Ten years ago, my husband Mike and I had the misfortune of getting the flu at very the same time. He lay on one couch and I on another, while Sesame Street entertained our toddlers. When Sesame Street was over, both of us were too tired to search for the remote. Consequently PBS remained on, as a far more interesting documentary on the history and struggles of “passing” Americans. At some point in the program, I looked over to my husband with his curly hair, olive skin tone, and full lips; a light bulb went on.
It was at that moment my journey began.
After numerous online articles and a subscription to Ancestry.com; my internet wanderings led me to the East Tennessee Melungeon community. The Melungeons have been identified as a Tri-isolate (black, white, Amerindian) community. The Melungeon Heritage Association says,
The traditional explanation for the word “Melungeon” is the French mélange, meaning “mixture.” Another proposed theory for the origin of “Melungeon” is the Afro-Portuguese term melungo, supposedly meaning “shipmate.” Yet another is the Greek term melan, meaning “black.” Other researchers have speculated that “Melungeon” derives from the Turkish melun can, (meaning “cursed soul”); the Italian melongena (“eggplant,” referring to one with dark skin), or the old English term “malengin” (“guile; deceit”). Nearly everyone who has written about the Melungeons agrees that they fiercely resented the name. However, in recent years, many Melungeons proudly bear the name and acknowledge their heritage.
The stereotypical Melungeon has Mediterranean features, is tall, olive skinned, with straight or kinky dark hair. Occasionally some members have blue eyes. Over time, the more European-looking Melungeons intermarried with Western Europeans; darker -skinned Melungeons assimilated into Black communities, while others identified themselves as Amerindian. The Melungeons stubbornly reported they were Spanish, Moorish and Portuguese; along with a Amerindian mixture. Academia derided them for their supposably lofty notions. White society despised them for being Melungeon.
East Tennessee Melungeon Family
Our New England BENSON/MESSENGER/BARBER ancestors looked similar to the Melungeons. I spent hours trying to find a connecting link between my ancestors and the Melungeons.
Benson Descendants
Lily MELTCALF
Joseph BARTHOLOMEW
John BARTHOLOMEW
The only connection was Mike’s Tennessee BYBEE/BIBBY line who lived in the counties most associated with Melungeons and had female members of the family named “Sookie”, unique to Melungeon populations. Some BYBEE family historians believe the VIrginia, Tennessee, Kentucky BYBEE family were mixed European and Cherokee. Mike showed Lumbee Amerindian on one of his DNA charts. Some researchers believe the Lumbee Amerindians are descended from the Lost Colony of Roanoke. The Lumbee tribe insist the colonists and their descendants survived by being assimilated into the Croatian and Lumbee Amerindian tribes. They point to the fact that gray eyes are often found among them, to their “typically white” features, and to the fact that certain words among them have definite 16th century English roots. The Lumbees, in particular, point out the fact that the surnames of the colonists are common among them.
BYBEE Family Members
David B BYBEE
Lucane BIRD BYBEE
John BYBEE
In the south, Melungeon research has been gaining momentum since the 1990′s. The father of the movement is Dr. N. Brent Kennedy a college administrator and Melungeon descendant. Kennedy wrote the ground breaking The Melungeons: The Resurrection of a Proud People: An Untold Story of Ethnic Cleansing in America. Other researchers such as Wayne Winkler, Tim Hashaw, Donald Yates and Dr. Elizabeth C Hirschman have furthered the study of this fascinating facet of American history.
Dr N. Brent Kennedy
Southeastern US family historians have identified thru records and DNA, the “core” melungeon surnames. Interesting enough, DNA tests have shown an European, Mediterranean, Amerindian and African mixture; just as the Melungeons had claimed all along. Because most family historians and researchers are concentrating on their own family lines; your possible Melungeon ancestors may not have made the list. If your ancestors were from Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, or Georgia you may want to do your own research on Melungeon history. Other clues to look for: marrying at home rather than a church, belonging to Primitive Baptist like churches, and marrying cousins.
If you discover you are a Melungeon descendant, you will be pleased to join other famous modern-day Melungeon descendants who include: actress Ava Gardner, singer Elvis Presley, actor Tom Hanks, actor/commedian Steve Martin, and actress Heather Locklear.
