Guthrie Family Groups

Discover Your Guthrie Ancestry:
Through DNA and History

(Based on Latest Guthrie DNA Project Evidence)

Guthrie Family Groups: The Genetic Blueprint

The Guthrie DNA Project uses Y-DNA testing to categorize lineages into genetically distinct Guthrie Family Groups (GFGs). Each group represents a unique paternal line; members of one group are not biologically related to members of another on their Guthrie line.

  • Below: Links to the Guthrie Family Group. Above: Use the Guthrie Family Groups Drop Down Menu.
  • The number of Guthrie Family Groups changes when new discoveries are made.
  • Several Guthrie men may descend from a known Guthrie ancestor forming a GFG with one Main Branch.
  • A group may have many Major Branches with an Unidentified common Guthrie ancestor.

🧬 Why Y-DNA is the “Gold Standard”

While autosomal testing (like AncestryDNA) is excellent for finding cousins within 4–5 generations, Y-DNA is the only tool that can bridge the gap to the 1700s and beyond.

  • Precision: It tracks the direct paternal line (father to son) virtually unchanged for centuries.
  • Efficiency: A single Y-DNA test from one male Guthrie can identify a lineage’s origins more accurately than dozens of autosomal tests.
  • Resolution: It allows us to bypass “brick walls” created by lost records or common naming patterns.
  • Validate Lineage: Confirm that a specific “Paper Trail” ancestor is actually the biological father.
  • Identify Mistaken Identities: Prove that two men with the same name living in the same county were actually from two different genetic lines.
  • Focus Research: Enable descendants to pool resources and target specific ancestors for further testing (often called “Most Wanted” candidates) to extend the branch further back in time. Find out which lineages are related to yours and which ones are not.

No Y-DNA Project Participants?

Your Lineage → Ungrouped Family Status:

  • Untested lineages without a documented paper trail are classified in an Ungrouped Family Status until a Y-DNA match is found to an established Guthrie Family Group.
  • Untested lineages with a documented paper trail are inferred to belong to their associated group unless a YDNA test proves otherwise. Note that oral traditions about family origins and mistaken identities have led to errors in documentation. DNA testing can correct those misconceptions.
  • Guthrie women and descendants of female Guthries can still participate in Autosomal DNA testing, but these tests are not considered confirmatory for the purposes of Guthrie Family Group creation or placement within an established group.
  • Consider sponsoring a male Guthrie relative’s Y-DNA test at Family Tree DNA.

Established Guthrie Family Groups:

The number of Guthrie Family Groups changes over time as new groups are created. Each group is genetically unique. They do not share biological paternal Guthrie ancestry with each other. Follow the links below for detailed descriptions and origin theories on each group.

GFG1A

Origin: Scotland (Angus) → Virginia, Maryland

Theorized Ancestors: Guthries of Hiltoun (likely), Guthries of Guthrie (possibly)

Example Branches: Guthries of Craigie (Branch A); Middlesex, VA (Branch B)

GFG2A

Origin: Scotland → Northern Ireland, Canada, American Colonies

Theorized Ancestors: Guthries of Pitforthie (likely)

Example Branches: Guthrie-Stuart Theory (Branches A, E, and H)

GFG3A

Origin: Scotland (Ayrshire) → PA, VA, MD → OH, IN and SCT → CAN, NZ

Theorized Ancestors: Guthries of Pitforthie (possible)

Example Branches: Francis Guthrie Sr descendants (Branch A)

GFG4

Origin: Colonial Virginia

Earliest Ancestors: Thomas Guthery & Sarah Oakes

Notes: Possible causal event (late 1600s–early 1700s)

GFG5

Origin: Virginia → NC, SC, KY

Earliest Ancestors: William Guthrie & Eleanor Harris Abbott

Major Theory Needs Y-DNA: Guthrie of Carteret and Guthries of Thickety Creek

GFG6

Origin: Scotland, Northern Ireland, Canada, USA (DE, NY, PA, VA)

Earliest Ancestor: Unknown Common Ancestor

Notes: Most genetically diverse within group. Need Big-Y testing.

GFG7

Origin: Scotland (possibly Ayrshire) → USA & Australia

Earliest Ancestor: Unknown Common Ancestor

Notes: Ayrshire is the most likely origin for these branches.

GFG8

Origin: Likely Irish origin (Non-Paternal Event)

Earliest Ancestor: Thomas Guthrie & Mary Cason (Halifax Co., VA)

Notes: Earliest Guthrie line probably Irish

GFG9

Origin: Orkney Islands, Scotland → GA, SC

Earliest Ancestor: Thomas Guthrie and Jean Duncan

Notes: Poor representation. Needs more testers for verification.

