5 Common Traits of Melungeon Descent?

[@mike_skinner]

This is what google says: Occipital spurs, also called as occipital knob, occipital bun, chignon or inion hook, is an exaggerated external occipital protuberance (EOP). It is frequently discussed in anthropological literature as a Neanderthal trait but hardly reported and considered as a normal variant in medical literature. I have one.

[@nytn]

This is a great additional comment, thank you!

[@jdee3421]

Also known as an "Anatolian bump" due to prevalence in Turkey, which may account for claims of Turkish ancestry.

[@nytn]

@emilyf3722 have you checked your haplogroups for your dad and mom's lines?

[@johnnyearp52]

I have more Neanderthal blood than average but I didn't get the occipital bun. Edit: As far as I can tell.

[@Fgway]

I stumbled upon this video. There was a barber who made fun of such a bump when I was a kid and it always bothered me. I lived far away from where my family is from so it was just me at the time. There are some cousins with native american DNA but none shows up for my test.

[@niecylanae33]

Can I say I love how comfortably you said “and I’m creole”. I’ve been following you for a while and I know how this family discovery has reshaped your view on your cultural history. And that hasn’t l been easy for you. You go girl 🎉 thank you for your dedication to connecting us not only to your/our roots but to each other.

[@nytn]

I watched video when I was editing it, and I ALMOST CUT THAT PART OUT. I felt like I shouldnt say it. I decided to leave it in. This has been such a long, bittersweet journey..but that's what reconnecting looks like. It's feeling more and more like the right thing:)

[@niecylanae33]

@@nytn Wow, I’m glad you didn’t! I will be honest I do not know what it feels like to go through this deep of a cultural discovery but what a journey it is. And I will continue to thank you for allowing us into this experience. I’m excited for when you reach the time in your life when you will feel the most comfortable in your identity. And you are free from that little restraint that is still there. Only time will do that and along that journey your subbies are here to support you during the ride!

[@nytn]

Okay, I'll try not to cry in public reading this. Thank you, made my day :D

[@niecylanae33]

@@nytn Haha 😄 You’re so welcome girl!

[@LynnBankzz]

You are Creole.... ❤️ Never leave that out lol

[@cindyleastorch194]

OMG...my dad was called melungeon when he was little. He said " i didnt know what it meant but i knew it wasnt supposed to be good!" His mother and father were both from an orphanage and both were extremely dark skinned. He was from a holler around the gate city va area. The pic around 4:20 shocked me. My grandfather parted his black hair and had a full handlebar mustache. Cant wait to finish watching this and subscribe...couldnt wait to comment...so excited.

[@omartinoco9930]

I bet it’s Arab or Portuguese descent. You should investigate his parents origin. Being an orphan makes it harder to trace as people start to die off.

[@BrendaPatterson-q8n]

P

[@lesjones5684]

I’m a monkey man 😅😅😅

[@brasen7672]

npc

[@fredericksmith4651]

I have it didn’t know what to call it lol

[@angelroseglow]

I'm a Reeves with the teeth and head bump. A while back I had a dermatologist say I have Native American pore structure so I figured well, at least I know my father wasn't lying about something when he claimed we had a N.A. ancestor. But hearing about the teeth thing and weird head bump I've always hated cuz it makes it hard to get a nice pixie cut in the back started giving me goosebumps. Then as soon as I saw 'Reeves' in that line-up I'm straight shivering...like what are the odds! I just clicked on a video about Melungeons because I like a good genetic mystery story and I'd never heard of these people before, and then clicked this video afterwards. Chills! I know my family are mutts as I've been jokingly called, but this is so cool. Like this is why I love KZbin. XD

[@AlwaysLime]

I have Goins, Epps and Chavis on my Dad’s side. We also have Smiling. It’s interesting to hear your story about your Goins family getting kicked off tribal roles, then getting put back on. That is exactly what happened to my Goins family here in NC. My family started their own school, The Smiling School, in response to being barred attendance at the Indian school in their community.

[@nytn]

I gotta know more about this school!

[@lisalking2476]

​@@nytnplease share after researching this school thank you for sharing your journey ❤ God bless you 🙏

[@daizeofgrace]

I have Goins in my bloodline from my mom’s side from what I was told. Im going to start following you as I’m very interested in learning more.

[@JnWmMatt]

I don't have flat front teeth on the back. However, I am from Nansmond VA and Eastern NC settlers in the Baines, paternal gp, and Gainey, paternal gm, families. No records before war of 1812 for Bray Bain. My dad is Wm. Gray Baines, said it is a family name. Ancestry is confusing. My DNA came back with 1% Native American and 1% Benin/Togo. I am very fair and blue green hazel eyes.

[@tallthinwavy3]

I have a Goins grandmother and Chavis cousins

[@bgdenham]

Hi, my name is Billy Denham. I’m a fifth generation descendent from David Denham, one of the original Melungeons in the Mulberry gap area. He claimed to be Portuguese and my grandmother Denham told me that they were Portuguese sailors that’s all she knew. I’m glad to meet a fellow Melungeon.

[@tracyjohnson5023]

lol I know where mulberry gap is in Tennessee

[@nytn]

Did you have the bump? What about the other traits? Video about my GOINS family: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gXK4not5aaeZf9E ▶My Melungeon/Redbone playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLvzaW1c7S5hS0duqgK5mkBh_9aqIpbooI ▶☕Send me a coffee!: ko-fi.com/nytn13#linkModal ▶Support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/NYTN ▶Download the first section FREE of my "Be a Good ancestor" course here: nytonashville.com/shoplola/be-a-good-ancestor-course-digital-download-videos-bjks6 ▶Get the full course to save your family history here: nytonashville.com/shoplola/be-a-good-ancestor-course-digital-download-videos

[@Theinfamouskiki411]

I have the bump and the teeth. My kids do too.

[@jameswest981]

My father's from the Lumbee tribe' my real Sir name is Bullard and I just found out i have the ridge u were talking about thank you for your studies.

[@rebeccamd7903]

I have the bump and the shovel teeth and I know the Goins well. They intermarried many Melungeon lines. I might have them in my tree somewhere as either ancestors or cousins.

[@nytn]

I definitely need to do some work on the Lumbee tribe!

[@nytn]

I was hoping you would know that family. Did you happen to see the video where I went over their tribal rolls? @rebeccamd7903

[@romana34]

I went to a convocation at my college, Berea College, in KY during my freshman year spring 1999. Where we had a speaker who was an expert in this area. It was really fascinating and he went over a lot of the history and physical traits of the Melungeon that you mentioned. He even told us a lot of the common surnames. I spoke with him after, and I wish I remember his name. It was a great lecture, and one that I remember all these years later . If you’re unfamiliar, Berea College is located in the Appalachian area. He had us all feeling the back of our head that day. One last thing you’re pronouncing it wrong , it is pronounced Apple- at-cha. Trust me that is how the people the region pronounces it and they were really really picky about it. I used to joke a way to start a fight there was to mispronounce it. I was from N KY, so I had to relearn the pronunciation.

[@nytn]

I made another video before realizing I was saying it wrong so…one more and then I’ll fix it! hahah

[@LeaksRepairswhenurplumbe-bn6xk]

That's how we say it ,I'm about 30 miles from appalatcha gateway

[@bluebayou4242]

Was it Brent Kennedy?

[@romana34]

@@bluebayou4242 I don’t know, maybe I should goggle him to see if he looks familiar. Thanks for the tip!