Common Melungeon Surname List
SO, without further ado, in the tradition of beloved southern comic Jeff Foxworthy…
if any of your ancestors are:
* ADAMS ADKINS ALLEN ALLMOND ASHWORTH
* BARKER BARNES BASS BECKLER BELCHER BEDGOOD BELL BENNETT BERRY BEVERLY BIGGS BOLEN BOLLING BOLTON BOONE BOWLIN BOWLING BOWMAN BRADBY BRANHAM BRAVBOY BRIGER/BRIDGER BROGAN BROOKS BROWN BUNCH BULLION BURTON BUTLER BUTTERS BUXTON BYRD
* CAMPBELL CARRICO CARTER CASTEEL CAUDILL CHAPMAN CHAVIS CLARK CLOUD COAL COFFEY COLE COLEMAN COLES COLLEY COLLIER COLLINS COLLINSWORTH COLYER COOPER CORMAN COUNTS COX COXE CRIEL CROSTON CROW CUMBA CUMBO CUMBOW CURRY CUSTALOW
* DALTON DARE DAVIS DENHAM DENNIS DIAL DOOLEY DORTON DOYLE DRIGGERS DULA DYE DYESS
* ELY EPPS EVANS
* FIELDS FREEMAN FRENCH
* GALLAGHER GANN GARLAND GIBSON GIPSON GOINS GOINGS GORVENS GOWAN GOWEN GRAHAM GREEN(E) GWINN
* HALL HAMMON(D) HARMON HARRIS HARVIE HARVEY HAWKES HENDRICKS HENDRIX HILL HILLMAN HOGGE HOLMES HOPKINS HOWE HYATT
* JACKSON JAMES JOHNSON JONES
* KEITH(E) KENNEDY KISER
* LANGSTON LASIE LAWSON LOCKLEAR LOPES LOWRY LUCAS
* MADDOX MAGGARD MAJOR MALE MALONE(Y) MARSH MARTIN MAYLE MINARD MINER MINOR MIZER MOORE MORLEY MOSELY MOZINGO MULLINS
* NASH NELSON NEWMAN NICCANS NICHOLS NOEL NORRIS
* ORR OSBORN OSBORNE OXENDINE
* PAGE PAINE PATTERSON PERKINS PERRY PHELPS PHIPPS PRINDER POLLY POWELL POWERS PRITCHARD PRUITT
* RAMEY RASNICK REAVES REVELS REEVES RICE RICHARDSON RIDDLE RIVERS ROBERSON ROBERTSON ROBINSON RUSSELL
* SAMMONS SAMPSON SAWYER SCOTT SEXTON SHAVIS SHEPHARD SHEPHERD SHORT SHORTT SIZEMORE SMILING SMITH STALLARD STANLEY STEEL STEVENS STEWART STROTHER SWEATT SWETT SWINDALL
* TALLY TACKETT TAYLOR THOMPSON TIPTON TOLLIVER TUPPANCE TURNER
* VANOVER VICARS VICCARS VICKERS
* WARE WATTS WEAVER WHITE WHITED WILKINS WILLIAMS WILLIAMSON WILLIS WILSON WISBY WISE WOOD WRIGHT WYATT WYNN
…you might be a Melungeon.
Joanna, great stuff! You may or may not know that the single greatest mixture (melange) of blood lines occurs in Brazil, where a very large percentage of the population is European looking but has some African and/or Indian blood. Brazilians are extremely proud of their mulato heritage, and you will often have upper-class Brazilians tell you that they are one-eighth African. I mention this because the whole “scandal” of Thomas Jefferson perhaps having an affair with one of his slaves would never occur in Brazil — it is assumed all of the colonizers had affairs with their slaves, the scandal would be if they hadn’t! Brazilians are all melungeons.
Nice photo of you and Mike. Made me very sad.
Thanks Geoff. Yeah I know about Brazil. Brazil was also the home to Converso/Crypto Jews fleeing Spain.
