Cooke (Y-DNA)

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Status summary

As of January 16, 2017:

As of July 11, 2020:

  • Two additional Big Y-700 test results for Francis Cooke descendant


IMPORTANT: Read me First

Y-DNA Descendants

For more information see: Woods, Ralph V. (with 2017 addendum by Susan E. Roser and Judith H. Swan), Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, vol. 6 Cooke. Names in bold font have Y-DNA descendants who have Y-DNA tested.

First Generation

Not much is known about the origins of Francis Cooke[1]. He is believed to have been born about 1583[2] He registered his marriage Banns with Hester Mahieu in Leiden on 4 Jul 1603[3] The family is generally believed to have lived in Leiden until they emigrated aboard the Mayflower in 1620. Francis and his lived in at Rocky Nook (now Kingston) until their deaths. He died there on 7 Apr 1663.[4]

Francis and Hester had an infant (sex unknown) who was buried at Leiden on 20 May 1608[5] then had two sons and four daughters. The sons were John (bp 1607)[6] and Jacob. John married Sarah Warren (daughter of Mayflower passenger Richard Warren) they only had five daughters.[7] Thus, the Y-DNA line only continues from Jacob.

Second Generation

Jacob Cooke[8] was born in Leiden about 1617-18[9] and died Plymouth (Rocky Nook, now Kingston), bet. 11 Dec - 18 Dec 1675.[10] He came over with his mother and other siblings on the Ann in 1623. Jacob married twice. His first wife was Damaris Hopkins[11] married Plymouth shortly after 10 Jun 1646.[12] She died[13]and he married second, 18 Nov 1669 to Elizabeth LETTICE Shurtleff.[14] By his second wife, he only had two daughters[15] but by his first wife he had four daughters and three sons born Plymouth (Rocky Nook, now Kingston): Caleb, Jacob II, Francis.

Third Generation

(Capt.) Caleb Cooke (1651-1721/2) married Jane (surname unknown) and lived at Plymouth (Rocky Nook, now Kingston). They had five daughters and 4 sons John, Caleb, James and Joseph). Son Caleb died s.p. shortly after marrying, and the Y-DNA line for son Joseph ended, so Y-DNA only continued with sons John and James.

Jacob Cooke (II) (1653-1747) married Lydia Miller. They lived in the area of Plymouth which became the new town of Kingston in Jun 1726. They had 4 daughters and 4 sons: William, Jacob, Josiah and John.

Francis Cooke (1662-c1746) married Elizabeth Latham. They also lived in the area of Plymouth which later became Kingston. They had 3 daughters and 3 sons (Robert, Caleb & Francis). The son Francis only had two daughters, so the Y-DNA only continued with sons Robert & Caleb.

Fourth Generation

John Cooke born Rocky Nook (now Kingston) 5 Feb 1682/3 and died there abt Jun 1741. He married twice, first Yarmouth 22 Nov 1705 Elizabeth Sears then bef Apr 1727 Hannah ___ Morton (no children). By his first wife he had four children: Silas (1708 m Elizabeth Stetson), Paul (1711 m Joanna Holmes), Robert (1714 m Patience Phinney) and Mercy (1718).

James Cooke born Rocky Nook (now Kingston) 19 Aug 1700 and died Meduncook Plt. (now Friendship), ME 4 Oct 1757. He married Taunton Feb 1731/2 Abigail Hodges and they had five daughters and four sons: Elijah (1741 m Ruby Adams), James (1748-1749), James (1749 m Elsie Bradford) and Zenas (c1753 m Hannah Bradford).


William Cooke born Rocky Nook (now Kingston) 5 Oct 1683 and died there aft 20 Nov 1740. He married Plymouth 18 Mar 1706/7 Tabitha Hall and they had five daughters and two sons: William (1714/5 no ch. and likely never married) and Elisha (1716/7 m Rebecca Edgerton).

Jacob Cooke (III) born Rocky Nook (now Kingston) 16 Jun 1691 and died Menham, NJ 20 Nov 1753. He married twice, first Yarmouth 3 Apr 1716 Phebe Hall then Abington 21 Jan 1728/9 Mary Hersey. By his first wife he had two daughters and three sons: Jesse (1717 m Jemima Root), Asa (1720 m Lusannah Bryant) and Jacob (1725 m Phebe Lindley & Margaret ___). There is quite a bit of uncertainty regarding children by his second wife. They are known to have had a son Stephen (1729/30-1749 unm.) It is believed they were the parents of son Daniel (1739 m Rebekah Owen) but likely NOT the parents of John (c1732).

