Y-DNA and Our Jam?son Family

Genetically speaking, we humans are the sum of our two parents, all the way back to our distant most ancestor. And although we carry genetic material from all of our forefathers (and foremothers), so much of who we are today is unique and different as to each of us and not much at all of who our ancestors were. Moreover our distant cousins, related by our connections to the same ancestors, are really quite different from us. Nevertheless, social and cultural customs bind us to family groupings based on our ancestors and especially those with the same surname. Genealogies are usually the interest of family groupings and none so important and traditional as patriarchal surname based genealogies, which is what we are doing here, with our Jam?son family genealogy.

Fortunately for anyone interested in patriarchal genealogy, the Y-chromosome DNA of every living male contains a unique collection of genetic information within his helical DNA chromosome. What is important here is not so much what this genetic information is, but the knowledge that it is always inherited at the exact same location and in the same amount from that individual male's predecessors for generations, over and over for the past tens of thousands of years. Any deviation between results within these so called markers[1] means the DNA comes from men with different genetic paternal parentage. This is not to say that all the genetic information is handed down from father to son(s) intact, generation after generation, just certian parts of the Y chromosome and that's what makes it so important to anyoune interested in patriarchal genealogy.

Of this "genetic information" there are two types of these ancestral markers that are particularly important to genealogical research, namely STR[2] markers and SNP[3] markers. While STRs are useful for tracing recent ancestry (past few hundred years), SNPs are used to study ancient human history (thousands of years ago). STR's may have small changes (mutations) which occur naturally and randomly in the DNA every 20 or so generations, whereas SNP's may have small changes (mutations) occurring in their DNA every few thousand years.

OUR FAMILY PROFILE - As Expressed in Numbers - The STR Results

Y-DNA test results are usually expressed as a string of DYS[4] numbers, collectively known as STR[2] numbers and often referred to as markers.[1] These numbers are not medically informative, personally identifiable, or even understandable to the scientifically untrained, nor need they be.

DNA genealogy might be better understood and easier to use, if this collection of numbers are simply thought of as that person's YDNA profile.

It is then just a simple matter of comparing one person's profile with another person's profile to determine if they are related. Where more than one persons YDNA profile matches others, that profile can be said to be a "family" YDNA profile, which in the case of our particular Jameson family can be seen below. If the profiles do not match, it can equally be said that these two people are not related, at least not biologically. Questions arise where the profiles are close with just a few differences, but even two or three mismatches, over a 37 marker profile, can mean hundreds of years of separation to a common ancestor, and not generally considered a direct line of closely related people.

Another benefit of genetic testing is that a Y-DNA profile from any living male, worldwide, can now be compared to our established Jam?son Y-DNA family profile and if anyone matches our profile we all can be said to be of a common ancestor, regardless of name, place or otherwise known ancestry. Furthermore, if one of these people can otherwise identify and prove an ancestry (any ancestry), past a common ancestor, then we all can assume that ancestry. Conversely, if a Jam?son male has Y-DNA profile does not match our known Jam?son family profile, he cannot claim to be part of this family, at least genetically, regardless of any paper trail.

SAME PROFILE - Different Surname?

Yes, this is not just possible, it exists, and there are several known examples. See here for a more thorough explanation: Same Y-DNA Profile, But Different Surname? Surnames are relatively new and our Jam?son ancestors were part of a family that existed before surnames were used. Anyone descended from our common ancestors, prior to the use of surnames would, of course, match our same DNA profile. Others, of irregular birth, or those that adopted alternate surnames would also match our DNA profile. We were all, at onetime, descended from the same family.

However, for our purposes, to determining the history, ancestry and complete content of our particular "Jam?son" family, we focus primarily on those using the Jam?on surname.

OUR HAPLOGROUP - Ancient Historical Profile

All male humans alive today can be classified into a specific Y-DNA Haplogroup in the Y-DNA Haplotree based on SNP markers found in their Y-DNA. By examining SNPs from indigenous individuals from around the world, scientists can estimate the time and location each SNP first occurred. Once the time and location of occurrence of the SNP is known, it becomes a "time and date stamp" which can be used to trace ancestry.

- Click here for our Jam?son Y-DNA Haplogroup details

FEMALE DNA STUDY?

Genealogy using DNA to research a female line can be done by testing mtDNA. Like Y-DNA, mtDNA is inherited from a parent, but in this case it is only passed on from mother to child. Although males do inherit mtDNA from their mothers, they do not then pass it on to their children. This unique feature of mtDNA allows it to be used for tracing matrilineage, the study of the maternal side of a family. In addition and like Y-DNA, mtDNA testing can also be used to determine a person's mtDNA (maternal) Haplogroup and Haplotype for ancient history and migrations research.

Because of traditions in our society, where the wife takes her husband’s last name, a surname genealogy trace of the female line of the family tree is more difficult and confusing.

Maternal family research works best on a individual basis if you want to know your entire ancestry (as in "the history of John/Jane Doe?), but it does not lend itself well to the study of a single family surname lineage (as in "the Genealogy of the Doe Family"). mtDNA usage is better suited to someone currently living who wants to start with himself/herself and discover their linage going backwards, new to old. Those interested in this should then look into mtDNA testing and research.

For our purposes maternal side research through DNA study does not work. If a living person today looks at mtDNA results, for the purpose of ancestral discovery, his or her findings would quickly go off in a divergent tangent, away from our Jam?son family focus. Our purpose here is to study the Jam?son family, old to new.

In the last few years DNA testing for use with researching family histories and genealogy, has become widely available, affordable and as such a unique and important toot. There are now several very reputable labs who do this specifically for genealogy as well as groups who have organized for unique family projects.

We test for the Y Chromosone and use the Family Tree DNA - Genealogy by Genetics, Ltd. company.This type of DNA testing helps us understand and focus on the patriarchal nature and family grouping of our specific Jam?son family. We are part of several DNA Projects including: The Jamieson Family DNA Project, the Gunn Sept List DNA Project, the Clan Stewart DNA Project, the Ulster (Ireland) Heritage DNA Project, the Scotland DNA Project, and the Haplogroup I1 Project.

We urge every Jam?son male descendant (must have the Jam?son surname) to help find your own ancestors with this DNA program. Please read this page of answers about DNA testing and then contact us about how to coordinate your results.

- for information on how to get started