It does not take long for outwardly appearance to mask DNA. I have read that only one ancestor directly from Africa can be wiped out in the appearance of their descendants in four generations. If you look closely at some white people, you can sometimes see traces of Amerindian and African in hair, skin tone, nose, lips, epicentral folds in eyes etc… I have shovel teeth which is a marker of Amerindian. Turkish people have a ridge on the back of their head. My sister has a large one of these. MIke had a small one. Our hair goes with out saying
That was a photo taken after we graduated from college.
Our pioneer names and DNA. THe rest of the posts explain how this happened:
part 1- http://www.millennialstar.org/rising-out-of-obscurity-sephardic-jews-and-the-lds-connection/
What happened in Spain
part 2- http://www.millennialstar.org/part-ii-sephardic-jews-and-the-lds-connection-a-history-of-the-sephardim-in-spain/
Some went to Turkey
part 3- http://www.millennialstar.org/ew/
Some went to Western Europe
part 4- http://www.millennialstar.org/part-iv-lds-and-the-sephardic-connection-western-europe/
Sephardic Influences
part 5- http://www.millennialstar.org/part-v-lds-and-the-sephardic-connection-seeding-the-protestant-reformation/
England and Spain were at war. The Western Europe Converso and Crypto Jews fled even farther west in fear of Spain
part 6- http://www.millennialstar.org/part-vi-lds-and-the-sephardic-connection-braving-the-new-world-the-lost-colony-of-roanoke/
part 7- http://www.millennialstar.org/part-vii-sephardic-jews-and-the-lds-connection-the-first-thanksgiving-or-sukkoth-in-america/
Some Sephardic Jews were part of the tri-isolate communities in America
part 8- http://www.millennialstar.org/part-viii-sephardic-jews-and-the-lds-connection-what-the-heck-is-a-melungeon/
Sephardic descendants preferred to be out on the wilderness
part 9- http://www.millennialstar.org/part-ix-sephardic-jews-and-the-lds-connection-the-great-melungeon-migration/
Sephardim altered or adapted their surnames, but often kept a few Sephardic given names
part 10- http://www.millennialstar.org/part-x-sephardic-jews-and-the-lds-connection-sephardic-names-and-what-to-look-for/
Sephardic Jews had unique illnesses:
http://www.millennialstar.org/family-history-can-save-your-life/
Evidence of Orson Hyde’s Jewish ancestry using the Hirschman model
http://www.millennialstar.org/sephardic-jews-and-the-lds-connection-utah-history-encyclopedia-is-wrong-joseph-smith-was-right-orson-hyde-is-of-jewish-ancestry/
We are all gathered
http://www.millennialstar.org/sephardic-jews-and-the-lds-connection-the-gathering/
I believe I am the descendant of a couple of Joseph Bartholomews …
female members of the family named “Sookie”, unique to Melungeon populations
?? — “Sookie” or “Sukey” is a very common 18th and 19th century nickname for “Susan” (WorldConnect gives more than 596 million hits, as common in England and New England as in the American South).
Danithew and Ardis, I am very sorry your comments got stuck in moderation. I don’t have an explanation for it, except that my comment got stuck in moderation also. There is probably some glitch that I am too technically illiterate to fix.
I think I have it fixed now. I hope.
There is a character in the TV series “Gilmore Girls” named “Sookie” (she is Lorelei’s best friend and works as the cook at their B&B). Anyway, this is my wife’s favorite TV show, perhaps of all time, and we named our dog “Sookie” after this character. Those are the only two times I have heard the name “Sookie” until now.
I am a descendant of Collins, Gibson, Gipson, Sexton, Roberts, Wallen, Rogers, etc. and intermarried into Mullins. The Melungeons were/are normal people just like everyone else. DNA has proven that not all Melungeons have the same dna combination. Just like any other American culture, you have White, Indian, White/Indian, white/black, hwoever one caveat is that you not clump them all together as a single dna blood line, ethnicity or color. There is documented evidence as well as dna to confirm their allegations that they were what they said they were. Melungeon was a racial slur that was given to them by the local people because of their mixed ancestry. They never called themselves melungeon and certainly were not proud of that term.
I am 75 years old and can assure you I never heard one refer to themselves as “Melungeon”, but proudly referred to themselves as Indian/Portuguese.
Today they are assimilated into our American culture making tremendous contributions just as any other ethnicity and are very proud of their Indian/Portuguese background. Thank you for allowing the vehicle to express comments about our heritage.
