Recent dna testing is revealing that some Dearmond surname variant males carry the Y chromosome marker SNP M222. This marker originated in County Donegal more than 3000 years ago and is notable today in Northern Ireland and Southwest Scotland. A great deal of interest and research is underway with this haplogroup, which is now referred to as R1b1b2e (formerly R1b1c7). The legendary "Niall of the nine hostages" and his descendents are included in this haplogroup. We are not descended from French nobility as some believe, but we can claim close family ties to the once High Kings of Ireland. Our name was likely once pronounced Duibhiorma, which evolved to Diarmaid-Diermond-Diarmi-Dermott-Deyermond-Dearmont-DeArmond-etc.