GFG10

Origin: Eastern Tennessee (Bull’s Gap)

Earliest Ancestor: Andrew S. Guthrie & Isabella Rader

Notes: Known Adoption into Guthrie line

GFG11

Origin: Early American – VA → TN or GA (Non-Paternal Event)

Earliest Ancestor: George Guthery & Mary Young

Notes: YDNA Matches Ballew/Ballou surname

GFG12

Origin: Scotland → Indiana; Ireland → Ohio (Non-Paternal Event)

Earliest Ancestor: Guthrie-Japp and Guthrie-McGibney

Notes: YDNA matches Benbow surname

GFG13

Origin: NC/SC/TN; SC/GA/AL; IRE/NY (Non-Paternal Event)

Earliest Ancestor: County Antrim

Notes: Gillespie surname matches

GFG14

Origin: New York → Ohio

Earliest Ancestor: Descendants of George Nelson Guthrie

Notes: Joyce surname matches; mistaken identity issues

GFG15

Origin: Virginia → Adams & Brown Counties, Ohio

Earliest Ancestor: Joseph Guthrie (Adams Co., OH; also PA/VA)

Notes: Haplogroup I-M253 clues

GFG16

Origin: Scotland (Dunbartonshire/Lanarkshire) → Australia & Canada

Earliest Ancestor: Robert Guthrie (1776–1827) & Janet Andrew

Notes: Recent Scottish lineages

GFG17

Origin: Scotland (Menmuir & Cortachy, Angus)

Earliest Ancestor: David Guthrie & Janet Stewart

Notes: Old Angus lineage associated with Rev. Thomas Guthrie

GFG18

Origin: Ireland (County Donegal)

Earliest Ancestor: William & Mary (MNU) Guthrie of Mondooey

Notes: Irish origin

GFG19

Origin: Scotland (Aberdeenshire & Inverness-shire)

Earliest Ancestor: Various lineages

Notes: Northern Scottish focus

How Do I Find My Ancestors and Guthrie Family Group?

  • Use the Search Tool. Enter the names of your earliest known ancestors. All blog pages mentioning your ancestors will be listed.
  • Browse the Dropdown Menu for each Guthrie Family Group. Key ancestors are listed there.
  • Check my Guthrie Research Tree on Ancestry.com.
  • Tree Hints:
    • Due to the large size of the tree, it’s easier if you search for the spouse rather than the Guthrie.
    • Once you find your ancestor in the tree, use the tool to View the Tree and you’ll be able to see if your family line is already attached to an established Guthrie Family Group or remains in an Ungrouped Family Status.
  • If you’re still not sure where your family fits, use the ‘Questions’ or ‘Contact’ section to get help.

14 Comments »

  1. My 4th great grandfather was John Shannon and he married Ann Guthrie in Orange County NC in 1784. I found that he had land in Caswell County NC before they moved to Robertson County Tn between 1790 and 1800. Ann’s father is supposed to be James Guthrie. I did find a James Guthrie having land in Orange County NC not far from a Hugh Shannon. My Uncle (Hugh D Shannon) tested with Family tree DNA back in 2009? but I didn’t see our branch listed on this site. My brickwall is John Shannon, i can’t find the correct John before NC. The DNA says that we connect with the Thomas and Agness Shannon families of PA. and then Va. but I can’t find the correct John in there. I found Guthries and Shannons in PA, but I don’t know if they are the correct ones.I have worked with two researchers in NC and been to visit NC two times. If I can really connect my group to PA, I see a trip to there in the future. Thanks for any help you might give! Paula Shannon

    • You share my direct ancestors, James and Elizabeth (MNU) Guthrie. Our line is Guthrie Family Group 2A – Branch A

      Access my Ancestry tree (AnnGU3) for family documents and any details I have on the Shannons. I am at work today but can check for specifics later if you don’t have Ancestry access.

    • Guthrie Family Group 2 has branches (or at least a few twigs) in most of the colonies. Pennsylvania is one of the main areas of settlement for branches that came from both Scotland and Northern Ireland. My branch decided to do things a little differently. Instead of heading for Pennsylvania, James Guthrie arrived in the Baltimore, Maryland area. They were there by 1770 when his second son, Robert Guthrie, was born in that area. By 1781 the family had moved to Orange County, North Carolina and settled in the area of South Hyco Creek. James’ two sons, James and Robert, married a pair of sisters, Jane and Mary Smith. These couples, along with their sisters and their husbands all eventually moved out of North Carolina for parts of Middle Tennessee and Kentucky. James and Robert lived in Robertson County near the Shannons, and later in Sumner County.

      My sister and I have autosomal DNA matches to descendants of 6 of John and Ann (Guthrie) Shannon’s children.

      I have also never successfully identified John Shannon’s parents.

