We are actively seeking direct male descendants of the following families:

1)       Gibeon Gibson, born in the early to mid 1720s, died after November 1792 at Woodville, (now Adams County) Mississippi, sons: Reuben, Randal & David.

2)       Thomas Gibson (c1735-1804) and Nelson Gibson (c1745/54-1823) both of Richmond County, North Carolina, historically said to be sons of Ziba Gibson of Scotland. We have one participant from each branch who do not match each other or anyone else in our data base.

3)       Jordan Gibson, Jr. (c1734/37-1799/1800) of Pee Dee, Craven County, South Carolina, sons: Nathaniel, Malachi, Stephen, (Rev.) Tobias, and (Capt.) John.

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Read this discussion in conjunction with the Patriarch page and the DNA Results page.


A Lineage is declared when at least two men who generally match each other have results on at least 25 markers.

Men share a common ancestor since the advent of surnames (c1100) with those in the same color. They do not share a common ancestor since the advent of surnames with those shown in a different color.

Matching mutations shown in a bright contrasting color probably indicate a shared common ancestor who lived more recently than the Lineage common ancestor.

Participants in Lineage I, II, III, IV, V, VI, and VIII (and some other individual lines) do not share a common ancestor with each other since the advent of surnames, but do have a deep shared ancestry with them from tens of thousands of years ago through the Haplogroup R1b1, recently re-categorized, in many cases, as R1b1b2.

A note about mutations:

Mutations can and do occur at any time. On this site mutations are shown in either pink or yellow boxes. The mutations shown within a pink box are not so revealing as these mutations are considered as unstable, meaning they can occur at most any time. However, the mutations shown in yellow boxes are more informative  they are considered more stable. When a man shows such a mutation it can be expected that his descendants will carry that mutation for something like 500 years from the time it first occurred. Mutations generally occur one step (number) at a time.


Depending on their respective paper trails G-19 and G-24 should up-grade to at least 37 markers to see if their matches hold with G-15.


DNA proves that G-37 and G-17 share a common ancestor: there is an 88% probability that the common ancestor lived within the last 8 generation and a 94% chance that they share a common ancestor within the last 10 generations.

G-12 needs to upgrade to at least 37 markers to see if his match continues.


A set of values have been established for the R1b model. Within any surname DNA project there will almost always be various mutations which provide signature markers for a particular family group. Gibson  Lineage III is no exception.

In analyzing Lineage III the value at marker DYS413a becomes very important. In Lineage III  A  Mode, 413a is consistent with the R1b model, so is an old value.

In Lineage III  B Model a mutation occurred at DYS413a. This represents a significant fork in the tree of descent from this groups common ancestor.

1.       Conclusions:

1.       Primary: All of the Lineage III men share a common ancestor. Due to the genetic diversity across this Lineage it is presently impossible to estimate when this ancestor may have lived. Some of the connections may have occurred prior to colonization, and in the case of the Justice family, the common ancestor may have lived before the common use of surnames.

2.       A major split in the family tree occurred when the common ancestor of Lineage III  model B developed a mutation at marker DYS413a.

3.       A statistical calculation between Model A and Model B shows that their common ancestor could have lived anywhere between 1-20 generations before the test subjects. However, there is high probability that that common ancestor lived between 7 (92.45%) and 11 (98.89%) generations ago, say between 1670 and 1790.

4.       It is highly recommended that all who have not tested or upgraded to 67 markers do so.

5.       It is probably that a separate branch evolved by the mutation at marker DYS392 and include the families G-6 and GX-1.

It must be emphasized that the above analysis of mutations is speculative. It warrants work on the paper trails to try to prove or disprove - and may also be affected by future results.


G-49 and G-50 have independently verified their relationship to Robert Gibson, born about 1720 in South Carolina, thanks to DNA. Such a relationship was speculated, but unconfirmed by paper trails.


Two more success stories where two individuals prove a common ancestor in each line, and have proven that these two groups, both having come through Pennsylvania are not related to one another.


G-60 and G-65 have a strong paper trail, confirmed now by DNA. The near match with G-64 came as a complete surprise to all. They are working on their paper trails to see if they can narrow down as to their shared common ancestor.


This line appears to go back to the Gibsons of North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, VA. The participants need to follow the paper trail to see how these individuals connect.


With relatively strong paper trails it was no great surprise that G-28, G-29 and G-35 found a match. G-79 is working with the others to try to figure out just where his ancestor ties into the line.


It has long been thought that Nelson (c1745/53-1823) and Thomas (1735/50-1804) of Richmond County, NC were brothers, sons of Ziba Gibson. From DNA it now appears that Nelson and Thomas were not brother at all. Descendants in each line have tested and are found not to be closely related. Thomass line has been further substaniated by a second descendant. We are actively looking for another descendant of Nelsons to be tested.


Additional note:

In the event participants haven't done so already, please remember to add your results at www.Ysearch.org, the FTDNA sponsored public database. When going to the Y-DNA Matches tab at your personal page, you will see an explanation and a link for the upload. Should you find you have a close match with two or more men of the same surname through this link, you may want to consider also joining their Surname Project. There is no additional fee for this.



Participating in a Surname DNA Project provides:




       Stimulation to family research and sharing of information


       A chance to compare your genetic ancestry with those of the surname and variant spellings

       Locates the genetic matches that do not share your common surname

