Thank you for your interesting email:
Wyles Paternal DNA (Duddington) UK
The above article provides the Paternal DNA results of our 'Wyles' name clan as associated with the Lincolnshire village of 'Duddington'. Both Scottish (Pictish) and Russian historians are of the opinion that 'Wyles' is the plural of 'Wyle' - and that 'Wyle' is an Anglicisation of the Viking (Cyrillic) title of 'Уайл' (Uayl) - meaning 'a dominant warrior whose fighting skills unite the people'.
Sometimes, 'Uayl' is written today as 'Jarl' - with the 'J' retaining the 'U' sound. The Anglo-Saxons took this non-Germanic title and renamed it 'Earl' - using it as a noble status linked to 'birth' and not to 'ability' (within Viking culture any would could become a 'Uayl' providing they could 'fight' and quell any enemy). Today, in modern Russia the surname 'Wyles' is written as 'Уайлс' (Uayls) - and this is how I am referred to in all written communication, etc.
The Vikings, as you know, settle vast parts of the UK and Eire, and so their DNA is everywhere, being particularly linked with the Celtic areas. However, as there are so many sounding similar names, such as 'Wills', 'Wells' and 'Willis', etc, all possessing different origins and distinct (unrelated) lineages, correct association can be difficult. I believe the Oxford definition of 'Wyles' (Wiles) - stating it is linked to eel traps and trickery - relates only to one lineage variant of an entire host of similar sounding but very different names!
Of course, I know nothing about the 'van Wyk' surname as such, but 'Wyk' is written as 'Вик' in Cyrillic and pronounced 'Vik'. Within the Russian language this word is a noun meaning to 'cry', 'shout', and 'call-out', etc. I presume 'van' is Dutch for 'of' or 'from' and 'Wyk' refers to a place in the Netherlands. I have seen some people in the UK referred to as 'de Wyle' or 'de Wyles' on occasion - usually in the 12th and 13th centuries - with the 'de' (Norman French for 'of') eventually being dropped.
There are theories that assume there were a number of disconnected places all over the UK - all carrying similar sounding names that possessed no direct historical association with one another. Perhaps a place with a water 'Well' might figure greatly in the old days (as we all need to drink) and at least in that sense the name 'Well' or 'Wells' might be laterally associated in a conceptual sense, whilst not sharing a DNA lineage.
I personally believe that 'Wyles' is distinct from 'Wiles' - even though confusion is sometimes caused due to both lineages borrowing one another's spelling from time to time - usually by mistake. Therefore, we can be 'related' but by the 'error' of poor spelling! In the days before full literacy and the stabilisation of language - scribes would often spell exactly same word on a single page in many different ways!
All Best Wishes
Adrian
PS: A Scottish historian stated that 'Wyles' is pronouced 'Wy-les' in in Scotland - and is the proper or correct surname associated with who is today known as 'William Wallace' - with 'Wallace' being a modern re-invention of his clan name. If this is correct - then this probably reinforces the Viking hypothesis!