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Exploring Ethnicity with DNA, Part II: Autosomal Testing

autosomes - autosomal testing

In our Exploring Ethnicity with DNA, Part I blog post a few weeks ago, we reported on how to explore ethnic origins with Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA. Whereas Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA are limited to direct lines, autosomal DNA is inherited from many ancestors across several lines. On the other hand, while Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA represent very deep ancestral lines, autosomal DNA sometimes does not reflect the contributions of more distant ancestors and autosomal testing is most useful for solving mysteries which occurred within the last six or so generations.

Each person inherits 50% of their autosomal DNA from their mother and 50% from their father. A process called recombination randomly shuffles DNA before it is passed on to children. Therefore, the amount of DNA shared in common with more distant generations is only approximate. Most individuals will share about 25% of their DNA with each grandparent, about 12.5% with each great-grandparent, and approximately half again for each previous generation.

Eventually there will be some ancestors from whom an individual does not inherit any genetic material at all. For example, everyone inherits at least some DNA from each of their grandparents, great-grandparents and 2nd-great-grandparents. Additionally, most individuals inherit a small portion of DNA from their 3rd– and 4th-great-grandparents as well. Beyond this point, however, some ancestors begin to “fall off” the genetic tree. Though they are among the individual’s genealogical predecessors, they did not contribute significantly to their genetic makeup. As a result, their contributions to a descendant’s ethnicity admixture may not be detectable.

Because of the random process of recombination, ethnic admixture percentages will not necessarily represent expected ethnic percentages. For example, an individual with one Danish grandmother, two British grandfathers, and a Jewish grandmother might have 30% Scandinavian DNA, 45% British and 25% Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry. The ethnic contributions of more distant ancestors may not appear. Therefore, ethnic admixture results only warrant additional investigation when there are extreme anomalies from expected results. Having a Danish grandmother and no Scandinavian admixture would warrant additional investigation.

Each of the four major DNA testing companies (MyHeritage DNA, AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and Family Tree DNA) offers an autosomal DNA test and ethnic admixture tools for their interpretation. Though each can be useful for genealogical investigation, 23andMe is typically considered the best for their analysis tools and for the presentation of ethnic admixture results. They allow test subjects to view their ethnic origins by chromosome in a personalized painting. These chromosome views of ethnic admixture can be helpful in exploring the ethnic origins of recent ancestors and can provide specific clues for genealogical investigation. Gedmatch.com, a third party tool which accepts submissions of raw data from each of the testing companies, also provides additional analysis tools for ethnicity.

In one recent project at Legacy Tree, we were able to determine that an adoptee’s grandfather was likely a Russian refugee from the Bolshevik revolution who settled in an immigrant community near Paris. This was determined through investigation of the client’s ethnic admixture and corroboration against what was already known regarding his family. In another case, using ethnic admixture test results, we were able to show that one client’s elusive British great-grandfather who immigrated to South Africa had significant European Jewish ancestry and was possibly a descendant of Sephardic Jews who settled in London.

Although ethnic admixture results can provide important clues for genealogical investigation, they are only part of the results available from autosomal DNA tests. Through comparison of DNA segments shared in common between test subjects, each of the companies also provides a list of genetic cousins whose relationships are estimated based on the length, size, and position of the DNA segments that two test subjects share in common. Collaboration and comparison of test results with these individuals can help identify previously unknown ancestors and can refute, confirm, or identify their ethnic origins.

autosomal admixture 23andme
A sample of an individual's autosomal ethnic admixture results from a test done at 23andMe.com.

If you have a mysterious ancestor, or if you have family stories of unique ethnicities, our researchers at Legacy Tree Genealogists would love to assist you in preparing a testing plan and interpreting your DNA test results. Contact us today for a free consultation.

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Exploring Ethnicity with DNA: Part I

DNA tests can reveal important details regarding ancestry and ethnic origins. We explore how DNA and ethnicity are intertwined.

