Who are the Melungeons Most Closely Related To?
THE MELUNGEONS: THE PIONEERS of the INTERIOR SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES 1526-1997
by Eloy J. Gallegos
On p. 80 of the above text, Eloy Gallegos provides a Table giving the Mean Measure of Divergence (MMD) of Melungeons from Other Populations taken from a 1990 study by James L. Guthrie.
Gallegos notes that he asked Dr. A. F. Gallegos to comment on this study to which Dr. Gallogos stated (p.79) that, “Overall, I believe the gene frequency approach taken to resolve Melungeon origins is the best available given the limited funding and time available for the project, however, it is equally important to support gene frequency studies with historical, cultural, linguistic, and archaeological information which might be obtained from the Melungeon group. "
He continued, "finally, a study of human values, traits of this group...etc, world-view, religious aspirations, motivational traits, eccentric and habitual behavior, and idiosyncrasies could be used in support of establishing Melungeon origins when compared to other world population groups.”
A perfect match meaning that a person is to be considered absolutely pure blooded, would equal 0.000. I believe that the most distant match indicating no connection whatsoever would be 0.999.
Canary Islands (Spanish)0.019
U. S. Whites (Minnesota)+0.028
Gullas (Blacks South Carolina)0.222
The Arab/Berber (Moorish) component of the Spanish/Portugese of today.
+Probably Swedes. Could reflect the Moorish in Swedes.
# Married into Melungeon families in the S. E. U. S. Does not include Northern Ireland.
In spite of the close corrolation between the Turks and the Melungeons, Gallegos, who is of Spanish/Portugese extraction, does not agree with Dr. N. Brent Kennedy on Melungeon origins. His book is aimed toward the Spanish/Portugese expeditions prior to the establishment of the English on the American continent in 1607. In the * above, he says that the Moorish component came through the Spanish/Portugese whose genes combined with the Moors, rather than from that group of people themselves.