[@sharontabor7718]

@@nytn There are multiple ways of pronouncing Appalachia, which are all correct, depending on where you live. I'm from KY, near the southern foothills, and have lived in western NC for 30 years. The southwestern part of the mountain range pronounces Appalachia differently than the northeastern, and variations in between. Pay attention to where you are, and listen to the natives -that is how you pronounce when you are in that locale. It's no different than Beaufort (bow-furt) NC and Beaufort (bu-fert), SC; Lima (li-mah) OH and Lima (Lee-mah), Peru; Cadiz (Ka-deez) KY, and Cadiz (Ka-Diz), Spain; Lafayette (Lu-FAY-et) TN and Lafayette (LA-fey-et) KY; Monticello (Monta-chell-o) VA and Monticello (Monta-cell-o) KY; Versailles (Ver-sales) KY and Versailles (Ver-si) France, et.

[@jonperusquia9386]

I have both the shovel teeth and the melungeon bump, I call it my "think knot" LOL 😆

[@carolbaughan8768]

I think I have both. But eyes are dark brown, hair almost black with red, now nearly white. My first grade teacher told me, as an adult, that she always thought I was in the wrong family. I didn't know what to say. A life long difference.

[@sherryblanton2029]

@@carolbaughan8768 Me too. My brother’s hair was light brown…blonde if he spent a lot of time in the sun, with a dark red beard. I have dark brown hair and eyes with an olive complexion. I’ve always turned pretty dark in the summer but my brother would burn! And, yes! I have the bump and the shovel teeth!

[@judyhyland682]

I call it Smart Bump

[@cherylgarrett4455]

Shovel teeth is a genetic mutation that occurred in the people who crossed the Bering Strait from Siberia to North America and became a permanent genetic feature of Native Americans. So the Melungeon people would have also it as their DNA has a great deal of Native American DNA.

[@Wildflower-bc4ky]

I do too. I thought that bump was a defect I’ve never known anyone else to have it. The teeth thing is a trip because I had a dentist ask if I was ethnic about 8 years ago. I thought it was a funny question at the time. I wish I could remember exactly what he said but my memory isn’t what it use to be.

[@freddyray6805]

Hi, I clicked because you look like my sister and family members. Like you my dentist also mentioned that my front teeth had a strange ridge and concave at the back. I didn't give much thought to that. My dad's side is Portuguese descent and mother side Italian. My grandmother looked native brasilian. My daughter also has white skin and copper hair if she stays in the sun. Genetics are amazing.

[@GURILLAPUD]

Your channel has grown to something so amazing.

[@nytn]

What a kind thing to say. These are all just my questions...that no one has answered yet. I love asking them as a community like this. Incredible

[@johnnyearp52]

It is one of my favorite channels!

[@nytn]

@@johnnyearp52

[@brasen7672]

npc

[@japeri171]

This research into our ancestors is always a fascinating adventure.

[@Denise-vl8qx]

I just want to mention something about some of the surnames mentioned in that list. Chaves, Francisco, and Rodrigues are Portuguese spellings. Goins may come from the Portuguese name Goís. Gil is also a Portuguese surname, could be the Gill in your list. Those spellings are Portuguese not to be confused with or assumed to be misspelled Spanish surnames. Many Portuguese people know of these Melungeon stories and there are stories out there that detail it, might be worth looking into for your series on this subject.

[@nytn]

this is infinitely helpful!

[@emmapeel8163]

yep, hubby is from Coimbra, and has a bizarre ball on the back of his skull. he was in ER for work accident where they had to shave & stitch his scalp .. well after the stitching was done.. the docs & nurses spent 20 minutes asking him about the knob. 😂

[@jbyoung2684]

The original name was “Gonwelao” probably Consuelo. We are descended from Diogo Gomes aka Dias a Portuguese explorer who explored Western Africa for the Portuguese crown. I am always twice as much Sephardic as I am African.

[@Ziggy-hy4fn]

You're the best at this. Thank you so much for doing this deep dive. There just isn't enough discussion and consensus online on this topic.

[@sircharlesmormont9300]

My aunt had a similar experience at the dentist. She went to the dentist and the dentist said, "Oh, you have Native American ancestry, don't you?" My aunt said, "Uh... yes, but how do you know that?" He then mentioned the shovel teeth. She definitely never expected her dentist to go poking around for cavities and ask about her ancestry! lol. I must not have the teeth, because no dentist has mentioned it to me, but it seems like a pretty common experience!

[@lulumoon6942]

It's a shock

[@Ramon51650]

I watched your talk for the first time today, and I watched it to its conclusion, so I have a point or two to add. The viceroyalty of Nueva España was easily the largest of all viceroyalties, and it was from that administrative center that explorers were given directives to explore Spanish land, contact indigenous peoples and return with information about aboriginal people, the land's topography and fauna. Some of the explorers remained "out there" for quite some time; others lost their bearings, and not a few died. DeSoto was one of a few explorers of the 16th century who moved thru that area you mention. First and foremost for the Spanish, stemming from laws set down in 1512, was how Europeans were to interact and treat indigenous people that they met or were to contact. It is very thorough, and was even revised in the 1520s(?) 1530s(?) in Valladolid. It's worth mentioning that mistreatment of indigenous people could and did bring stripping the perpetrator of land and rights, and even execution (see: the execution of the viceroy of Ecuador). But, you know how people break the law and drive while chatting on cellphones? The same could happen when Europeans were far from oversight. You mention Portuguese, Turkish and some others. That isn't unusual because of migration over very long periods of time. Iberia has know human habitation for hundreds of thousands of years; that's why the male EV DNA strain frequently appears among Spanish males; it goes WAY back! Out-of-Africa involved migrations into and thru the Levant into western Asia (Iraq, Persia, Anatolia, then north to the steppes and west into the Europe we know today. Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Visigoths, Suevi, Celts, Vandals, Hastingi, Alans, Jews, and other tribal groups have been part of the Iberian peninsula for at least three thousand years. After that, the Roma people arrived. So there is no "lost tribe" or some unexplainable force at work. I'm from Puerto Rico and I carry C1B haplotype. It goes back (supposedly) 15K thousand years and it arrived in Puerto Rico via the Andes, Amazon and then the Orinoco before waves of migration made it to the Caribe; the last part of the world to get significant migration. Nothing indicates that it came from the north in recent centuries. Spain was fortunately a crossroads of peoples dating far backing time; not isolated like the people of northern Europe. It's a win-win for those of us whose roots stem from that part of Europe and the Mediterranean. Also, Canary Islands played a pivotal roll from 1491 on. You and any interested people may be better served by examining Spanish archives and avoid English/USAmerican unreliable annals.

[@brasen7672]

Anyone read all that

[@Ramon51650]

@@brasen7672 LOL!!!! ::: Welcome to the 12th century, but with indoor plumbing.

[@creoleking206]

When I was a kid they called my melungeon bump (never knew the name of it) an intelligent hook. When I got older people made fun of me because of it and I really was self conscious about it. This is great. One thing to note, I think they talked about it in Njango with Jamie Foxx and Leonardo DiCaprio

[@bettyb1313]

I always wondered why i feel a pull to this topic! I always knew i was different but i never imagined being led down this path I'm so happy i found my tribe!

[@nytn]

Aw, so glad you are here. I am excited to learn about this

[@janetpayne6686]

I was at a blood drive years ago at NKU and one of the professors said that I might be melungeon. Years later I started my tree in ancestry and discovered that indeed I was. I have the Gibson, Collins, Osborne, Bunch, Fields and Goins surnames in my tree. I have the shovel teeth and a pretty large bump on the back of my head too. I am looking forward to your deep dive on Melungeons.

[@SeasideDetective2]

I went to school with an "Osborne" girl, and she had slightly slanted eyes. Since she also had very blond hair, I always assumed she was Finnish or Sami. I never considered the possibility she might be Creek or Choctaw (since they sometimes have slanted eyes).

[@naithom]

I've got Paynes in Knox Co., KY and Bunches in VA and Osbornes married in several times.

[@lynnec6325]

I'm a Collins. We're cousins, probably. Also I have a huge collection of the Bunch family inter mingled.