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Many of the queries we receive at Legacy Tree Genealogists concern elusive ancestors who are difficult to trace. Sometimes there are rumors of descent from Native American, African, or Jewish ancestry. Other times there are no clues at all regarding an ancestor’s origins. In cases of ethnic origins, DNA testing is a unique tool that can assist in proving or disproving family stories, or revealing the origins of a “brick-wall” ancestor.

There are three types of DNA tests: Y-chromosome, mitochondrial, and autosomal. Each type of test can reveal important details regarding ancestry and ethnic origins depending on the different inheritance patterns associated with each of these three types of DNA. Here we will discuss Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA tests, which are also known as direct-line tests.

The Y-chromosome is inherited along the direct paternal line of ancestry. Each male individual received their Y-DNA from their father, who inherited it from his father, and so on. In this way, the Y-chromosome is handed down in much the same way as surnames in Western cultures.

Mitochondrial DNA is inherited along the direct maternal line of ancestry. Each individual inherits their mitochondrial DNA from their mother, who inherited it from their mother, and so on.

When two individuals share a common Y-DNA signature, this means that they share a common direct-line paternal ancestor. When two individuals share a mitochondrial DNA signature in common, we know that they share a common direct-line maternal ancestor.

Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA are passed on intact to descendants, but occasional mutations help to distinguish unique Y-DNA and mtDNA lineages from each other. Some of these unique lineages, called haplogroups, are specific to localities, ethnicities, and geographic areas.

For example, some specific signatures within mitochondrial haplogroups A, B, C, and D indicate Native American ancestry. Another signature in mitochondrial haplogroup B, known as the Malagasy motif, indicates that an individual has direct-line maternal ancestry from Madagascar. Some Y-chromosome signatures within haplogroup R are closely associated with Irish and Scottish ancestry. In one of the recent projects at Legacy Tree, we discovered that a client had a unique Y-DNA signature which is commonly associated with the descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages, a 5th-century Irish king. Niall is a legendary and controversial figure, but regardless of the historicity of his life, we were able to conclude through Y-DNA analysis that the client likely had direct-line paternal ancestry in Scotland or Ireland where this signature is most commonly found. This was supported by the fact that his closest matches claimed origins in these areas.[1]

There are unique Y-DNA and mtDNA signatures associated with African, Native American, East Asian, and Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry. Even if the haplogroup itself is not unique to a specific locality, comparison against close matches can sometimes help to identify the probable origin of the shared common ancestor.

Though both Y-DNA and mtDNA haplogroups use an alphabetic nomenclature, the designations have no relationship to one another. For example mitochondrial DNA haplogroup A, which is commonly found in East Asia and the Americas, does not coincide with the geographic distribution patterns of Y-DNA haplogroup A, which is indicative of direct-line paternal African ancestry.

Both Y-DNA and mtDNA are inherited along direct paternal and maternal lines. Therefore, if your ancestor of interest is not a direct-line paternal or maternal ancestor, it may be necessary to search for descendants who do descend along the direct line to test hypotheses regarding an ancestor’s origin.

It is also important to remember that haplogroups are representative of deep ancestry and can sometimes be anomalous within the context of modern and ancient migrations. For example, one study in 2007 found several members of a British family with documented genealogies back into the 1700s. Despite the fact that they had lived in Yorkshire for generations, their Y-DNA belonged to halplogroup A, which is typically indicative of African ancestry. Several researchers have attributed this unique lineage to the settlement of Africans and Romans of African descent during the Roman Era of Britain.[2]

Currently, there are only two major genetic genealogy testing companies that offer information about mitochondrial DNA and Y-DNA: 23andMe and Family Tree DNA. As part of their $199 test, 23andMe offers information about the haplogroups or deep ancestry of the maternal and paternal lines. Family Tree DNA is the only genetic genealogy testing company that offers genealogically conclusive Y-DNA and mtDNA tests. They also offer several levels of testing (37, 67, or 111 marker Y-DNA tests and HVR1/HVR2 or full sequence mtDNA tests). Depending on the specific details of a project, the lower testing levels can be sufficient to investigate ethnic origins.

If you have an unknown ancestor or family stories of unique ethnicities, our researchers at Legacy Tree Genealogists would love to assist you in preparing a testing plan and interpreting your DNA test results. Contact us today to get started. 