Incidentally, I forgot to mention, I do have a second gr grandmother who was Susannah “Sukey” Moore Gibson. We call my 45 year old neice “Sukey” today as a pet name!
Wow! I took Jie Jie to the dr., I took a short nap and a conversation happened.
Danithew-I am a descendant of Alvah and my late husband Mike is a descendant of Lovinia. Alvah and Lovinia are the older brother and younger sister to your ancestor Polly. Are you a descendant of the Joseph (Jody) BARTHOLOMEW pictured above? Polly, Alvah and Jerome’s families intermarried a few times in the 2nd and 3rd cousins. Mike and I are the only ones I have found in the Alvah-Lovina lines who married cousins
.
Ardis- you are certainly an expert. The information I have is Sookie/Sukie is an Amerindian-White name. It is also a nickname for Susanna (Shoshana), a name common amongst Sephardic Jews. The time I spent going over census and family group sheets for mostly New Englanders, I did not run into a Sookie/Sukie. THe BYBEES had several. THE BYBEES were also living in Melungeon communities. I have seen BYBEE on larger Melungeon lists. If an ancestor left the community and joined the Mormons a 150 years ago they might not show up.
K.James-Thank you for reading and for your comments. Thank you for your witness. We are honored to have a real live “Portygee” in our discussion. You are right. It is only in recent years “Melungeon” has become an endearing term. I am proud of you and your ancestors for overcoming the difficulties that you all faced.
You right that Melungeons come in a variety of ethinicities. A case in point. My son Piano Man works at a BSA camp in MIddle Tennessee. PM is a tall lanky kid with a light complexion, a “Jewish nose” and long curly blond hair. Last summer he was teaching a MB class. One of the kids in his class made an ethnic joke. PM stopped him and told the class he did not tolerate ethnic jokes. He listed off his western and Eastern European, Scandinavian, African, MIddle Eastern, Mediterranean, Amerindian, Indian DNA. As he did this, one kid, who PM thought was black, stood up and loudly said, “Are you a Melungeon?!”
PM says, “Well kinda…”
Other kid says, “I am a Melungeon and I can tell brother that you are a Melungeon. They slapped each other on the back and called each other brother the rest of the week, while the other kids gave them funny looks.
I can’t say I have Melungeon blood in me, but this is great stuff nonetheless, Joanna!
I am researching a family (Talley) that joined the LDS Church in the late 19th century in Tennessee. They appear to have many of the qualities you describe as being Melugeon; family name and origin, constantly moving to the edge of the frontier, tight knit social structure yet keeping to themselves, marriages to cousins, religious but not affiliated with any specific church, etc. The family had some serious problems in 1884 with the rest of the community and I’m guessing this might partially explain it. Do you have suggestions for an objective validation (other than DNA) to determine if they are or are not?
Hi Bruce, Thanks for stopping by to read. Please see parts 9 and 10 of my series. Read Elizabeth C HIrschman’s book Melungeons: The Last Lost Tribe in America. It is easily found on Amazon and available at an affordable price. She will get you started with lists, communities etc… Also check to see if your ancestors were affiliated with Masonry. This is another matter we will talk about. Check the census. Your ancestors could be labeled as white, but a cousin in another area could be labeled as “colored”. Of course Melungeons are often not found on the census and this is an indicator as well. Look closely at your family do you have a ridge on the base of your skull, long ear lobes, toes larger than the big toe, unusual diseases. If you have any specific questions you can email me at joanna benson at comcast dot net.
Hello,
Every day for 13yrs I agonize over the inability
to make a connection to my AA/Native WEEDEN,WHILDEN,WEELDON,WILDON,WILDEN ancestors.
Just came across this site, and so many of the
surnames apply to my lines but no one has claimed kinship, so I am at a loss to find my ancestry.
Know that my immediate family is tri-racial but
so long to know of the relationships of folks responsible.
My ggrandfather, WM LAWRENCE WEELDON, Black, was
born in 1829 SC; Sumter, perhaps.
My ggrandmother, CHARATA BROWN (WEELDON) was Native American, born in 1833 NC.