      Your uncle’s Y-DNA would not be applicable to the Guthrie project, but if he also had a Family Finder test done it would be eligible.

  2. I am researching this line of Guthrie’s. I haven’t any DNA tests yet. The earliest ancestor is John Guthrie born 1764 in Scotland. He died 1856 in Giles, TN. His son was Thomas Yoner Guthrie born 1799 in TN. He died in 1875 in Madison Co., AL. His son was James Henry Guthrie born 1860 in AL. He died 1930 in Limestone Co., Al. He married Mary M. Butler in 1882 in Giles Co., TN. I will try and get a male Guthrie to submit his DNA

    • The John Guthrie you mentioned belongs to Guthrie Family Group 9: Descendants of Thomas Guthrie & Jean Duncan of Orkney, SCT, Georgia and South Carolina. It is possible that Thomas Yoner Guthrie is also a descendant as John had several sons of about the right age who remain unidentified in the records. We do have at least 2 descendants of TYG participating in our Autosomal DNA Project, but there is not enough genetic evidence to triangulate a positive group match. The closest autosomal matches are actually to GFG2A-Branch K: Descendants of Robert Guthrie & Elizabeth MNU of SC and GA, which is genetically unrelated to GFG9. If you can find a male Guthrie for YDNA testing that should provide the evidence needed to determine TYG’s origins.

  3. I am stuck trying to trace my tree.
    My great great grandfather was Charles Lewis Guthrie of Florida.
    I’m stuck at Samuel Guthrie and wife Nancy Grieve (???possible name) born 1794 in South Carolina and died 1882 in Florida, having spent some time in Georgia area. According to Cenus records birthdate and place are correct.

    • Hi Sandra,

      This is a case of mistaken identity that has been perpetuated across multiple online trees due to copying errors.

      Many people have confused Samuel Guthrie, son of John Guthrie & Jean Norwood, whose wife Nancy’s maiden name is unknown, with the Samuel Guthrie who married Nancy Grieve. John is the son of Thomas Guthrie & Jean Duncan of Guthrie Family Group 9.

      Your ancestor was born in SC, lived in GA and FLA. The line goes Thomas > John > Samuel > Abraham > Jasper > Charles Lewis.

      The Samuel Guthrie who married Nancy Grieve was born in PA and moved to IA. They had sons named Lewis Rife and Charles William, so there may be some confusion for that reason. This family has been Y-DNA tested and matches Guthrie Family Group 2A.

  4. I was trying to trace the site and follow things but I find nothing about a section of Guthrie’s in Michigan. From what I can track it get as far as Elisha f Guthrie from Ohio, but can’t track much before him.

    • Hi Steven,

      If your ancestor is the Elisha Guthrie 1849OH-1921MI who married Mahala Dunlap, he belongs to Guthrie Family Group 2A – Branch F: Descendants of John Guthrie & Abigail Coe with the following line:
      John Guthrie/Abigail Coe > Ephraim Guthrie/Thankful Stone > Ebenezer Guthrie/Abigail Herick > Phineas K Guthrie/Sarah Elizabeth Davis > Simeon Guthrie/Emily Farrington > Elisha Guthrie/Mahala Dunlap. We actually have a couple of YDNA Project Participants who descend from Simeon Guthrie already in the project whose YDNA (direct paternal line DNA) confirms they belong with GFG2A.
      https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/3406955/person/292109527396/facts

  6. My family lineage starts from Roger Guthrie, Joseph Guthrie, Ira Guthrie, Joseph Guthrie, Reason M Guthrie, John H Guthrie, John Lee Guthrie, Robert Guthrie Sr., Thomas Guthrie Sr., H Guthrie(Gottray), to John William Guthrie.

    • Hi Karie — We actually have John Lee Guthrie (m. Elizabeth Sweat) listed as the son of John Guthrie and Jean Norwood, grandson of Thomas Guthrie and Jean Duncan of Guthrie Family Group 9. This is a different genetic group than Robert Guthrie who married Jane Norwood, from GFG13, who was not a son of Thomas Guthrie and Jean Duncan. I don’t know anything about H Guthrie or a John William Guthrie associated with Thomas’ ancestry, which is (as far as I know) undocumented. Tell me about them here, or email me at anngu3@icloud.com if you want to discuss in more detail.

      • My Guthrie ancestry goes back to Thomas Guthrie D.D. preacher and philanthropist whose statue is on Princess Street Edinburgh. His son Lord Charles Guthrie, my great-grandfather, was a judge in Edinburgh, father of 10 children, the last being my grandmother Anne Robertson Guthrie Priestman. I am proud of this ancestry.

  7. Hi I am Esther Guthrie and I have a sister who lives in Bristol who I haven’t seen my dads name was called herbert guthrie and she live in hafcluffe when I was a baby she wouid be around 52

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