[@janetpayne6686]

Good chance

[@OzAsbjorn]

Collins are in my family tree and I'm an Osborne that grew up in southern Ohio. My father's side of the family came from eastern KY. I met a girl some year's back that said she was melungeon and said that she would bet anything that I was to. I didn't take much credence to it until she insisted that I looked it up. That's when I was slapped in the face with checking all of the boxes of being melungeon.

[@RandyFrench-z4c]

Many Melungeons still retain the most beautiful dark complexion you've ever seen.

[@DoublePhoenixAlchemy]

I can attest to this I get so dark in the summer

[@MJ13ish]

I have always noticed that bump on my and my family’s heads and have shovel teeth. We are Black, Muskogee Cherokee, Scott’s Irish from the south. Thanks for bringing this out. I’ve always just said we are a true American ethnic group.

[@sharonhamilton1448]

Maybe we're distant cousins.

[@lizzysbeautyshowetc.6895]

I am so super excited for your new series this has been so informational looking forward for more videos

[@robbychin-a-loi7292]

I'm a mixture of African German, Scottish, Dutch, Kaliña(indigenous South American) and Chinese descent. Many people don't believe this. But it's true😄👍🏽.

[@79klkw]

I absolutely believe it! My friend Nely is Peruvian, she has a similar ethnic background. A potpourri of wonderful nationalities!

[@robbychin-a-loi7292]

@@79klkw That's wonderful brother. There are many peruvians here in French Guiana the country In which I live.

[@ijustneedmyself]

I was going to ask if you were Guyanese 😄

[@robbychin-a-loi7292]

@@ijustneedmyself No I'm not I live in French Guyana. So Guyanese but French 😀. All my ancestors are from Suriname though 😀

[@user-yn7on7ou8n]

Wow!! 😊

[@Domingo12754]

In regards to shovel teeth, a study was done looking for shovel teeth in the modern population, it is reputed as being very dominant Amerindian populations. My maternal haplogroup is A2 which is Native American. Certainly have the shovel teeth.

[@nemomarcus5784]

I am so excited to watch you discover your heritage.❤

[@kaetischmalenberg222]

I think I have the bump and the shovel teeth. My family has been in the country since around 1640 and some were in Tennessee and Missouri. Ive got ancestors who fought in the revolutionary war and the war of 1812. I’ve never heard of melungeons before and my Dad had done a ton of genealogy work. I will have to look more deeply into this. Very interesting, thank you!

[@ShenSai96]

My grandpa’s family was melungeon… I have old pictures and of them passed down. I have Goins in my family tree and Phipps was also shorten from Phillips. And I have them in my family tree as well Sloan. I’m from Moore County, NC there was an area a bunch of those type of families moved too. Check Into that area. And different parts of NC

[@nytn]

Im saving it to look up! Thank you

[@SeasideDetective2]

I can't prove it, but there's old family lore about ours being Melungeon, although we never called it that. It all started with the appearance of my paternal grandmother, who had ghostly white skin but surprisingly black hair. My grandfather used to joke that the reason she was so feisty (which I doubt, since I never saw her like that) was because she was a mixture of "wild Pict" (which she was, being of Anglo-Scottish descent) and "savage Indian" (which, per a DNA test, we learned she also was, at least if you go back seven generations before her). Also, her parents were from Kentucky and ultimately Virginia, which is very close to Melungeon territory. I, myself, have the lower back skull bump mentioned here and slight shoveling in my front teeth...but since I'm so mixed that I'm less than half of any particular ethnic/racial stock, I can't say for sure.

[@Dixienell]

This is my second one of your videos I’ve seen, and I’m so excited. Thank you.

[@viviandickinson]

Ive been watching you for awhile, mainly whenvyou were talking about irish and Italian ancestory, but its weird how you and me are studying into the same things. Ive been diving into the Melungeons for awhile now because after seeing pictures of my moms great-grandmother and others i was curious on how dark they were. So i started deep diving into this and Im almost positive my moms family were Melungeons and didnt know it or hid. I have a few last names that match up to Melungeons surnames and my moms families are from around those areas of Appalachia. I love this thank you. Check out the book walking towards the sunset, and Melungeons. I have to check the authors names.

[@minichris11]

I'm so glad I found your channel! I've been binging your content and it's fascinating. Your personal story is intriguing on its own, but I also love how you have devled into so many other topics. Your research is impeccable and the way you tell the stories is captivating. I've been on ancestry for a while and you've inspired me to dig deeper. Thanks!

[@stevenduvall2549]

My ancestry report has me as 100% Northern European in my lineage, but my mom's family are related to the Goins and Coots, according to my genealogist cousin. I look very Northern Euro, but I do happen to have shovel teeth and the Melungeon bump. Fascinating!

[@mechelemede4579]

I'm definitely going to check out more of your videos on this subject. I have all of these features. My teeth are bowl shaped, and dentists have commented on them. Mainly, to take extra care in brushing, as they are more prone to cavities. The bump on the back of my head is prominent, my hair has copper highlights in the sun, and if I tan, I can get dark. I have English, Irish, Portuguese, German, Syrian (maybe, Persian is more accurate?), and Native American ancestry. As for which tribe, we are not sure, but think it is either Cherokee or Black Foot.

[@shellabella7264]

I also have Goins in my tree. I have the bump and shovel teeth. My family is from Kentucky & Tenn areas!

[@nanaprn7809]

I have absolutely no relationship to this group but I find it fascinating. The understanding of DNA has opened up a whole new world of possibilities and understanding of who we are. This is a lovely video and channel. I look forward to learning more.

[@curiousfurious5877]

I have that bump. Pretty prominent. I live in Switzerland. My ancestors come from Italy and Germany probably reaching back to the Celts (Morini) living at of what is now the French/Belgium border. I have also a German Great-Grand mother with red/copper hair, which showed up a little bit in my beard before it got white. My mother, her sisters and her mother (coming from South-Germany) all have black hair and dark skin. I get very dark coppery skin, when exposed to the sun regularly. My eye color is green-gray-brown and i have shovel teeth...interesting. First time that i heard of this... Update:...and i can do that squat...

[@chrissorrels7093]

The bump is probably a Neanderthal legacy. Celts come in a wide variety. My father had black hair and tanned a very dark reddish brown. A Cherokee once told him that he must have Cherokee ancestry (he didn't). I guess certain phenotypical characteristics may not be confined to single ancestry groups. I have shovel teeth but now it's unclear whether I got them from my Celtic ancestors or my native ancestors. Cool stuff regardless.

[@corderomiles3769]

The celt are the chaldee or khaldi (picts )ppl..

[@bobhemphut4011]

I wonder if it descends from the female HG X. I'm mostly of Celt, anglo-norman and North German ancestry. A few great great great grand parents had stories of Native American ancestry. Closest being a great-great grandma on paternal side that was most likely Oneida Indian. Female X is found in North America Pre-colonization and also had been prominent in the Mediterranean and wherever the indo-aryans moved. I have Hazel eyes, rear head bump, and b - blood type. As a child I was completely blond, but overtime my hair became a golden brown. People would say my sister looked Asian/Native when she was little. She is blond hair and blue eyed, but her eyes and cheek bones looked asiatic.

[@bunnybrown809]

​@@corderomiles3769Not all Celts came from picts,my family did come from picts,but also tuthan de dannan and the non indo European Ibernian ,Spanish French celts

[@S.Waters.]

I find your research on Appalachian and Melungeon ancestry fascinating. My paternal grandfather was born in Lancing, Tennessee and I have some ancestors from West Virginia on my maternal side. When you mentioned the ridges/scoops on the backs of the front teeth I was blown away, my top two front teeth are slightly scooped and the teeth to either side of them each have a defined ridge. As far as I know on my dad’s side my ancestors are German, Irish, Italian, Jewish(Ashkenazi), Blackfoot, and Crow. On my mom’s side my ancestors are Irish, German, and Armenian. I’ll have to look at my family tree to see what names are on that that are associated with Melungeon ancestry. Thank you for sharing your research, it’s truly fascinating.

