 North Carolina - Jesse, Sr. & Jesse, Jr. in Wilkes Co. AND Jesse, son of John, in Caswell Co. 3. There are THREE David Lay's living in the late 1700's. David, Sr. of Pittsylvania Co., VA - his son David, Jr. of Caswell Co., NC AND David [son of Jesse, Sr.] in Wilkes Co., NC 4. There are TWO John Lay's living in the late 1700's. John Lay of Pittsylvania Co., VA who died c. 1795 AND John Lay of Caswell Co., NC who died c. 1790.
*There are FOUR distinct Y-DNA Lay lineages with variant spellings that are recorded in Colonial Pennsylvania. Previous paper trails that have merged these lines need to be examined carefully.