View Bruce genealogical haplotree
About the Bruce family
The Bruces took their name from Brix in Normandy, and arrived in Scotland in the early 12th century, receiving lands in Annandale from King David I. They also held lands in Cleveland, Yorkshire, which were inherited by the senior line of the family. It was from the junior line of the family that the famous King Robert the Bruce (1274-1329) descended.
The SNP FTB15831 appears to be the distinct marker for the family, having been formed by the early 14th century, and was very likely to have been carried by King Robert the Bruce himself. He did not leave any male line descendants and the Bruces of Clackmannan are his closest known male line relatives. This is confirmed by a charter of 1365 where King David II refers to Robert Bruce of Clackmannan as “our beloved and faithful kinsman”.
DNA tests taken by male line descendants of two of Robert of Clackmannan’s sons, Robert and Edward, show that they both carry the marker FTB15831. This discovery means that anyone living today who tests positive for the marker, is descended from the same family as the famous King.
Although the test takers from both lines carry FTB15831, one of these also has two additional genetic markers, indicating his descent from Sir Robert Bruce, 3rd of Clackmannan (d ca1405) and his son Sir David Bruce, 4th of Clackmannan (d bef 1449). Further research may reveal more markers for specific branches of the Bruce family.