[@ian_ford]

The my maternal family were raised near the Roanoke VA area, and I have a few of the features described. This is fascinating because I never thought of the possible connections. Sounds like I have more digging to do!

[@lilredone]

Came across your channel a few days ago. I'm from East TN and my grandmother was a Goins. We were told as kids that we were descended from Melungeons. Love your channel - keep up the great work! BTW, I have the bump!

[@michaelbriggsbfn1130]

My ancestors are from Appalachia area, Tennessee and migrated to Kentucky. A lot of them are still there today. My great grandmother was a Mosley. Her father was Lindsey Mosely. His father was Nathaniel Mosely and mother was Polly Moore. We were always told by our grandmother and her sisters(my great aunts) we had Cherokee blood. Some of my cousins are beginning to believe we may be Mulugeon. I've talked to people (Moores and Moselys) sharing the same Cherokee stories. I noticed the names on your video. One being Moore. And on a 1860 census the Moselys and Moores in my family in Kentucky were listed as M (Mulatto) as race.

[@00euro00]

Hey you should watch Jane Elliot’s blue eye brown eye experiment she did with her 4t graders. I know it has nothing to do with what your topics are but it’s just a great watch, it’s called a class divided I believe

[@nytn]

I just wrote it down, thank you!

[@JaneAtwellRobinson1825NY]

@@nytn Jane Elliot later went far FAR beyond this experiment and well into the whole woke diversity workshop/ let's bully all white people thing. I think we have discussed her before on your channel.

[@Armistead_MacSkye]

Jane opposes reparations for ADOS & FBAs.

[@bradleyrandall1237]

I really enjoyed your vid today, as always. This subject was most interesting because over the past couple of years I have been researching family genealogy. I have heard of the Melungeon of Appalachia but could not verify any connection via my relatives. However, after viewing your vid I am excited to open new roads to investigate. My family (mother's) came to new world in the mid 1600s and settled in North Carolina and other sections of Appalachia (proud Scots-Irish). They were from Ireland, Scotland, Britain, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland. My DNA exploration has confirmed the same. I have found Cherokee and Tuscarora native links as well. I'm not sure about the "bump" but I do have "shovel" teeth. I had heard of this trait before but did not connect to Melungeon. Reports of my early relations have described them as "tri-racial and or Creole. So your information was right on point for me! The piece-de-resistance is that my 3rd great grandmother was a Reeves and her ancestors were Rivas (Spain/Portugal). Apologies for the length...but I am sure you understand how this type of investigation sends one "down the rabbit hole". Nonetheless, I look forward to future discussions on the subject.....

[@nytn]

So glad to read this! Im glad you shared, I think many of us feel the same. I think more people are familiar with 'Creole' but Melungeon? I didnt even know what it truly meant til recently. I plan on doing a few more videos with my initial questions, and then have a few folks lined up to talk who know more than I do. I hope the end result is...more of us can connect to a lost family history. How amazing would that be?

[@rroadmap]

​@@nytnI'm looking forward to it. I knew that I had French ancestry in Louisiana, but was told they came straight from France. But I have discovered my ancestors came through Canada first--so probably Creole. Now I'm thinking some are probably Melungean.

[@labgirl9980]

Great interesting idea for a Channel!! Love your topics. Keep up the good work!

[@AndreAndre-yd5gw]

Hungarian here. Got the shovel teeth and the bump or ridge by my neck at the base of my skull. I tan easy and able to get dark like a Latino. Dark eyes. My hair is lighter in the sun, reflects copperish color. My eyebrows are black. Genetic testing puts my origins on the eurasian steppes and central Turkiye. I never lived in the usa.

[@Bruce_Ma]

Thank you for your content. I always enjoy watching it. Make sure that you have good moderators if you have a live stream. There are too many trolls on KZbin.

[@GeneRoberts1961]

My ancestors take me back to the Collins family and to my 5th Great Grandfather, Samuel Thomas Collins, of Wilkes, NC. He is described as "Indian Mulatto" (DNA 169). Samuel's Great Grandfather and my 7th Great Grandfather was Joseph Collins II. He is also Barack Obama's 8th Grandfather.

[@djspatriqt2290]

My moms dad is a Mullins. They were British-Irish, Scottish, German and Cherokee. His grandmother was Mahalia Mullins. Both of my Moms parents are Melungeon. My dads maternal side is Melungeon Cherokee and his Father was Swedish/Scandinavian.

[@doreestone4487]

I knew my great-grandmother on my father’s side was Choctaw. I moved to TN a couple of years ago from out West. Since then, I’ve been learning about the Choctaw nation and it’s history. I had never heard the word Melungeon. Now you’ve introduced me to an entire new line of learning. I love Tennessee and, even at my advanced age of 74, I am still learning, even about myself. The interesting part about this is that my great-grandfather was Italian(my maiden name is Parella), but he met his Choctaw bride on the Krebs res in Oklahoma. Now I ask you, what are the chances that Mediterranean man would meet and marry a Choctaw woman in the 1800s, have six children and their great-granddaughter just now be hearing about Melungeon? Astounding!

[@frankjoseph4273]

My family on my moms side , the Williams are mainly Welsh but there is Choctaw and Chickasaw, Scots-Irish mixed in there. Basque and Scandinavian too

[@choccolocco]

My great grandmother was also Choctaw, they were able to stay in Alabama when the government removed the natives by claiming they were black Dutch.

[@timothyryan8390]

Most people think they re. Grandma was a Cherokee princess. Only princesses were in disney. story is not true. Famous historian blew up that old wives tale. People married several wives back then .one may have been native ancestry but not all grandparents were. But the history still gets bastardized by lots of people. Most distant native blood only ends up being 2 percent after the fourth generation. I actually studied this at native college. Fon du lac tribal.i also lived in east Kentucky and was called an injun couple times. And have heard of malundheons. I have the bump and the shovel teeth and I'm half Irish .some French Canadian English and Scotch irish.my grandpa Frenchie was from Sioux narrows Ontario and was supposedly half Chippewa ojibwa' his mother went to boarding school and her records were lost in fire supposedly.

[@moonbay2399]

When I was saying my family was multi-racial and multicultural not biracial. That is what I was talking about. I am Melungeon and Creole I to have the bump . also my teeth curved . My orthodontist used to ask me if I was part Indian because of my teeth. I have an unusual eye color too, My mom had auburn hair with the same eyes color and a very rare blood type . I consider myself a Choctaw, Some of my family still live on the Choctaw reservation in Philadelphia Mississippi

[@yolandaagnew2508]

My family is Goines and I have the ridge and shovel teeth. I really appreciate your research. I had been doing my own for several years. But your video has really helped me. Thank you!!

[@nytn]

high five for the shovel teeth! :D

[@yolandaagnew2508]

@@nytn I forgot to mention that I also have the lump on the back of my head. Again, your videos are so helpful!

[@jennifergoines905]

​@@yolandaagnew2508I'm a Goines as well my family is from NY and I see you have the e" in your name like my family. I'm always looking for family.

[@lane4481]

Ok so some of my family has Goynes as a last name.... and came from the Kentucky-Tennessee area. Hmmmm

[@craftysage1835]

Very funny story, when I was about 10 or 12 my mother was so worried about the large bump at the top of my neck/base of the skull she took me to the doctor. He told her that was normal for a small portion of the population in southern Appalachia and still living here. I also have the "shovel" teeth w/the ridge on them. I was told my maternal GG-Granny is native American from Kentucky and her maiden name is in the list. I'm 6'-6" w/blue eyes copper hair really light skin(but tan very fast and dark) and my brother pitch black hair very dark skin hazel brown eyes. I had never heard the phrase "Melungeon" but I must be in the club. Side note I fell down 2 flights of stairs and the MRI showed I had an extra set of ribs connected from the bottom cervical vertebrae down to the rib cage. Maybe that's part of the traits also? Thanks for the video. BTW I'm 60 and still have the bump...LoL.

