Haplogroup R-M222

What is Paternal Haplogroup R-M222?

Haplogroup R-M222, also known as Haplogroup R-M343 (Y Chromosome Consortium long-form label), is a genealogical group of lineages defined by unique genetic markers present on the Y-chromosome. Your paternal haplogroup, or that of your father if you do not have a Y-chromosome, paints a picture of your ancient origins and the migrations of your ancestors. Although your paternal haplogroup reflects just one of your many ancestral lineages, it carries information about that lineage over tens of thousands of years.

Haplogroup R-M222 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Among 23andMe research participants, haplogroup R-M222 is commonly found among populations in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

It's important to note that your haplogroup doesn't define your current ethnic identity; rather, it provides an insight into your deep ancestry on the paternal side.

Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343

Top Surnames with Haplogroup R-M222

For surnames with sufficient representation in the data, these percentages represent the frequency with which each surname is found in individuals exhibiting this genetic marker.

Last Name	Frequency
smith	1.20%
williams	1.00%
kelly	0.80%
kennedy	0.80%
mullen	0.70%
gallagher	0.70%
martin	0.70%
murphy	0.60%
moore	0.60%
murray	0.60%
burns	0.60%
quinn	0.60%
bradley	0.50%
mclaughlin	0.50%
mcgrath	0.50%
dunn	0.50%
boyle	0.50%
campbell	0.40%
brown	0.40%
reilly	0.40%

Haplogroup R-M222 is linked to Niall of the Nine Hostages

The spread of haplogroup R-M222 in northern Ireland and Scotland was likely aided by men like Niall of the Nine Hostages. Perhaps more myth than man, Niall is said to have been a King of Tara in northwestern Ireland in the late 4th century C.E. His name comes from a tale of nine hostages that he held from the regions he ruled over. Though the legendary stories of his life may have been invented hundreds of years after he died, genetic evidence suggests that the Uí Néill dynasty, whose name means "descendants of Niall," did in fact trace back to just one man who likely bore haplogroup R-M222, a branch of R-M269.The Uí Néill ruled to various degrees as kings of Ireland from the 7th to the 11th century C.E. In the highly patriarchal society of medieval Ireland, their status allowed them to have outsized numbers of children and spread their paternal lineage each generation. In fact, researchers have estimated that between 2 and 3 million men with roots in north-west Ireland are paternal-line descendants of Niall.

The Uí Néill Dynasty