Nothing can be found on either before 1870 Wilmington, NC, so must assume both were slaves.
My research has taken me all across the US, and still I am unable to make any connections.
Believe that original VA kin may have migrated to Nova Scotia in 1783 and have found the WEEDON
surname listed in the NS BOOK OF NEGROES, along w/many surnames which appear to connect, so am most puzzled that no one has claimed kinship.
It seems logical (is there such a thing in genealogy search?) that some would have removed to Rhode Island where they intermarried w/Indians and whites and I do find a connection between the folks of SC and RI, but I’ll be darned if I can find my family link.
Hoping that you might just be able to help or give me some direction.
Interesting to find the BIBBY surname here; MIKE
BIBBY was a favorite of mine as I am a devoted fan of the Sacramento Kings basketball team; it made me so sad when he was traded.
Most sincerely,
carol wheeldin warren.
Hi Carol,
Thanks for stopping by to comment. Genealogy can be so frustrating. I remembered reading about the AA community in Nova Scotia. Some of my Messenger/Messinger relatives were loyalists who went to Nova Scotia after/during the Revolutionary War. Here is a Wikapdia link if you have not read the history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Nova_Scotians I do not think they are organized family history wise.
North Carolina Lumbee tribe is a tri-isolate group that affiliated as Native American. Here is the website;
http://www.lumbeetribe.com/ They might be able to help you with names.
Also see: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pace/pacepix/Pace-Taylor/index.htm
Have you tried getting some help from your local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Here is a link to find a center near you. They may be able to help you and it is free of charge.
http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/FHC/frameset_fhc.asp
My great grandfather was PLEASANT BYBEE who moved from JACKSON COUNTY, TN, to STEWART COUNTY, TN in the mid 1800′s. My mother (his granddaughter) always said we were part indian, she had very high cheekbones andf jet black hair. I cannot find a direct link between PLEASANT and any indian tribe. I suspect were are descended from the Melungeons.
I would appreciate ny info anyone mighth have on him or his wife, I believe here name was NANCY WHITE.
Thanks for sharing your family information. I discovered my Melungeon roots just within the past two years. Through paper research and DNA testing, I have direct ties back to the Melungeon Gibsons of Hancock County, TN. During my search of family history, I have found a lot of misinformation on the Internet about Melungeons….bumps on the back of the head, strains of disease, links to Turkey, celebrities who are supposedly of Melungeon ancestry, etc. that are not confirmed by legitimate research. I would encourage all to be very careful in their research and postings. You may wish to view the information on websites furnished by Jack Goins on the Internet. Just search his name. He has done some of the best research on this topic.
I too am a decendant of David Bowman Bybee. I had never heard of Melugeons. This is great! My family has light skin but we have cousins that are darker. Thanks for doing this research!
Hi Marti, Thanks for stopping by read and to comment, as a relative, it is important that you read: http://www.millennialstar.org/family-history-can-save-your-life/
Anyone have any info on the last name RAMEY? My father, my sister and myself all have the physical characteristics of the melungeons. My mother is Irish (maiden name Riley) so me and my sister have pretty light skin. Both of us have very dark hair and dark eyes. My father has dark hair, dark eyes and an olive skin tone. He was told growing up the he was french and native american but he always told us kids that the elderly people in his family have always been very secretive about their ancestry, which I heard is a tell tale sign of melungeons. They preferred to keep their african ancestry a secret because of racism. My father has deep roots in the appalachians and his great grandparents finally settled in Front Royal, Virginia. Anyone who has any info on the the name RAMEY; I would greatly appreciate it!!
I am the great grand-daughter of Joseph Bartholomew. In the history of his great grandfather General Joseph Bartholomew there is reference to a comment made by one of his men at the occasion of the naming of Bartholomew County after him. The man says “It’s appropriate that they named it after him, the soil is as dark as his skin. Hummmm
Lindsey- Hey thanks for commenting. Looks like ya’ll are Melungeon
You are in great company.
Hey Cousin Linda. Thanks for taking the time to comment and I LOVE the reference. I am the 4th g granddaughter of Joseph Bartholomew’s wife Polly’s brother Alvah Benson. We need to talk sometime. Email me at jabensonatmillennialstardotorg