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The purpose of this project is to learn more about the origins and distribution of the Coursey/DeCoursey surnames, as well as act as an aid to traditional genealogical research. This Y-DNA project is open to all males with any variation of the Coursey or DeCoursey surnames, as well as males who believe they are a direct male descendant of a Coursey or DeCoursey. Participants from all testing companies are welcome. Participants are sought from all over the world.


Examples of surname variations:
Coursey: Courcy, Courcey, Corsey, Course, Corse, Courson
DeCoursey: de Courcy, de Courcey, DeCourcy, DeCourcey, DeCorsey, DeCourse

 

*** Partial reimbursements of the testing cost are available, see the "Join Project" page for more info. ***

 

For information on how to join go to the "Join Project" page.
There is a collection of links to more information on DNA testing on the "Help" page.


Project News (Updated 8 November 2009)

  • The project now has 15 members. Eight of these are in the Irish origin Group 1. Four members have no matches as yet.
  • A descendant of the Coursey family of Colonial Maryland has joined the project, member C-15. His results do not match any other lines in the project so far.

 

The main objectives of this project are to:

Find participants from as many different Coursey/DeCoursey lines as possible and divide them into distinct genetic lineages.

Try to determine if it is possible to distinguish between lines which originate from different counties in Ireland.

Sort out the relationship (or lack thereof) between the Coursey lines who emigrated to the United States pre-1750.

Study the origins and history of the surnames and genetic lineages.

Aid genealogical research by validating existing research and making new connections to other families.

Bring down a few genealogical "brick walls".


Some of the questions this project hopes to answer:

  • Which of the Coursey lines who were in North America before 1800 are related to Col. Henry Coursey who emigrated from Dublin, Ireland to Virginia and then Maryland around 1650?
  • What is the genetic signature of the de Courcy Barony of Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland?


Surname Meanings and Origins
Coursey: Irish (of Norman origin): habitational name from any of various places in northern France called Courcy, from the Romano-Gallic personal name Curtius (a derivative of curtus ‘short’) + the locative suffix -acum. Compare Decoursey. (Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4)


DeCoursey: English and Irish (of Norman origin; also written De Coursey): habitational name for someone from any of various places in northern France called Courcy, from the Romano-Gallic personal name Curtius (a derivative of Latin curtus ‘short’; compare Court 2) + the locative suffix -acum. (Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4)


Courcy: French: habitational name from any of the places in Calvados, Loiret, Manche, and Marne called Courcy. (Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4)

De Courcy: Quite numerous: scattered. Ir. de Cúrsa. Norman Sir John De Courcy came to Ireland in 1177. They have been mainly associated with Cork. SGG. (Sloinnte na hÉireann-Irish Surnames Le/By Seán de Bhulbh, Comharchumann Íde Naofa, 1997, ISBN 0-9530560-1-5)


Links to info on Coursey and DeCoursey surnames and variations:

 

Historical Genealogies and Information:

 

Project Member Websites:


Useful Links

World Families Network Forums
Coursey/DeCoursey Family Forum
 World Families Network General Discussion

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For basic information, visit World Families Network and check out the "Getting Started" block

 

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