[1] Moore, L. T., McEvoy, B., Cape, E., Simms, K., & Bradley, D. G. (2006). A Y-Chromosome Signature of Hegemony in Gaelic Ireland. American Journal of Human Genetics, 78(2), 334–338.

[2] Turi E. King; Emma J. Parkin; Geoff Swinfield; Fulvio Cruciani; Rosaria Scozzari; Alexandra Rosa; Si-Keun Lim; Yali Xue; Chris Tyler-Smith & Mark A. Jobling (2007a). ”Africans in Yorkshire? The deepest-rooting clade of the Y phylogeny within an English genealogy”. European Journal of Human Genetics 15 (3): 288–293

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MyHeritage Name Translation – A Useful Tool for Worldwide Research

world flag map

Imagine for a moment that a man named Jean Joseph Casanouve was born in France in the early 1800s and had five sons. One immigrated to Mexico, another went to Italy, the third left for Brazil, one remained in France, and the last immigrated to the United States. Today, Jean Joseph has many descendants who revere their French ancestor – Juan José, Giovanni Giuseppe, João José, John Joseph and Jean Joseph Casanouve.

Although all of these names refer to the same individual, the descendants of Jean Joseph’s five sons might call their ancestor by different names based on their different family histories and native languages. Now imagine if Jean Joseph’s descendants had immigrated instead to Algeria, Israel, Russia, Greece and Armenia. Not only would his name be pronounced differently, but it would be written in different alphabets as well.

For many genealogists, research will eventually progress to a point where your ancestors lived in a place where people spoke a different language, or where government administration and records were kept in a language other than what the researcher speaks. Beyond the usual barriers of researching in a foreign country, it can also be quite difficult to find individuals if they used naming equivalents in several separate and unfamiliar languages.

At Legacy Tree Genealogists, we have observed this phenomenon in many different situations. For example, Pennsylvania Germans, New Amsterdam Dutch, and many Italians often anglicized their names later in life. French Canadians sometimes translated their surnames into English – LeBlanc became White and DuBois became Wood. Ashkenazi Jews often maintained separate legal and religious identities. Russian immigrants had to deal with different spellings in a new alphabet. German ancestors may have used a German name in daily life, but their legal and religious name may have been a Latin equivalent. When searching for these ancestors, it can be difficult to determine which names an individual may have used throughout their life and which ones will get you the best results in your research.

With this challenge in mind, MyHeritage, one of Legacy Tree’s official partners, has developed a revolutionary technology to assist individuals of different culturals and linguistic traditions to connect with their ancestors and living cousins. MyHeritage’s Name Translation technology will take a search query and include name equivalents and alphabets in the search results. Before the advent of this technology, in order to connect with individuals who had published their trees in Russian, it was necessary to search in the Cyrillic alphabet. Now researchers can enter their search in any language and obtain results from all over the world. The example provided in this article shows a search for Sasha Ivanovich and demonstrates results with equivalent names like Alexei and Alexandre as well as results entered in the Cyrillic alphabet.

 

mh name translation

This resource is invaluable for researchers whose distant cousins immigrated to all parts of the globe. By using the name translation search, they can connect with their distant cousins who may have also documented information on their common ancestor, but who until now were inaccessible due to language barriers. As an example, descendants of European Jews who immigrated to the United States, Israel, and other parts of Europe and the world are particularly well-suited to benefit from this new technology given the linguistic and alphabet differences between the various destination countries of their relatives.

We note that while this technology is extremely useful in very many cases, there may be some situations where a narrower search would be preferred. Since the Name Translation technology is a search-broadening tool, it is likely that the results may include some records and hits that are not pertinent to specific research questions, and so there is an option to disable the name translation options when needed. However, it appears that most pertinent results appear near the beginning of the results of search queries. Ultimately, translation results should not drown out the information you are seeking on your particular ancestor.

As the recommended research firm of MyHeritage, Legacy Tree is excited for the benefits to be gained from this breakthrough technology both for MyHeritage members as well as Legacy Tree clients whose ancestors may be hiding behind language barriers. Would you like us to help you with your research? Contact us today for a free consultation.

