Dunham (Y-DNA)

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Status summary

As of October 27, 2022:

Paper trail

See The American Genealogist 30:143-155 for a scholarly article on this Dunham family.[1] Also see Deacon John Dunham Genealogy by the Dunham Genealogy Research Association

First Generation

(Dea.) John Dunham was poss. son of Richard Dunham of Langford, Bedfordshire, England, born about 1588. He died Plymouth 2 Mar 1688/9 (aged about 80)[2]. The first record of the family in New England was a tax list dated 2 Jan 1633. He married twice, first Clophill, Bedfordshire 17 Aug 1612 Susan Kaino and second, Leiden 22 Oct 1622 Abigail Balliou. By his first wife he had three children: John (c1615), Humility (c1617 n.f.r.) and Thomas (c1619 unm.). By his second wife he had eight more children: Samuel (c1623), Jonathan (c1625), Abigail (c1627), Joseph (c1631), Hannah (c1634), Persis (c1635), Benajah (c1637) and Daniel (c1639).

Second Generation

John Dunham (II) was bp Henlow, Bedfordshire 19 Feb 1614/5 and died Plymouth 6 Apr 1692. He married by 1642 Mary ____ and they had: Mary (c1643), John (c1647), Jonathan (1650-1650), Samuel (1651/2-1687/8 unm.), Susanna (c1654), Lydia (c1657) and Mercy.

Samuel Dunham was born Leiden about 1623 and died Plymouth 20 Jan 1711/2 (in his 89 year of his age). He married twice, first Plymouth 29 Jun 1649 Martha BEALS Falloway then Plymouth 15 Jan 1693/4 Sarah ____ Watson (no children). By his first wife he had: Sarah (1650), infant twin sons (1651-1651), Samuel (c1653),

(Rev.) Jonathan Dunham was born Leiden about 1625 and died Edgartown 18 Dec 1717. He married twice, first Plymouth 29 Nov 1655 Mary Delano (no children) and second Plymouth 15 Oct 1657 Mary Cobb. By his second wife he had six children: Jonathan (1658), Eleazer (1662, likely unm.), Gershom (c1665), Hannah (c1667), Samuel (c1669 likely unm.) and Daniel (c1677).

Joseph Dunham was born about 1631 and died Plymouth (now Plympton) 9 Mar 1702/3. He married twice, first Plymouth 18 Nov 1657 Mercy Morton and second Plymouth 20 Aug 1660 Esther Wormall. By his first wife Joseph had: Eleazer (c1659) and Nathaniel (c1662). By his second wife he had six additional children: Micajah (c1673), Joseph (c1675), Mercy (c1679), Benajah (c1684), Daniel (c1686) and Esther (c1689).

Benajah Dunham was born Plymouth about 1637. He married Plymouth 25 Oct 1660 Elizabeth Tilson and they had seven children (Eastham): Edmund (1661), John (1663-1663), Elizabeth (1664-1667), Hannah (1666-1667), Benjamin (1667), Mary (1669) and Elizabth (1670).

Daniel Dunham was born Plymouth about 1639 and died between 28 Jan - 16 Feb 1677.[3] He married about 1670 Hannah ____ and they had two children: Hannah (c1670) and Mehitable (c1672)

Third Generation

John Dunham (II) was baptized Plymouth 21 Nov 1647 and died Barnstable 2 Jan 1696/7. He married Barnstable 1 Mar 1679/80 Mary Smith and they had seven children (Barnstable): Thomas (1680-1717/8 unm.), John (1682 unnm.), Ebenezer (1684), Desire (1685), Elisha (1687), Mercy (1689) and Benjamin (1691).


Samuel Dunham (II) was born Plymouth about 1653 and died there in the winter of 1717/8. He married Plymouth 30 Jun 1680 Mary Harlow and they had five children (Plymouth): Samuel (1681-1761 unm.), William (1684/5 m Anna Norcut), Mary (1687 unm.), Ebenezer (1691/2 m Abigail Smith) and Nathaniel (1698 m Rebecca King).


