We owe a debt of gratitude to Gordon Hamilton. Gordon started our Y DNA project on faculty computer space while at Penn State University. Participants were grouped within defined parameters of affinity based on their STRs. Gordon’s project is no longer updated but is available at https://www.hamiltondna.com/frstdna/Table.html. More information is available here than on the Family Tree DNA Forrest / Forrester surname project. A self-reported table of ancestors is available within these pages.
Since the early days, we have undergone deep clade testing, Big Y, Big Y 500 and now Big Y 700 next generation sequencing tests. NGS is a discovery test of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). 41 of our 166 participants have Big Y 500 with 28 upgrading to Big Y 700. At the time of writing, 24.7% of participants have undergone NGS testing which has rendered 55 confirmed haplogroups. Why is this important? Genetically it tells us who we are.
There are a genetic Adam and a genetic Eve. Exploring our positive calls in NGS results confirm this. For our purpose I will not bore anyone by delving into the 2000+ SNPs all participants possess. As we delve into affinity groups, I will refer to the common ancestor haplotype.
Most of our North American branches came from the British Isles. It is no surprise that most participants are in major haplogroup R1b which is the most dominant. This is noted by R-M269 on our surname project. This mutation, T to C, is positive for all downstream descendants. It’s the defining mutation for Western Atlantic Modal Haplotype and has been defined as Anatolian by Britain’s DNA. For our group’s distant affinity, all R1b descends M269 > L23 > L51 > P310 > L151.
Three major divisions occur in our project downstream of L151. Group G descends down A8053. This group is called a basal subclade since all are negative for major branches P312 and U106. A8053 branched from L151 about 3050 BCE with a most recent common ancestor about 2950 BCE.
P312 is the largest branch. The mutation occurred about the same time as A8053, about 3050 BCE. The most recent common ancestor was about 2900 BCE. Groups A, E (predicted), H, I and M are positive for P312. Several unmatched in Group X are also confirmed or predicted P312 positive.
U106 is estimated to branch from L151 about 3050 BCE with a most recent common ancestor around 3000 BCE. Groups B, C, N, O and P are confirmed U106 positive. Many in Group X are also confirmed or predicted U106 positive. I plan to arrange Group X by major haplogroup later.
I will explore haplogroups I, J and E in my next paper.