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The Who, What, Where, and Why of Genetic Genealogy Testing

Genetic Genealogy TestingIn the future, genetic testing will become an increasingly integral part of the fields of family history and genealogy. Even now, genetic testing is sometimes considered necessary as part of the reasonably exhaustive search required for the genealogical proof standard.

In this introduction to DNA testing for family history purposes, we'll outline how DNA tests work, provide an explanation of the tests available and the companies that offer them, and finally, explain what results you can expect and how they can be used to answer family history questions.

The Companies

There are four main companies that offer tests which are useful for family history. In order for a DNA test to be useful for genealogical investigation, it must analyze informative markers on the DNA and it must connect the results to a database of other tested individuals. Although there are many companies that offer DNA testing for some type of ancestry analysis, only four of these companies meet the aforementioned criteria:  MyHeritage DNA, Ancestry.com, Family Tree DNA, and 23andMe.

Taking the Test

Each of these companies use a similar collection method. After a customer purchases a test, they will receive a kit in the mail. Ancestry.com and 23andMe both use a saliva collection tube, whereas MyHeritage DNA and FamilyTreeDNA both use a cheek swab. These non-invasive collection kits do not require the subject to draw blood. They are simple to use and come with a detailed set of instructions.

MyHeritage DNA, 23andMe and Ancestry.com require creation of an account in order for the test to be fully processed. FamilyTreeDNA will request an email address where the results can be sent.

Test Types

There are three types of tests offered for family history purposes: Y-chromosome tests, mitochondrial DNA tests, and autosomal DNA tests. The meaning behind these names will be explored below in the section titled “DNA Types.”

All four companies offer an autosomal DNA test, and this is the only test offered at Ancestry.com, MyHeritage DNA and 23andMe. FamilyTreeDNA’s autosomal DNA test is called the “Family Finder.” In addition to the Family Finder autosomal DNA test, FamilyTreeDNA also offers several Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA tests.

Although 23andMe includes some analysis of the Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA as part of their product, this analysis only investigates the very deep ancestry of these DNA types. Sometimes deep ancestry information can offer clues, but it does not provide enough information to draw genealogical conclusions.

The test results from each of the companies differ from one another in some aspects, but have some basic shared elements. When your test results are ready, you will receive a notification to your email and you will be able to view them by logging into your account. Autosomal tests include ancestral ethnicity estimates as well as a list of genetic cousins or matches who are estimated relatives based on the amount of DNA that you share in common with them. Each company offers different tools for additional analysis of autosomal DNA test results. MyHeritage allows users the option to upload their raw DNA from other companies in order to receive an ethnicity report and genetic matching in their database.

Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA tests also include some basic information about the geographic distribution of your DNA types, and also include a list of relatives based on the markers that you share in common. These test results also include a summary of the mutations on your own Y-chromosome or mitochondrial DNA that make them unique from other lineages.

DNA Types

The Y-chromosome is only carried by males and is inherited in a line of direct paternal descent. A male receives his Y-chromosome from his father who inherited it from his father, and on and on. Occasional mutations help to distinguish different Y-chromosome lineages. Because surnames are often inherited in a similar pattern in many cultures, two individuals with the same surname and similar Y-chromosome signatures share a common direct line paternal ancestor. Likewise, two individuals with different surnames but who share the same Y-chromosome signature share a common direct line paternal ancestor. This situation may be indicative of a “non-paternal event (NPE),” which could include an undocumented adoption, illegitimacy, a surname change, or any number of other situations which might result in the paternal surname not being passed to both lines of descent.

Mitochondrial DNA is carried by both males and females, but it is only passed on by females. Therefore, mitochondrial DNA is inherited along the direct maternal line. An individual receives their mitochondrial DNA from their mother who received it from her mother. Occasional mutations help to distinguish different mitochondrial DNA lineages. If two individuals share a mitochondrial DNA signature it may be indicative of shared maternal ancestry. Because mitochondrial DNA is much smaller than any other type of DNA, and because it undergoes fewer mutations over time, it is harder to make genealogical discoveries with this type of test. It is best used to offer support for genealogical hypotheses.