[@tenbroeck1958]

I admire how rationally you uncover these issues and address them, without trying to make yourself into a victim, or condemning anyone, other than whoever was cruel back into the day. If people today are kind to and accepting of others, they do not bear the "sins of the father" unless they have inherited family wealth, based on blood money, which I believe those people should get right with things.

[@Kwameking1]

Thanks!

[@nytn]

So kind of you!

[@stevesmith7839]

In my opinion, native American traits are: a slight downturn in the ends of the mouth, thick straight hair with strong hairline, very slight look of Asian eyes at the outside ends of the eyes, off white to caramel skin tone, high pronounces cheek bones.

[@kaleahcollins4567]

Actually it's not Asian eyelids it's African from the Koi people who is the oldest people of the earth. And it's proven that not all Indigenous tribes came from Siberia

[@tyronleung5276]

That would be a plains native most indiand have wide nostrils soup cooler upper lips and are black

[@deannajadebierman]

We come in all shapes, shades & sizes. Crazy Horse had brown curly hair.

[@mbatista5891]

Don't forget about the copper tint to the hair. My hair is dark blonde and I have that copper tint in the sun.

[@JS-ti8ny]

It’s abit hard to believe when AA claim to be both Native American and ancient Egyptians who built the pyramids. When researchers have discovered they were typically slaves of both indigenes. Cherokee Chiefs had numerous African slaves as did thousands of Free Men of Coleur who owned tens of thousands of slaves in New Orleans alone in the 1850 census.

[@lindalanish9720]

I absolutely amazed with this ancestry. Unfortunately i have none of these traits but would be so proud if i had. Continue with your research for us who love knowledge especially about our ancestors.

[@brandillysmom]

I’m in Los Angeles. I have a neighbor from Belize. His last name is Goins. He looks African-American. …….. Thinking way back when I was a kid, sometimes the conversation among us about head shape was brought up, particularly a bump on the back of the head. We would call that bump a “quo vadis”….. My childhood neighborhood consisted of mostly of black Americans with some creole neighbors too. I didn’t even know what the significance of the bump on the back of the head meant nor why it was called a “quo vadis”. I think we also joked about who had a peanut head!

[@nytn]

What a great anecdote! I didnt see that phrase come up yet, thanks for writing this. Does that mean ...[something] is going? I took latin a long time ago. I'll go look it up

[@kellybarnett3743]

So glad I found your channel!!

[@paulerickson1906]

This bump you refer to is also very common in Sweden. My father who came directly from Sweden had this bump. I also have this bump on my head as I would expect. The only Native we have in our family is from my Mother's side. A long time ago one of our ancestors married a woman of Iroquois descent. This is fascinating.

[@chiaralistica]

I have an NA ancestor who married a European man. They are on a branch of my family tree with Harmon surname, which is a melungeon name. I'm mostly Italian, Greek and French but I also carry that one line with this other story and I want to learn more. After all, it's who I am.

[@AlexEndorian]

You always have something new (to me) and interesting to learn! I have shovel teeth, my hair shines with copper highlights and some of my ancestors lived in North Carolina...makes me curious. In other words, thank you for so much food for thought!

[@WilliamHunterII]

Thanks for the information. As a student and teacher of biology I find this fascinating. One thing we can say for sure is that Melungeons are of mixed descent. Notice I avoided the word "race." I really don't like to use that word. It's misleading. In biology there is no "race" of Homo sapiens. Or, maybe better said, there is but one "race" -- Homo sapiens sapiens (to be sure, that should be italicized or underlined, one or the other.) In the USA, the great thing about us is that we get all this mixing of various origins. It makes us genetically healthy, and to my eye, it produces beautiful offspring. In other words, many of us are made up of a little of this and a little of that which makes such all American. Mixing is an American trait. People that are "racist" are simply brandishing their ignorance, which may be and likely is a trait of inbreeding. So, my advice is to mix it up, people. It's good for you.

[@MaleusMaleficarum]

Ahh yes... just like chihuahuas and shepherds...

[@chiaralistica]

​@@MaleusMaleficarumdog is the most diverse species on earth and yes, purebred is inbred, which is why mixed breed dogs tend to be healthier than purebred. SAME applies to any other species including humans.

[@cynthiagomez1602]

Once Again… U’ve struck gold I lost track of U for a while & I’m so happy to have relocated U, proud to say I’m a Reeves ❤

[@Theinfamouskiki411]

I'm going crazy with excitement!!!! Yes the surnames are: Bunch, Chavis (Chavez), Collins, Epps, Evans, Fields, Francisco, Gibson, Gill, Goins, Goodman, Minor, Mise, Moore, Mullins, Osborn(e), Phipps, Reeves. I come from Gibson and Chavis families!!❤❤❤❤ please research the Chavis family I swear it could be a movie. I did a DNA test and was shocked to be linked to all of these white people with same surname links. Someone told me oh you Mulengeon.

[@jonperusquia9386]

I also have Chavis in my lineage along with Jeffries, Corn and quite a few more, I know that a lot of them are in the indigenous communities throughout the Carolinas I have also read that with the wars with the early settlements that the captured natives around those settlements the settlers would ship them to the Caribbean Islands and sold them as captured slaves.

[@timeforchange3786]

Also, Sizemore, Blevins, Couch, Locklear and more. It is believed Heather Locklear has Melungeon heritage.

[@jonperusquia9386]

@@timeforchange3786 I know Locklear is a Sur name in the Lumbee tribe of North Carolina from what I've read the Lumbee mixed with the lost colony of Roanoke Island. I'm not saying that they are strictly of that mixture because as the old saying goes," Cousins make Dozens"

[@nytn]

this is amazing!

[@timeforchange3786]

​@@jonperusquia9386yes, I have watched many videos of the Lumbee Tribe and some of the Locklears

[@andiamador7156]

I was told growing up that we had a little Native American ancestry and maybe some African American, too. Both of my grandmothers had light olive complexions, but definitely olive complexions. Both sides of my family have a preponderance of hazel eye colors ranging from the bluer to browner to greyer or greener to more amber in them. Clothing and lighting makes them look different at times. Because of that familiarity, I had thought until recently that hazel eyes are common. On my maternal side, half of her siblings were fair and light-eyed, and my mother and two siblings were not as fair and had darker hair and darker hazel eyes. As far as I have determined thus far, my family appears to have landed in Galveston and along the Gulf Coast, from Europe. My maternal grandmother was Wendish. The rest of the family was other, more northern European. My mother thought that the African American could have been through her father. He was very fair with black hair, but she had that thought from something that was said at some point. Ancestry test said all of mine originates in Europe. My mother's ancestry test was similar. I am fair-skinned, darker-haired, with darker hazel eyes leaning toward green. Long before I ever had an ancestry test, I had a dentist once tell me that I have Native American teeth. He told me that the spoon-shaped form of my teeth is a sign of having Native American ancestry. At the time I thought, "Well, that makes sense." My sister had a test done from another company which said we have Bengali ancestry along with all of the European. I want her to take the same one I did to see if it comes out the same. Or maybe I can get my brother to take one from each company. We long-considered that our paternal grandmother looked like she had some Asian ancestry of some sort. What I don't understand at the moment is how I wound up looking more like that side of the family and she wound up looking more like my mother's side, and yet our DNA is indicating that she got more of that side and I got more of the maternal side (albeit from two different companies). It seems like the physical things would not be passed on if the person didn't get it in the DNA they got passed on to them. And my teeth are definitely spoon shaped, so I got that from somewhere. From the general appearance, my teeth are more like my father's side of the family, and my brother and sister's teeth look more like my mother's side.

[@karmathephoenix2474]

I'm very glad you are doing this.