Josiah Cooke born Rocky Nook (now Kingston) 14 May 1699 and died Tolland, CT bef. 18 Sep 1752. He married Lebanon, CT 9 Mar 1727 Zibiah Cushman and they had five daughters and one son Josiah (II) (1729 m Huldah Bassett & Lucy Deman).

John Cooke born Rocky Nook (now Kingston) 23 May 1703 and died there 8 Dec 1744. He married int. Kingston 19 Dec 1730 Phebe Crossman and they had five daughters and one son: Sylvanus (1738 m Sarah Barstow & Mary GODFREY Adams).


Robert Cooke born Rocky Nook (now Kingston) 16 Apr 1693 and died there 20 Jan 1731/2. He married twice, first Plymouth 29 Nov 1716 Abigail Harlow then Kingston aft. Oct 1727 Lydia Tilden. By his first wife he had one daughter and four sons: Charles (1717 m Hannah Faunce & Sarah EVERSON Tinkham), Nathaniel m (1719 m Mary Samson), Robert (1721 m Hannah Bisbee) and Francis (likely d.y.).

Caleb Cooke born Rocky Nook (now Kingston) abt 1694 and died there 19 Aug 1762. He married Plympton 4 Mar 1724/5 Hannah Shurtleff and they had six daughters and six sons: Caleb (1727 m Sarah Adams), [https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cooke-131 Benjamin (1729 m Mary Gray), Isaac (1732 d.y.), Elkanah (1735 d.y.), Ephraim (1737 m Louisa Ring) and Amos (1749 d.y.).


  1. Pilgrim Hall Museum Francis Cooke biography.
  2. married in 1603 yet listed on the Able to Bear Arms list of 1643 (supposedly aged 60 or less)
  3. Media:Marriage record of Francis Cooke and Esther Mahieu.jpg and transcript and https://www.dutchgenealogy.nl/pilgrim-leiden-pilgrim-records/?fbclid=IwAR2z9tDZHRxYx8l1bmhBCDBoQbmdALU4QZt0Ltc8IZSlvplZfsr-AkdAM_Q NOTE: Leyden was using the New Style dating at this time.
  4. PCR 8:23 as reported in Mayflower Descendants 3:95
  5. NEHGReg 143:197 citing Leiden records
  6. Media:NL-LdnRAL_AR_1004_270_027.jpg.jpg, transcription.
  7. Sarah, Elizabeth, Esther, Mary & Mercy
  8. Pilgrim Hall Museum Jacob Cooke biography.
  9. Deposed ae 56 on 14 Jul 1674 MD 2:45-6
  10. date of will-inventory.
  11. daughter of Mayflower Passenger Stephen Hopkins by his second wife, Elizabeth Fisher
  12. Marriage contract. See Mayflower Descendant, Vol. 2, p. 27-28.
  13. Her last child, Ruth, was born 17 Jan 1665 (MD 18:57), so she died sometime between this birth and her widow's second mariage on 18 Nov 1669.
  14. widow of William Shurtleff
  15. Sarah and Rebekah, both in their father's will dated Dec 1675

DNA Results I-FGC57472

Previous Y-DNA testing

Previous Y-STR testing through the Mayflower Society DNA Project and the Cook surname DNA project (sub-grop I2 - Lineage 3a) has indicated the Mayflower Cooke lineage belongs to the I-M223 Y-DNA haplogroup.

NGS/WGS testing

Y Elite and Big Y-700 testing of four[1][2] patrilineal descendants of Francis Cooke documents the family falls under: I-M223>CTS616>FGC15071>BY1003>L1229>Z2069>Z2068>Z2054>Y4746>FGC15109>FGC15105>BY18>Y4761>Y4760>FGC57449>FGC57463>FGC57458>FGC57472.