Jonathan Dunham (II) was born Plymouth about 1659 and died Edgartown before 13 Feb 1745/6 (administration of his estate). He married twice, first _____ and then abt 1691/2 Esther NORTON Huxford. By his first wife he had: Rebecca (c1682-p1702), Jonathan (c1684 m Mary Spencer), and Gideon (1686/7 m Desire Case). By his second wife he had Jonathan (1691/2 m Judith Luce), Hezekiah (c1693 m Jane Pease), Solomon (c1696 m Mary Warner & Elizabeth ___) and Cornelius (c1702 m Jemima Norton).

Gershom Dunham was born Plymouth about 1664 and died Edgartown between 3 Mar 1738 (will) - 2 Nov 1739 (proved). He married abt 1692 Mary Clark and they had eight children: Mary (c1694), Deborah (c1696), David (c1698 m Sarah Clifford & Mary RIPLEY Mackelroy), Gershom (c1700 m Martha ___), Jethro (c1703 m Mehitabel Vicent], Seth (c1706 m Naomi Marchant), Paul (c1709 m Sarah Hillman) and Zerviah (c1712).

Daniel Dunham was prob. born Middleborough about 1677 and died Edgartown between 1 Aug 1741 (will) - 5 Mar 1741/2 (proved). He married Rebecca ___ and they had twelve children: Matilda (c1703), Zephaniah (c1705 m Sarah Smith but no ch.), Rebecca (c1707), Sarah (c1709), Daniel (1711 m Sarah Huxford), Persis (c1713), Mary (c1715), Eleazer (c1717 m Hannah Clements), Samuel (c1719 m Esther Lyman), Dina (c1721), Silas (bp1723 m Deborah ___) and Jacob (bp1727 m Elizabeth Petit).


Eleazer Dunham was born Plymouth about 1659. He married about 1682 Bathsheba Whiston and they had nine children (MD 1:141)

Nathaniel Dunham was born Plymouth about 1662. He married Plymouth 21 Jan 1691 Mary Tilson. They likely had children, but more research is needed.

Micajah Dunham was born Plymouth about 1673. He married 26 Jun 1701 Elizabeth Lazell. Unknown if they had children.

Joseph Dunham was born Plymouth about 1675. He married Taunton 19 Jun 1706 Bethia Chase. Unknown if they had children.

Benajah Dunham was born Plymouth about 1684. He married 7 May 1708 Sarah Covel. Family in Banks, Hist. of Marth's Vineyard.

Daniel Dunham was born Plymouth about 1687. He moved to Newport, RI and it is currently unknown whether he ever married.


Edmund Dunham

Benjamim Dunham


  1. ↑ Deacon John Dunham of Plymouth, Mass., 1589-1669 and his Descendants, by Isaac Watson Dunham (1907) has many inaccuracies and should not be considered a scholarly source.
  2. ↑ Plymouth Church Records I:144 had 1 Mar 1688 aged 80. MD 18:57 had died 2 Mar 1668 aged about four score years. His will was dated 25 Jan 1668/9 (MD 17:113).
  3. ↑ Date of will and inventory (Plymouth Col. Wills, Part 3 2:102).

DNA Results I-BY98480

Previous testing

FTDNA's Dunham DNA Project Subgrouping: 1a-1d consists (among oothers) eight individuals claiming Deacon John Dunham as their Most Distant Known Patrilineal Ancestor (MDKPA). The all fall under the I-M253 Haplogroup.

NGS/WGS testing

Three individuals in this subgrouping have done extensive SNP testing with one falling under DF29>Z58>Z59>Z2041>Z2040>Z382>FTB42659>FT54722>BY68780>BY72514>BY98480 a second one fallung under a subclade BY98480>FT161857 and the third falling under a subclade BY98480>Y31523

References and External Resources

  • Anderson, Robert Charles, The Pilgrim Migration: Immigrants to Plymouth Colony 1620-1633" (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, 2004)
  • Barclay, Florence (Mrs. John E.), "Notes on the Dunham Family of Plymouth, Mass.", The American Genealogist 30:143-55.
  • ibid., "Jonathan2 Dunham of Plymouth and Edgartown, Mass., ibid. 36:243-49


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