I have been writing autobiographical texts and family chronicles for several years. In 2010, I began with genealogy. The entry was an old Kruse family tree from 1930, which was created by the church book researcher, Hermann Lühken from Oldenburg. This old family tree was the property of my uncle Arnold Kruse. After his death I got it. My direct line of ancestors (father to son) was in 2014 again checked by the Edewecht church book researcher, Johann Lüschen from Zetels. At first, I had created my family trees with Microsoft Word, but then I reached the limits of representation. Later, I used the Family Tree Builder and I set up the online family site "Kruse Family". My paternal roots are from Ammerland, in Lower Saxony. My progenitor (father’s line back), was the first Lutheran pastor, Hermannus Crusius (Hermann Kruse) 1482-1573, from Edewecht after the reformation 1517. My maternal ancestors lived in Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg and Western Pomerania. Some people in my family tree immigrated into the USA. I have maternal ancestors in Sweden, which I must yet research. The parents of my wife came from Silesia.
In December 2014, I tested my DNA on Family Tree DNA, in Texas with the following result: My Y-DNA haplogroup (paternal) is R-M269 and my mtDNA haplogroup (maternal) is U4a1a. The Family Finder (autosomal DNA) has following ethnic percentage: 100% European as follows: Western and Central Europe 56%, Scandinavia 38%, East Europe 6%. More than likely, my father’s line came from Ireland and England. My haplogroup R-M269 is present in Ireland with 80% and in England with 57% according to my Y-DNA111 test. The "Cruwys surname DNA project" explains, that the surname Kruse came from Ireland and England. But my Family Finder test shows no ethnic percentage for Ireland and England. The reason being, that the Y-DNA test included only the father’s line (father to son). That is only a very small piece of the total amount of ancestors. However, the Family Finder included the autosomal DNA which is the bigger part of the total amount of ancestors.
English translation (MyHeritage Startseite "Kruse Family")