DNA bid to trace Ross-shire relatives of film star Marilyn Monroe
THE intriguing prospect of uncovering Ross-shire relatives of 1950s sex bomb Marilyn Monroe is being probed to coincide with what would have been her 90th birthday.
Had she lived, the Some Like it Hot actress would have reached the milestone birthday today (Wednesday).
Although brought up as Norma Jeane Baker, Marilyn took her professional surname from her mother, Gladys Pearl Monroe.
New DNA findings show that Marilyn was descended from a Ross-shire Munro soldier exiled to America after the English Civil War.
Now, Clan Munro USA is sponsoring free DNA tests for Munro men of Highland origin to help find her Scots relatives.
After King Charles II was defeated by Cromwell at the Battle of Worcester in 1651, some captured Royalists were sold into forced servitude in the Americas.
Among captives sent to Boston aboard the John and Sara in November 1651 were four men named Munro.
One of these exiles, John Munro, eventually settled in Bristol, Rhode Island. He is said to have been the son of a Robert Munro of Aldie, near Tain.
Recent DNA tests on a male-line relative of Marilyn’s grandfather, Otis Elmer Monroe, found the same signature Y-chromosome pattern as men who trace their ancestry to this John Munro.
Mark Monroe of Austin, Texas explained: “Like all clans, Munro men, however they spell the name, have a mix of male genetic lines. Last year we found that many Scots Munros are related to US President James Monroe.
“Descendants of John of Rhode Island also form a large genetic group in present-day America and it would be good to find their relatives among present-day Scots men.”
Margaret Bardin, volunteer administrator of the Munro DNA project at Family Tree DNA, added: “We have a limited number of free tests and it’ll be first-come first-served!”
The project has the backing of clan chief Hector Munro of Foulis. He told the Journal: “I am very supportive of this fascinating project which has already produced some extremely interesting results.
“The whole relatively new science of DNA provides an amazing glimpse into our past in particularly that of the Highland Clans from the unique blend we offer of a settled home population who until recently remained largely in and around the clan area and the widely spread diaspora who tried their luck in other parts of the globe.
“I am descended through the female - my grandmother succeeded to Foulis after her only brother was killed in action in WWI - so I am not much use to the project. Fortunately, the male line continued via younger sons of prior generations.”
Project backer Colin Munro, who also belongs to the Foulis male line — as do many Scots Munros and former American President James Monroe - believes the results of further testing could be fascinating: “In addition to trying to prove a Ross-shire origin for Marilyn’s ancestor, it would be good to establish the main male ancestral DNA types in the Munro home territory. The expatriate Monroes and so on of whatever DNA pattern, who form the majority of those tested, are very keen to prove their Scots ancestry.
“The most likely single answer for Highland Munros will be the Munros of Foulis type, which we know was that of the chiefs’ male line from before 1350 to 1935 (Hector’s great-grandfather). We are beginning to establish specific markers for some cadet branches within this which might be interesting for those who find they belong.
“For example, President James Monroe turns out to be from a cadet family from Balconie and Teaninich which separated from the Foulis line in the 1400s and not, as had been thought, a more recent cadet branch. His closest relative in Scotland so far is actually a Mackenzie whose family changed their name to inherit the Ardross estate.
“However, there are undoubtedly many other male DNA types among Highland Munros. People sometimes assume a clan implies common ancestry, but in all clans the association between DNA and surname is a loose one, for all sorts of reasons. Surnames are a relatively recent innovation and a mix of paternal lines was probably present among the followers of chiefs since the earliest clan origins.
“So far we’ve not found native Scots who match the Rhode Island type, but some of the American matches to this have other surnames like Bain or MacGregor which also suggest Highland links. Different and distinct DNA patterns have been found in emigrants with well-documented Highland ancestry; just one example is a New Zealand Munro from a Sutherland family which includes Robert Munro, Lord Alness, who was in Churchill’s wartime cabinet.”
DNA testing for the Munro DNA Project is carried out by Family Tree DNA, Inc. of Houston, Texas. Project administrators are volunteers on behalf of Clan Munro USA and state that they have no commercial interest in the project.
All testing was paid for by participants themselves, or by members of Clan Munro USA.
Margaret Bardin, volunteer administrator of the Munro DNA project at Family Tree DNA, added: “We have a limited number of free tests and it’ll be first-come first-served!”
• Scots Munros who would like to know more can contact Margaret at mbardin731@comcast.net.