[@lindseycampbell4971]

K this is SO weird! My whole life people have said I’ve looked more Mediterranean than Mexican. I’ve always been asked if I’m Greek or Egyptian. That family tree page mentioned sarcoidosis being a thing that middle eastern or Mediterranean people usually get & I have sarcoidosis! I had those tumors removed in February! This trips me out because no one else in my family has had this. I have never met my biological father & I have a different father than my siblings but have always I told he was Mexican. I have green eyes with yellow. Rings right in the middle. I have dark brown hair with that copper color you mentioned & 2 of my babies were born with red hair.. their hair is not red now. I have 2 other kids that are darker than me but it’s such an olive undertone & their dad is white as can be. We all tan easy & my son who is darker than me looks like he’s black in the summer. It’s so wild! We also have thick curly hair!

[@CarolSuniga-h5g]

I have a 1st cousin who has that. She has light skin though and looks more European. Wow..

[@rroadmap]

Very interesting! My brother had Neurosarcoidosis. He actually died of it because it kept him from swallowing and he refused a feeding tube. I have the teeth with ridges and we have the red highlights. I'm stuck on one line of my family that could very well be Mulungeon.

[@chocolatecaramel4447]

Egypt is not a Mediterranean country. It's in Africa.

[@lisalapoint7022]

@@chocolatecaramel4447 Egypt has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea, the River Nile, and the Red Sea.

[@lindseycampbell4971]

@@chocolatecaramel4447 I never said anything about where Egypt is located. I didn’t mention Africa. I never said Egypt wasn’t in Africa. I said I’ve always looked more Mediterranean than Mexican. Then I said people have always asked if I’m Greek or Egyptian. I also said that the sarcoidosis said it’s more prominent in Mediterranean & Middle East. Egypt is considered middle eastern.

[@cynthiapickett8577]

I have a small knot on the top of my head as well as a lump on the back; Lumbee tribe are related to Melungeons. Goins is a familial surname as well as Chavis.

[@johndelamontaigne7711]

Thanks for sharing this very interesting geneology information. My Dads family was French Canadian with native American ancestry. My moms family is from the south and is related to Henry Louis Gates of sharing your roots fame. I have the bump on the back of my head. I also have some huge dark patches of skin. My great grandmother on my moms side looks African American.

[@chiaralistica]

Wow, to be related to Skip is a beautiful thing. If I ever could afford it, I would love to retain his services to help me answer a few questions about my own lineage.

[@johndelamontaigne7711]

@@chiaralistica That would be amazing. I did some more research and found we have a Cherokee woman in our family tree on my moms side and Maliseet tribe on my dads side of the family. It very interesting to reasearch ones family you never know what youll find out.

[@rocketreindeer]

The shovel shaped teeth on the back can also appear in people from Scotland and northern England for some reason. A famous Canadian painter named Tom Thomson was murdered in 1917 in Ontario. For some time, cops said, "this skull can't be from the guy, it was obviously an Indian," because of the teeth. Later they found out that it was him, and that First Nations aren't the only people that have them. From what I understand, the rest of the UK and Ireland don't have this tooth shape. Edit: I just read up on him, and it says he probably died accidentally when canoeing, and that the murder story is likely inaccurate. It also said his body was discovered eight days later. I did read that they thought it wasn't him because of the teeth in some long-lost article but can't remember where.

[@M.Campbell]

This is true. My family origin is Scotland and my Mother's family is from Northern England. I have shovel shaped teeth. I did the 23andMe test. No DNA evidence of native American.

[@maureen9115]

I am 90% Irish with 3 grandparents from there & 1 from Prussia near the Ukrainian boarder & I have shoveling. I learned about this years ago when I did not know who my father was & thought he my have been part indigenous since my Irish mother met him in America. But discovered half siblings on Ancestry that had his history: predominate Irish with some some Prussian/Russian that matched my chart.

[@humanebeing6230]

I had no idea the curve isn’t universal. My dad’s dad’s family came out to Idaho from Appalachia.

[@steveday1364]

Don't know why KZbin recommended your videos, but the one about the "Melungeon Bump" caught my eye.. I have both an occipital bump and can squat down with my feet and knees pressed firmly together, right down until my butt presses on my calves (if I had a slightly bigger butt it could've touched my heels). ... But, I don't have any "Melungeon" ancestry! I'm a male with white skin, dark hair, and blue eyes. I was born in the UK (London), and my ancestry is: English, French Huguenots , Irish, Scottish, and a pinch of German. I believe these Melungeon traits that you are reading about, are not things unique to that group of people, but rather just aspects of ancient human DNA. The occipital bump is a Neanderthal one, and they say up to 30% of people have it. I've also got a mega-kidney, if that makes any difference. (Which could be a defect or another ancient human trait.)

[@SephardicHawaiian]

On my dadʻs side we are Sephardic Portuguese and 4.5 percent Angolan; my second great grandmother was from Cape Verde. My momʻs family are Sephardic Portuguese, Native Hawaiian and Chinese. I have have shovel teeth and the occipital bump on the back of my head. And we have very large variation in skin tone and hair color on my dadʻs family. My hair was red until I was almost three years old when my hair color changed to dark brown with copperish tints.

[@krystal6137]

I met a lady once who actually looked a lot like you and she had 4 daughters who looked so different from each other I actually asked if they were adopted and if they all had the same father 😬 I know now that must have been incredibly rude but at the time of the conversation she didn’t seem to mind because I was asking from a genuine genetic curiosity. She had a daughter who had dark brown hair, pale skin and striking bright blue eyes, a blonde with Hazel eyes and medium olive skin tone, a redhead with freckles pale skin and dark brown eyes and another daughter who had very dark olive skin almost Hispanic looking with dark hair and eyes. They looked more like friends than sisters, i couldn’t differentiate any shared characteristics between them. The mom looked a lot like you and i didn’t meet their father nor do I know their ethnicity but the girls were so starkly different and beautiful that it always stuck with me.

[@nytn]

I have three kids and I have been asked if they favored my husband by strangers. 😆

[@brianfisher4940]

I have had some absolutely beautiful friends I my life. In conversations where race would come up a coworker and dear friend who enjoyed sharing heritage asked me if I had ever seen the inside of a black person's mouth. She explained the forensic difference concerning the roof or pallet then showed me. There was a distinct difference. A defined ridge. The funny part was she then asked to see the inside of my mouth. No ridge. I hadn't thought about that in years until you said Dentist.

[@nytn]

wow, never heard of that!

[@brianfisher4940]

@nytn Right! I had never seen that before but then I had never actually seen the roof of anyone's mouth before. Marion was like .. hey B, did you know black people have a ridge in our mouth where white people do not. May I see the roof of your mouth. So I said sure why not. No ridge. These days thanks to Marion that bit of forensic knowledge stuck around.

[@PNWSquatch]

Hi Danielle, I also am part of the Goins tree! I have some cool photos from several generations going back to the early 1900s of my Goins and Grissom family and you can clearly see the Melungeon traits you describe. I have been doing my own research and several DNA tests to better understand the wildly complex history of my family. If you would ever like to link up and talk about our findings let me know, I would love to share what I've found so far. My part of the Goins are from Tennessee and the Carolinas and has proven Native and Mulatto and Scots Irish ancestry.

[@yokotastrong3902]

Wow! This is just amazing. Thank you for highlighting this. Apparently I need to look into this more. I’ve always had the bump on the back of my head and my dentist asked me if I had native or Asian heritage because I have the shovel/scooped teeth 🦷 trait as well. She told me it was genetic 🧬 trait related to Native ancestry. It makes sense because I have 2% native America ancestry 9% European (including Scottish/Wales), a trace of northern African and over 80% west African and East African. I have Louisiana creole heritage and early Virginia ancestry.