Autosomal DNA tests analyze portions of the DNA that are inherited both paternally and maternally. Each person receives half of their autosomal DNA from their mother and half from their father. Autosomal DNA undergoes a process called recombination, which shuffles the maternally and paternally inherited copies of DNA before passing them on to the next generation. Each person receives exactly half of their autosomal DNA from each parent, but only approximate percentages can be applied to more distant generations of ancestors due to the random nature of recombination. Each individual shares about 25 percent of their DNA with each grandparent and half that amount for each subsequent generation. Individuals who share large identical segments of autosomal DNA most likely share a recent common ancestor.

The X-chromosome is one other type of DNA that has a unique inheritance pattern. Males have one X-chromosome from their mother. Females have two X-chromosomes: one from their mother and one from their father. The X-chromosome undergoes recombination in females, but not in males. Though the X-chromosome cannot be assigned to a specific line of descent, it can be used to eliminate individuals from a person’s tree as possible common ancestors to their matches. The X-chromosome is tested at each of the companies as part of their autosomal DNA tests.

Reasons to Test

Genetic genealogy tests can help confirm or refute genealogical hypotheses, open up new avenues of research, or they may not be helpful at all. However, as the databases grow and as more people test, the last result in this list is becoming increasingly uncommon.

DNA testing can be useful for answering questions regarding adoption, illegitimacy, unknown or mis-attributed parentage, name changes, immigration, and many other instances of difficult-to-trace ancestry.

While DNA tests have the ability to help investigation in these difficult situations, they also have the ability to reveal well-kept family secrets. Whenever a DNA test is taken, the subject should recognize the possibility of discovering previously unexpected relationships through undocumented adoptions and illegitimacies. Many times the discovery of these events can be surprising and may drastically change the way you view and approach your family history. Testing companies and private researchers do not claim responsibility for these discoveries and the impact that they may have on individuals and families.

Genetic Genealogy Success

Many adoptees have successfully identified their birth parents through genetic testing and other available resources. However, genetic testing can also be helpful for genealogical questions. Many have successfully used Y-DNA testing in conjunction with autosomal DNA and the historical record to identify fathers of illegitimate ancestors. Others have used autosomal testing to overcome recent genealogical brick walls. Yet others have used mitochondrial DNA to support descent from common maternal ancestors and to confirm or refute family legends regarding African or Native American ancestry.

In one recent case, we were able to reveal the identity of a client’s 2nd great grandfather through autosomal testing. A concealed illegitimacy had prevented previous contact with this part of the client’s family and as a result of DNA testing, we were able to extend the client’s ancestry several generations. Though we were able to answer the client’s research question, this research also opened new avenues of investigation since no member of the family has yet been able to determine the origin and parentage of their common 2nd great-grandfather who was born in the early 1850s in Missouri. DNA testing and collaboration with these newfound cousins may help to reveal this individual’s ancestry through future research.

Applications of DNA testing to genealogical investigation are many and varied, and they are also frequently successful. However, even when tests do not yield immediate results, as more people test and more matches are identified, genetic genealogy tests become sources that keep giving.

Our resident DNA experts would be happy to help you analyze and make sense of the results you get from any of the major DNA testing companies. Get started by requesting a free quote today.

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DNA: Transforming African American Genealogy

DNA African American

Are you interested in learning more about your African American heritage? Advancements in African American DNA testing may provide answers when historical records don't exist. 

In 2006, PBS aired a television program called African American Lives in which Henry Louis Gates Jr. explored the genealogies of prominent African-Americans. In this mini-series, Gates used traditional genealogical research in combination with DNA analysis to reveal secrets about his guests’ family histories.[1]

As a genetic genealogist myself, this series was both awe-inspiring and eye-opening. It was a key factor in my own decision to pursue a career in genetic genealogy. To think that each one of us carries a biological record of our ancestry in our cells intrigued me. That DNA could tell many African-Americans the approximate origins of their direct-line maternal and paternal ancestors fascinated me. I learned that even if the lack of historical records may obscure our vision of our ancestors’ lives, the biological record in our DNA can still reveal precious clues regarding their origins and history.