Interestingly, the FTDNA Cook DNA Project (sub-group I2 - Lineage 3b Cooke of Gloucester, VA) has an individual who tested positive for FGC57458 but negative for FGC57472. This documents where the Cooke family from Gloucester, VA is related to Francis Cooke's paternal ancestry. The founder of this Cooke family was Mordecai Cooke, born circa 1623. Some have claimed paternal ancestry for this family back to the 14th Century, but this claim still needs to be verified.

Palindromic duplication

One of the most significant feature of the Y-Chromosomes are its Palindromic arms (also see: Palindromic arms presentation) These arms create duplicate markers, which is why a few STR results (like DYS459, DYS464, CDY, YCAII and others) have multiple results. These palindromic arms are also subject to either duplication (resulting in extra STR markers) or deletion (resulting in "missing" STR markers). It appears where a patrilineal ancestor of Francis Cooke had a mutation duplicating two of the Palindromic arms (called P1 and P2). This causes extra STR markers at DYS459, DYS464 and the CDY markers).

This mutation must have occurred somewhere in Francis Cooke's ancestry as not only do all of his patrilineal descendants have these extra STR markers, but the descendants of Mordecai Cooke also have these extra markers.

Data downloads

Lineage of testers

The Spring 2023 edition of the "Pilgrim Francis Cooke Society News" gives the early generations of the lines of descent for individuals who have Y-DNA tested. The lineage in bold font has taken the Big Y-700 test.

 Francis Cooke (c1583-1663)
   Jacob Cooke (c1617-1675)
     (Capt.) Caleb Cooke (1651-1721/2)
       John Cooke (1682/3-c1741)
         Paul Cooke (1711-c1787)
           (Capt.) John Cooke (1737-1810)
             (Maj.) James Cook (1760-1812)
     Jacob Cooke (II)(1653-1747)
       William Cooke (1683-p1740)
         Elisha Cooke (1716/7-1799)
           Consider Cooke (1745-1819)
             William Cooke (1773-1850)
               Henry Silverthorn Cooke (1815-1880)
                 Samuel Paul Cooke (1860-1925)
                   Walter Samuel Cooke (1901-1975)
     Francis Cooke (1662-c1740)
       (Lt.) Caleb Cooke (c1694-1762)
         (Capt.) Ephraim Cooke (1737-1821)
           (Capt.) Manasseh Cook (1766-1855)
             Joseph Cook (1790-1861)[3]
               George A. Cook (1813-1894)
                 Charles W. Cook (1854-1927)
                   James Herbert Cook (1890-1969)
                     (father)
                       (tester)  
  1. Three of the testers descend from Joseph7 Cook and all fall under a subclade of FGC57472>FGC57464. We cannot currently trace the ancestry of the fourth Big Y tester back to Francis Cooke, but the fact his is positive for a clade (FGC57472) a patrilineal descendant of Mordecai Cooke has tested negative for indicates where he descends from Francis Cooke as well.
  2. We cannot state with certainty whether all patrilineal descendants of Francis Cooke would be FGC57472+ but we do now they would fall somewhere in this vicinity.
  3. All three Big Y-700 testers are descendants of Joseph. See [1]

References and External links

  • Woods, Ralph V. (with 2017 addendum by Susan E. Roser and Judith H. Swan), Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, vol. 6 Cooke General Society of Mayflower Descendants, Plymouth, MA. Third Edition 2001
  • Roser, Susan E., Mayflower Increasings From the Files of George Ernest Bowman at the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, MD, Second edition 1995, 1996. pp. 36-41.
  • Roser, Susan E., Mayflower Passenger References, (from contemporary records & scholarly journals) [www.stewartbooks.com Stewart Publishing & Printing], Canada. Second edition 2015
  • Bowman, George Ernest, The Mayflower Descendant vol. 3 (1901):95-105
  • Underhill, Lora A.W., Descendants of Edward Small of New England and the Allied Families with Tracings of English Ancestry rev. ed. 3 vol. (Boston and New York, 1934), pp. 601-45
  • Bangs, Jeremy Dupertuis, The New England Historical and Genealogical Register 143(1989):195-212 "The Pilgrims and Other English in Leiden Records: Some New Pilgrim Documents"
  • Bangs, Jeremy Dupertuis, The Mayflower Quarterly 78(2012):140-44 "Looking for Hester Mayhew and Francis Cooke in the Norwich City Records Office"
  • Discover.FamilyTreeDNA.com - Notable Connections


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