Relationships among companies of militia in the colony of New York in 1760 estimated by an analysis of their surnames

Abstract

Surname, analysis, a technique to estimate genetic relatedness, is applied here to differences within and between eight militia companies (N=782) mustered for New York Colony in 1760. Universal service laws of the time imply that militias are unbiased community samples. Colonial American populations are of interest due to their heterogeneous migrant origins, balanced by effects of large kin groups. The surname of each militiaman was checked for identity to that of all others within and between the eight companies. Assuming surnames derive from common ancestry, fractions of name identity index relatedness. Within‐company relatedness is high, below only that found in genetic isolates, probably due to enlistments together of kinsmen. Between‐company relatedness is the lowest yet recorded, apparently because of the diverse origins of these populations.