Genetic genealogy has grown dramatically since 2006 when African American Lives first aired, and with its growth, DNA testing has gradually become a common and often indispensable element of African-American research.

The field of African-American genealogy is wrought with challenges. Beyond the emotional difficulty of the subject matter – dealing with records which describe the captivity and subjugation of human beings – African-American genealogical research is also difficult because of a scarcity of records. Add to this the widespread record destruction in the Southern United States in general, and tracing African ancestors can be a formidable task. This is where DNA testing comes in! Following are the three types of genetic testing and their uses:

Y-DNA

The Y-chromosome is inherited along a line of direct paternal descent. Males receive this type of DNA from their father who received it from his father and grandfather in an unbroken chain. Occasional mutations on the Y-chromosome from one generation to another help to distinguish different Y-chromosome lineages. These lineages are grouped into larger groups of lineages called haplogroups. Y-DNA haplogroups most commonly found in Africa include A, B and E, as well as subgroups of other haplogroups.

Many African-Americans, when they perform Y-DNA testing, discover that their Y-chromosome is of European origin. This has been attributed to the common practice among slave-owners of fathering children by their female slaves. Since the Y-chromosome often follows the same patrilineal inheritance of surnames, Y-DNA testing can often connect African-Americans to the slave-holding ancestor to whom their direct-line paternal ancestor belonged. This is a key piece of information in traditional African-American research.

One prominent case, and one of the hallmark studies in the history of genetic genealogy, showed that Thomas Jefferson was in fact the father of his slave, Sally Hemings’ children. A male descendant of Sally’s youngest child, Eston, was found to share the same unique Y-chromosome signature as a descendant of Thomas’ uncle, Field Jefferson.[2] This discovery caused a shift in the consensus among biographers and historians of Thomas Jefferson and consequently changed the way we view American history.

Though many African-American males find that their direct-line paternal ancestry is European, about 65% of African-American males have Y-chromosomes that trace back to Africa. Subgroups of common African haplogroups are more frequently found in specific African populations and can sometimes be used to identify the likely origins of an individual’s direct-line paternal African ancestor.

Mitochondrial DNA

Like the Y-chromosome, mitochondrial DNA is passed on intact from generation to generation, and occasional mutations distinguish different lineages into mtDNA haplogroups. The most common mtDNA haplogroups in Africa are haplogroups L1, L2 and L3. Unlike the Y-chromosome, which is inherited along the direct paternal line, mitochondrial DNA is inherited along the direct maternal line. Every individual receives mtDNA from their mother, who inherited it from her mother and grandmother in an unbroken maternal line.

Most African-Americans, when they test their mtDNA, discover that it traces back to Africa through haplogroup L. Some find that it traces back into Native American lineages including haplogroups A,B,C or D. Like Y-DNA, some mitochondrial sub-haplogroups are only found in high numbers in specific areas of Africa. Therefore, mitochondrial DNA testing can sometimes suggest likely geographic origins of a direct line maternal African ancestor.

In the last season of Finding Your Roots on PBS, two African-American guests discovered unique information about their mtDNA. Dancer and actress Khandi Alexander’s mtDNA revealed shared direct-line maternal ancestry with individuals living in modern-day Ethiopia in eastern Africa – a very unique result for someone with African-American ancestry, since most slaves came from West Africa.

Political activist Ben Jealous discovered that his mtDNA had two mutations that were very specific to individuals living in Madagascar. From this result it was determined that his direct line maternal African ancestor was most likely a woman who was brought on one of just 17 slave ships which transported slaves from Madagascar to Virginia and New York between 1678 and 1721. Since Ben’s closest mitochondrial DNA matches are all African-American and Madagascan, his other African-American matches also likely have direct-line maternal ancestors who arrived on one of these same slave ships during the same time period.[3]

Autosomal DNA 

Each person receives half of their autosomal DNA from their mother, half from their father, and about half the previous amount for each subsequent generation.

