Darien, CT

Y-DNA

MGS sponsors a Middlesex Genealogical Society project at Family Tree DNA for members who have had Y-chromosome DNA tested at Family Tree DNA for themselves and relatives. The goal of the project is to share DNA information with other members, help members understand their testing results, and suggest avenues for further testing. Only males have a Y chromosome.

Following is a summary of haplogroups discovered by MGS members who have tested their own or a relative's Y-DNA. Testers who share a common ancestor are called a haplogroup. The common ancestor has passed on to them a unique SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism, or mutation). All happen to have a common Celtic ancestor in 2450 BC in England: R-DF13 (see the map below for earlier haplogroups). Most testers below have done "Big Y" SNP testing and have SNPs down to a more recent time (850 to 1800 AD). SNPs of the others are projected by Peter Biggins based on STR (short tandem repeat) matches with other testers. Click on underlined SNPs to see Family Tree DNA comments about the SNP.

Y-chromosome DNA is inherited male to male like surnames. Family Tree DNA is the biggest Y-DNA tester and has public results pages for surnames and DNA types. The best test is Big Y, which costs about $400 on sale. A lesser test is Y-67.

Test yourself if you are a male, and any male relative whose ancestry you want to learn more about.

Join a surname project at FTDNA. If there is none for your surname, consider starting one. When you get information about what kind of DNA the tester has, join a haplogroup project. And don't forget to join the Middlesex Genealogical Society Project.

Y-DNA testing is going to tell you about your distant ancestry rather than fill in your family tree. You are not very likely to find people for your family tree because only a small percentage of people have had their DNA tested. Many people gain insight into their distant ancestry.

If you would like to learn more about DNA testing, see our MGS Presentations of November 18, 2017, "Understanding DNA in Genealogy" and October 6, 2018, "Y-DNA and Genealogy." Or, contact Peter Biggins at: pabiggin@optonline.net

Migration from "Adam" in Africa to R in Asia to R-DF13 in England. Source: Family Tree DNA

Family Tree DNA provides a public results chart for male members and male relatives who have joined the MGS project at FTDNA. Under Haplogroup and in the subheadings, you will see the names of SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms, or mutations) that have been found. To the right of Haplogroup, you will see the values of STRs (short tandem repeats) for up to 111 markers.

Contact Peter Biggins if you have any questions about Y-DNA or testing Y-DNA:

• Email: pabiggin@optonline.net
• Phone: 203-655-3694