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Author: rorycain1
Surnames:
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.cain/894.1376.1/mb.ashx
Message Board Post:
The biggest source of the name Cain is the O Cathain clan of Co Derry & north Antrim,
anglicised as O'Kane, Kane, & Cain. There were other, smaller, O Cathain septs in
the south and west of Ireland now known as Keane & Cain. Another smaller sept were the
MacCathain sept from the Isle of Man who became Cain but also adopted the "e"
when "ye olde Englische" type spellings were fashionable.
The Cains from Man are distinguished by being Y-DNA haplogroup R1a, a Viking type. The
Macdonald chiefs are also mostly R1a also, although their clansmen are Celts with R1b. You
might check out the Cain DNA project at
www.familytreedna.com/public/Cain-Caine and the
equivalent Macdonald project at FTDNA.
Rory Cain, hon admin, Cain DNA project
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