[@troysmith1273]

I just found your channel. I am very interested in your discoveries. Part of my family is from that area and has the Evans name. The records that I have found list my family members as Native American and Mulatto. It seems that I have the "bump" and "shovel teeth" as well. You have definitely earned a like and subscribe!

[@bodyrockbootcamp]

I posted this melungeon story in the last video... (Glad you're investigating last names!): I moved from Ohio to the "big city" of Philadelphia to attend college and never went back. To be honest, I never really thought back much to those times growing up in Ohio until one day while I was out at the bar. My eye caught a man who looked just like an old high school friend of mine. The first thing that crossed my mind was, "This guy looks like a Mayle." He had dark hair and a swarthy complexion. Back in Ohio, where I grew up, we considered the name Mayle to be half descriptive term for a person's heritage/familial lineages and phenotypes, and half derogatory term to describe a person who we would call an inbred mixture of white, black, and Indian. I know... Really messed up, right? Well, that's exactly what I thought in my adult stage of life too. How could I have been that racist towards a whole group of people and not even realize it until now? I don't know if it was latent racism or honest curiosity that made me do what I did next... I looked up the last name Mayle on Wikipedia, and my mind was completely blown away. Wikipedia confirmed every single messed up thought that I and everyone in my town used to say about Mayles growing up. It literally said that Mayle was a common Melungeon last name. Melungeon people were a mixture of white, black, and Indian people from the Appalachian mountains who had a history of inbreeding. What?! This literally blew my mind, and the thing that sent me even further down the rabbit hole was when I came across a list of common Melungeon last names. The list included multiple spelling variations for the name Mayle, as well as a few other last names that were pretty common in my hometown, including the last name Kennedy. As soon as I saw this last name, it reminded me of the one little blond-haired, hillbilly white boy who would come into our all-black neighborhood in the middle of the country and play with all the black kids in the neighborhood, like he was one of us. It finally made sense - his last name was Kennedy. It also reminded me of one of my friends in college who also was from Ohio with the last name Kennedy. She had the biggest nose and lips of any white girl I had ever met. It made me think, "Wait. I wonder if there was more to her than the eyes could see?" I've been fascinated by this topic ever since that day, which coincidentally led me to watch this same video at least 7 years ago (if I recall correctly). I'm really curious about what connections last names have in relation to experiences of prejudice towards mixed populations and how, in these same instances, people who wouldn't consider themselves prejudiced often use last names as a covert way to inflict racism on people with mixed heritage. You might pass as white, but if everyone in your small population knows your last name, they also know where you come from and may also use your heritage and familial lineages as proof of your inferiority

[@terrakengo]

I listened to several episodes last night and kept thinking about how you were saying multiple things that were Melungeon about your own heritage. I need to listen again. But your mom’s family seemed Melungeon.

[@timeforchange3786]

I am looking forward to this series. There is a video by a writer who wrote about her melungeon ancestry. It is an hour long but great for research. She is entertaining and the time goes by fast. I believe the video is Kinfolks: searching for my Melungeon ancestry. She is an older blonde lady.

[@nytn]

That sounds amazing

[@timeforchange3786]

​@@nytnAwesome! Her name is Lisa Alther. I think you will enjoy the video. GBH Forum Network is the channel. Great information 😊

[@skyeseaborn1170]

Very interesting! I enjoyed this very much. Well done.

[@Southpaw128]

Interesting. I have the bump but no known melungeon heritage.

[@LightPrinceApollo]

I have it lol I checked 3 times

[@serahloeffelroberts9901]

Neanderthals also had the bump.

[@Southpaw128]

@@serahloeffelroberts9901 you callin me a Neanderthal!? 😠😂

[@SwampFoxSoldier]

Osiyo, cousin!! I am also related to several branches of the Goins fam! Margaret Cornish (Google her!) is my 10th GGM and her son Mihill Goins is the fountainhead of many Goins/Gowens families. I loved hearing that some of our people were Choctaw because I have the Guion Miller Roll application for Henry Goins when he enrolled with the Eastern Band of Cherokees. Also, the Melungeon authors N. Brent Kennedy (late) and Lisa Alther are also cousins of mine! My Big yDNA, or y700 DNA test, confirmed the presence of many of the same ethnicities you share. Such as Osman I (founder of the Ottoman Empire) and Sephardic Jewish blood from Spain. This was an awesome find for me to go along w/ my tri-racial background from various tribes, British, and African ancestry. We Melungeons are the personification of the American melting pot! Wado ale donadagohvi...

[@AlwaysLime]

Henry is a commonly repeated family name for my Goins family.

[@houseofmayim5557]

I know a Goins family in Maryland, high light-skinned with freckles. My former boss is a Chavez from NC, he identifies as Native, and his father is listed as Negro. A lot of Melungeons also are born with 6 fingers.

[@nytn]

I read that about the fingers!

[@JabberJawz.]

I grew up in Magoffin County (Eastern) KY, and always wondered what ethnicity the melungeon families were. Ive only learned in the last 8 years the word melungeon. This all makes sense now. The Gipson & Nickels families had darker skin, black/brown coarse hair, high cheak bones, beautiful green or blue eyes. Wow! Thanks for the video!

[@BronxRisen]

Look in North Carolina as well as VA, Goins is also in my family as well out of North Carolina and Ive expressed my family is super mixed. When looking on my mom’s side I found Tyner/Tiner and Goins out of the Choctaw and Chowan tribes. My great grandmother Katy was also a native Ridley from Roanoke and Ahoskie area of NC…I know I always joke about it because we are both native New York, however we might really be family🤣 Thanks for sharing❤️

[@nytn]

That has to be the same family line as mine!

[@jonperusquia9386]

I also have Goins in my Ancestry I'm from Delaware and my connection to North Carolina is thru my paternal grandmother who is Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation and Nansemond of the James River in Virginia

[@BronxRisen]

@@nytnLife is beautiful👑

[@sarahMuahahaha]

I personally believe the focus on Appalachia is because it was after the Civil war and even in the early 1900s and they were just being called out more. I believe the real answers are from the Carolinas and of course Virginia. That's where the names are all originally found. Randal Gibson, for example, think he was a General in the Civil war for Louisiana his ancestry was questioned at one point.. Anyway, he is in fact related to Gideon Gibson (the regulator) from SC, a free man of color who was questioned as well when he first moved to SC. Due to his status, they saw no issues with his color

[@Bummerdrummer463]

My coworker is a Goins so I mentioned Melungeon ancestry to her and she was fascinated but said it's her husband's name and he's Nigerian. I don't know if he's full Nigerian or has other ancestry in his background.

[@kimfleury]

I think your dentist was surprised to come across the Melungeon trait. I'm a Euro-mutt, by numbers of ancestors it's mostly Irish, Scottish, English, Mannish, Welsh, German (including the Ethnic German region of Danzig, now Gdansk, Poland), French, and Portuguese. The Portuguese man was a farmer, or sailor, or both, who immigrated to French Canada, the region later called New Brunswick, but they referred to it as L'Habitant, roughly, "The place of lots of farms." It's why the hockey team is called L'Habs as a nickname (it was all Quebec at the time). The British sent the farmers into exile, and there's a confusing turmoil where many were sent to France, but as they were by then the second, third, and even fourth generations of their French ancestors, they had zero connections, and life was difficult. This was the situation for my Portuguese ancestor's first descendants. He had married a French Canadian woman, and their children were exiled as adults. They disappeared from history. We know many of the exiled died on the ships, or in France, and many ended up in Louisiana. They were known as Acadians, and that was altered into Cajuns. Their cultural path became intertwined with the Creole culture, and there were marriages between them. But I don't know what happened to my ancestors. The Portuguese ancestor had a granddaughter who was around 8 years old when the family was exiled, and there are no records of her until she mysteriously shows up on Prince Edward Island living with an English family, and being married to one Joseph Fleury of Quebec. What happened is that the Acadian Habitant families who were able to do do made arrangements with sympathetic English connections to smuggle their little children into hiding, to save their lives, because their chances of survival on the exile ships were extremely low. So that's apparently how it came to be that she's my g-g-g-g-grandmother. Her own parents might be mixed into your ancestry somewhere along the line, but it's been extremely difficult for genealogists to trace because when the Acadian Habitants settled in Louisiana, they feared facing another exile if the British took over -- a very real possibility, what with all the wars between the French and British that were fought in the New World. So the Acadians often changed their names, using the "Dit" name, which means something like, "also known as." For many if not most of the Acadians on record for that period of Louisiana, the only known surname is the Dit name. Btw, my children's father was mixed Spanish (colonists from the 1500s), and Southwest Native American, either Navajo or Hopi (this mix resulted in an out of wedlock birth, so there's no documentation). They were in Texas since the 1500s, but they have called themselves Mexican since long before I knew them. My children and grandchildren have all had to have their teeth fixed because they have a certain Native American trait where the guns kind of "tilt" towards the inside, towards the underneath of the tongue. The first dentist who diagnosed it asked if there was Native American ancestry, because it's a common Native American trait. But none of their dentists mentioned the "shovel tooth" thing. Final thought: I do Believe it's been said that Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley were Melungeon, for whatever that's worth.