When individuals test their autosomal DNA, they are given a breakdown of ethnicity estimates and compared to a database of other individuals who have tested. These ethnicity estimates show the percentages of DNA that originate from different areas of the world. After comparison to the database, each individual is given a list of genetic cousins which are determined by the amount of DNA that they share in common with other test takers.

Ethnicity results typically deal with large population clusters, but the DNA testing companies do not offer more specific descriptions of tribes or localities and, as a result, are not as useful for identifying the specific areas of Africa where a person’s ancestors may have come from.

Match lists, on the other hand, can provide more specific information about ancestral origins of African-American ancestors. Through lists of genetic cousins, it is often possible to identify the slave-holding European families who may be among an African-American’s own ancestors.

As more individuals test, and as DNA testing becomes a worldwide phenomenon, African-Americans may begin to see more matches who still reside in Africa. In 2013, 23andMe announced the African Ancestry Project, which offered free tests to individuals with four grandparents from Sub-Saharan Africa, in hopes that this might help African-Americans connect with the largest source populations during the transatlantic slave trade.[4]

Even now, autosomal test results for African-Americans have begun to reshape the way we view race relations and African-American ancestry in the United States. In January 2015, 23andMe published an article in the American Journal of Human Genetics, which used the genetic data of 160,000 23andMe customers, including more than 5,000 self-identified African-Americans. Through this study, 23andMe mapped levels of Native American, African, and European ancestry among these self-reported groups. They found that many individuals who had self-identified as African-American had at least 1% Native American DNA. They also found that on average, African-American individuals had about 24% ethnic admixture from European populations. Among other populations they found that on average, Latinos had 6% African admixture and Europeans had .19% African admixture. However, there were certain regions of the United States where these percentages were much higher.[5] Other studies have also shown various admixture percentages among Caribbean, Central American and South American countries.

These results and others nuance our views of racial identity in the United States. For example, Henry Louis Gates, in the last season of Finding Your Roots, discovered that one of his own European ancestors was a white man by the name of William Mayle, who immigrated to Virginia from England. In 1826, he emancipated and publicly “married” his slave Nancy, despite the fact that interracial marriage was then illegal in Virginia. Mayle and his wife eventually went on to found a large community of mixed-race families in West Virginia known as the Chestnut Ridge People. Later in life, Mayle himself, who began life as an Englishman, was variously recorded as white, mulatto and colored.[6] Though perhaps an isolated case, Mayle’s experience varies from the commonly assumed situations of coercion and rape which are the most common explanations for European admixture among African-Americans.

The Ideal Tool

Genetic genealogy is the ideal tool for helping African-Americans connect with their African, European and Native American heritage. DNA tests can help people connect with their African roots through unique Y-DNA and mtDNA haplogroups. They can help researchers identify their European slave-holding ancestors, and they can help them connect with and contribute to the national narrative of American history. As genetic genealogy becomes an increasingly integral part of African-American family history research, additional discoveries will likely surface that change and contribute to our views of family histories, national histories and world history.

Our resident DNA experts would be happy to help you analyze and make sense of the results you get from any of the major DNA testing companies. Get started by requesting a free quote today.

 

[1] Henry Louis Gates Jr. African-American Lives, PBS, February 1-8 2006, Television.

[2] Eugene A. Foster, et al. “Jefferson fathered slave’s last child” in Nature. 1998 396 (6706): 27-28

[3] CeCe Moore, “Telling Stories with Mitochondrial DNA,” Finding Your Roots Blog, http://www.pbs.org/wnet/finding-your-roots/blog/telling-stories-mitochondrial-dna/ (accessed 11 February 2015).

[4] ScottH, “23andMe’s African Ancestry Project” 23andMeBlog  http://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/23andmes-african-ancestry-project/ (accessed 11 February 2015) published 1 November 2013

[5] Katarzyna Bryc, et al. “The Genetic Ancestry of African-Americans, Latinos and European Americans across the United States” American Journal of Human Genetics. 2015 January 8; 96(1): 37-53.

[6] Henry Lewis Gates Jr. “Decoding Our Past Through DNA” Finding You Roots Season 2, PBS, 2014.

