Surname DNA project

<h2 id="markers">Markers</h2>
<p>A Y-DNA test ranges from 10 to 111 markers on the Y chromosome. Most surname projects suggest at least 25 markers. Test results tell how many repeats a given subject has at a particular marker; the variations of repeats are known as <a href="/facts/Allele/8FxCS9KA">alleles</a>. For example, at <a href="/facts/List_of_Y-STR_markers/AN5evw5o">DYS455</a>, the results will normally show 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 repeats.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> The specific test results for a given individual are referred to as a <a href="/facts/Haplotype/0W2SEdu4">haplotype</a>. When a surname project has enough participants' test results, it can group similar test results together and determine a <a href="/facts/Modal_haplotype/WAg5NKIa">modal haplotype</a> for each such group of similar test results.
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<h2 id="testing-companies">Testing companies</h2>
<p>Surname projects are now being hosted by <a href="/facts/Genealogical_DNA_test/LnDLVnVX">testing</a> companies. Some labs even store the submitted samples for a number of years, enabling additional tests to be performed as they become available. By far the largest collection of Y-DNA test results is maintained by <a href="/facts/Family_Tree_DNA/GKSQR8Qh">Family Tree DNA</a>, including many surname projects that make direct use of those results.
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<h2 id="haplogroups">Haplogroups</h2>
<p class="note">Main article: <a href="/facts/Human_Y-chromosome_DNA_haplogroups/HnkydH6o">Human Y-chromosome DNA haplogroups</a></p>
<p>The Y chromosome has been studied intensely and variations have been divided into <a href="/facts/Human_Y-chromosome_DNA_haplogroups/HnkydH6o">Human Y-chromosome DNA haplogroups</a>, based upon the results of the number of <a href="/facts/Alleles/8FxCS9KA">alleles</a> in certain positions called <a href="/facts/List_of_Y-STR_markers/AN5evw5o">markers</a>. These "markers" have been chosen for their demonstrated ability to predict the haplogroup of the tested individual. Each testing company used a different set, although many are overlapping. This had allowed <a href="/facts/List_of_Y-STR_public_databases/Injavj69">Y-STR database websites</a> such as <a href="/facts/Ybase/Injavj69">Ybase</a> and <a href="/facts/Ysearch/Injavj69">Ysearch</a> (both now defunct) to convert scores from several companies and find matches within their database for submitted results.
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<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/One-name_study/gMn8ghXC">One-name study</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Extinction_of_surnames/9hv6EdPN">Extinction of surnames</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="further-reading">Further reading</h2>
<ul><li>Pomery, Chris (January–March 2010). <a href="http://www.one-name.org/journal/pdfs/vol10-5.pdf">"Finding Out What We're About: Changes in the field of DNA testing"</a> (PDF). <i>Journal of One-Name Studies</i>: 20–21. Retrieved July 10, 2013.</li>
<li>Carpenter, John R. (May 17, 2017). <a href="https://carpentercousins.com/DNATesting.pdf">"DNA Testing: What you need to know first"</a> (PDF). Retrieved August 4, 2024.</li></ul>
<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li><a href="http://www.cyndislist.com/surn-dna.htm">Cyndi's List - Surname DNA Studies and Projects</a></li>
<li><a href="https://isogg.org/wiki/Surname_DNA_projects">Surname DNA projects on ISOGG Wiki</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.familytreedna.com/projects.aspx">Family Tree DNA's Surname & Geographical Projects</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>Sykes, Bryan (2001). The Seven Daughters of Eve. W. W. Norton. pp. 291–92. ISBN 0-393-02018-5. Sykes discusses the difficulty in genealogically tracing a maternal lineage, due to the lack of matrilineal surnames (or matrinames) <a href="0-393-02018-5" target="_blank">0-393-02018-5</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>"Interpreting Genetic Distance Within Surname Projects". FamilyTreeDNA. Archived from the original on 6 February 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2011. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120206201329/http://www.familytreedna.com/genetic-distance-markers.aspx?testtype=37" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20120206201329/http://www.familytreedna.com/genetic-distance-markers.aspx?testtype=37</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>"Marker details for DYS455". Y-Chromosome Marker Details (Y-STR database). Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation. Retrieved 14 January 2012. <a href="http://www.smgf.org/ychromosome/marker_details.jspx?marker=DYS455" target="_blank">http://www.smgf.org/ychromosome/marker_details.jspx?marker=DYS455</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
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Surname DNA project open-in-new

Surname DNA project