[@nicollantiago]

I have a bump in the back of my head, but I thought everyone had such bump. I'm going to check with the rest of my siblings.

[@nytn]

yes let me know what they say! I need someone to check for me 😅

[@justinperry28]

That's crazy, I never knew where this bump came from on the back of my head

[@Fgway]

I was always awkward about the bump and thought it was related to celt-iberian big skulls. The little bit of dna I shared with spain and portugal which came from ireland, as mine is a very recessive set of genes. All brown hair(0 red or blonde) but the shine hair on my toes is almost reddish. One of my sons, his mother and i agreed looks chocolate haired or purplish under some lights. Im excited to know this might be a real thing consistent with traits of a group lesser known.

[@TdT2211]

2:50 I've made comments similar to you about Puerto Ricans being biologically the same as main landers but culturally different. I'm glad to see I'm not extrapolating as much as it seemed.

[@CreoleLadyMarmalade]

I say this same thing all the time! It would always kill me when Creole people I know would be like “people keeping thinking I’m ‘Spanish’ but I’m black” & I’m always like first of all, you’re not just black, you’re literally as mixed as the people they’re “mistaking” you for lol… & then I have to correct them on referring to it as “Spanish” but yeah lol. Like duh they’re going to think you’re Puerto Rican if you’re racially basically the same mixture & this is especially true for Creoles even more than your average American biracial/mixed person because Creoles typically have moreso Latin European ancestry. Mainly French &/or Spanish whereas the European ancestry of average biracial/mixed American is going to be primarily Northwestern European like British/Irish etc. so that causes us to especially have a typical Caribbean Latino look. I can often tell a black/white American biracial from a Latino or Creole… of course it’s all very similar and sometimes they all look exactly the same but out of the three, Caribbean Latinos and Creoles typically look more similar especially given Creoles also often have at least a splash of Native American ancestry as well.

[@jayregal6478]

You now have the POWER to expose the flawed racial division in America. Use it wisely!

[@JohnDoe-z2r]

Do so in the middle east and Palestine

[@politicallyincorrect2399]

I read an an article that debunked these physical traits. I have the bump and the teeth, but I am not Melungeon. I self identify as black, and I show an insignificant trace of American Indian. Surprisingly, I have a considerable amount of SE Asia Indian DNA. I do have some DNA matches with those surnames and when I checked their ethnicity, it floated between African and European. Maybe a few with a small percentage of American Indian, but they self identify as Lumbee.

[@LaverneBranch]

I love your videos and they are educational and informative. America has to realize and recognize the different mixtures here and not just black and white

[@nytn]

I agree!

[@carolbaughan8768]

We're all multiethnic and celebrate the uniqueness of everyone. We're all in this together.

[@Domingo12754]

Im Puerto Rican according to ancestry dna 50% European mostly Spanish with some Portuguese and French, 25% sub saharan African and 25% Indigenous to Puerto Rico, totally in agreement with you. In fact in modern parlance Criollo is used to mean from the Island, same as Creole in French Louisiana.

[@mariannerichard1321]

Yeah, shovel teeth are typical among Native Americans, so it's not surprising it comes up often among populations who have a lot of Native American founders. In your case, you can safely attribute the characteristic to your maternal grand-mother out of your 4 grand-parents as she have Louisiana Creole ancestry. It doesn't mean you have to have Appalachian Melungeons ancestry, you could have similar ancestry to them and which would give about the same characteristics.

[@TheJacquie11]

Ha, shovel teeth? Now I am going to scour the net looking for shovel teeth!

[@Theinfamouskiki411]

My grandma use to get mad at people and call them shovel tooth b****** I would giggle😂😂😂

[@vrp406]

My two sons have "shovel" teeth, they're half Arapaho

[@dennistrull1475]

I hear you🙂 As a kid my dentist got a bit mad and said, I hate these teeth. Only as an adult did I find out why🙂 Cherokee here. The Melungeons have a lot in common with Lumbee Indians. But, I suppose we all have a lot in common.

[@nytn]

wow

[@emzemz2961]

My Family are Hamptons from Galax VA, we have Goines, Browns as first cousins in our Hampton family cemetery. We were raised as Mulatto and my Grandma Pearl was full blood and Grandpa was Scottish, African, and Blueridge Cherokee on my Dads side. On my Mom's they are Vaughts German, and Harmons also Mulatto and Cherokee! When I did my DNA I was shocked that i was 4% Jewish 😂 ❤Great videos please 🙏🏼 keep them coming!

[@nytn]

Check out my Goins video! kzbin.info/www/bejne/gXK4not5aaeZf9E

[@sarahMuahahaha]

I have the bump... but not 100% sure if it's just due to melungeon heritage. My top front teeth aren't 100% flat and smooth but do have a scoop

[@nytn]

I have no idea! I must not have it if I can't tell. Cant wait to ask some historians about this trait

[@janh5199]

Fascinating. My family is from WV but has never said anything about possible Melungeon connections. I have trace ancestries of Native American and African American, brown hair but blue eyes. I don’t know what they are referring to about the Melungeon bump but my front teeth definitely are not flat backed. My grandmother and great grandfather on my dads side have what I would describe as Native American cheekbones. I have Osborne ancestors. This is definitely something to explore a little further.

[@glxjchaos7775]

You should look into the freedmen of the five tribes

[@CadeR48]

I always heard rumors of a Cherokee great-grandmother somewhere on my mom's side, but I was raised by my dad's grandparents. As an adult, nobody on my mom's side knows anything about this grandmother. Well, I have the bump, I have scooped teeth, and blue eyes and brown hair with copper highlights when I'm in the sun. My daughter has blond hair with blue eyes and very light skin. My son has brown hair, hazel eyes, and a red beard. His skin is still very light, but not as light as my daughter's. My siblings have different shades of blond and brown hair, all with blue eyes. Oh, and there is an Evans line somewhere in there, too. You have cleared ed up several mysteries for me with this video!

[@billporter7736]

My mom's family are Melungeon and none of them have those bumps. That bump thing is a myth

[@nytn]

Thank you for adding that. It was such an unexpected thing to read as an indicator

[@billporter7736]

@nytn I've heard it from people all my life but I know many other "Melungeons" who don't have them either. We are all from the Hancock County / Hawkins County, Tennessee and Lee County / Scott County, Virginia area.

[@sarahMuahahaha]

I have the bump... but again, not sure if it's because of melungeon ancestry.

[@timeforchange3786]

My family is from Hancock/Hawkins county as well. Another thing you hear is the blue birthmark.

[@j-1159]

I got the bump and I'm Dutch, Irish 😎