 

Are you interested in learning more about your African American heritage? If so, DNA can provide answers when historical records don't exist. Learn how!

 

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6 Valuable Resources for Tracing French Ancestors

Resources for French Ancestors

These are the resources you've been searching for to trace your French ancestry! Use the tools professional genealogists use to break through century-old brick walls. 

One of the greatest challenges in tracing immigrant ancestors is determining their town of origin in the home country. Some records may provide clues of their nationality or ethnicity, but narrowing the search further can be difficult.

Though this article deals specifically with tracing French immigrants, these principles are applicable in tracing immigrants of other nationalities as well and similar resources may exist for other areas.

Finding Successful Records

Before attempting to pursue foreign research, all sources available in the receiving country should be consulted for clues regarding an ancestor’s place of origin. Research on any immigrant, regardless of origin, should include home sources, naturalization records, passenger lists, census records, obituaries, newspapers and local histories.

Most recent French immigrants (post-1800) were Catholic and the church records in their receiving countries may offer important details. Catholic baptism, marriage and death records often reported the names, origins and residences of an individual and their parents and sometimes even their grandparents. Whenever possible, consult all entries for your ancestor, their children and their extended family members.

Resources for French Ancestors

Published family trees from descendants and more distant relatives may help to pinpoint an ancestor’s origin. In addition to commonly used American websites, consider using the following websites: Geneanet, Heredis Online, and Genealogie.

These three websites are commonly used by French researchers and may enable collaboration with relatives from France. Though they are subscription databases, they each allow various levels of free searches.

If you are still struggling to identify the place of origin of your immigrant ancestor, consider analyzing the geographic distribution of their surname:

Geopatronyme – Combines an index of more than 1 million birth records from all areas of France dating from between 1891-1990. Even if your ancestor immigrated before this time period, family members who stayed behind may have continued to live in the same area. This website reports the location where individuals with a surname were born in France during different time periods as well as the specific departments and communes where the name is most prevalent.

Use Facebook's search bar to search for all individuals of a certain surname in a geographic region.

While immigration records to receiving countries sometimes provide little information on an immigrant’s origin, records made upon the migrant’s departure can help. Unfortunately, these records are sometimes less accessible. Some resources that may help include:

  • Genealogie.com
    • Subscription database though free searches are allowed to determine if there may be a result for your ancestor.
    • Français débarqés à New-York
      • French, Belgian, Swiss, Luxembourgish and Maghrebs who arrived in new York at the end of the 19th century
      • More than 775,000 entries
    • Français débarqués au Canada
        • French passengers who arrived in Canadian ports during the 19th century
        • More than 23,000 entries
    • Français débarqués aux USA
        • French and Mahgreb immigrants to the United States dating from 1820
        • 115,000 entries
    • Français naturalisés aux USA (1900-1920)
      • French individuals who received American citizenship between 1900 and 1920)
      • 78,000 entries.
  • The Immigrant Ancestor Project
    • Though this database includes emigrants from several areas of Europe, it has a large representation of French immigrants. It includes detailed transcriptions of entries from passport applications and passenger lists and currently documents entries for more than 28,000 individuals who left France between 1700 and 1915 bound for the Americas, Africa, Polynesia and other parts of Europe.
  • Departmental Archives of Gironde:
    • Passeports (1800-1899)
      • Records of 44,000 individuals who received passports in the Gironde Department (Bordeaux) between 1800 and 1900.

Once you have identified the place of origin for your ancestor, you can confirm your findings through civil registration records, many of which are available online at the various department archive websites. 78 of France’s 95 departments (administrative divisions) have published records online.

Though tracing French ancestors to their towns of origin may be difficult, records from both the receiving country and from the home country can help provide the connection between your immigrant ancestor and their town of origin.

Legacy Tree Genealogists has helped thousands of clients extend their family history and learn more about their ancestors. Our staff of highly-trained experts is ready to help you with your genealogy research goals. Contact us today for a free consultation. 

 

We've compiled the top resources for tracing your French ancestors. Use the tools that professional genealogists use for French family history research.