DNA Research

 

DNA testing has become much more cost effective, informative and useful in recent years.

Nearly everyone — with rare exceptions — is born with 23 pairs of chromosomes that were passed down from parents through combinations of their 46 chromosomes.

X and Y, the two most popularly known chromosomes, are part of the 23rd pair of chromosomes. They’re also called the sex chromosomes because they determine what biological sex you’re born with.

The rest of the 22 pairs are called autosomes. They’re also known as autosomal chromosomes. Autosomes and sex chromosomes contain a total of about 20,000 genes.

The male Y chromosone contained in a DNA sample is passed down the male line virtually intact. Thus, if two male DNAs closely match then it can be scientifically proven that these people are related.

The relationship chart below is a helpful way of depicting DNA relationships.

There are two main types of commercial organisations that conduct and analyse these tests. These are:

Ancestry.com

1) Ancestry.com, 23 and Me and My Heritage. These organisations produce very similar reports. I have used ancestry.com.

Ancestry.com results have shown a DNA connection between Tree # 1 and:

  • Tree # 7, which originates from North Tipperary
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(This needs further work in 2025)

FamilyTreeDNA

2) FamilyTreeDNA.com offer three different types of tests. These are:

  • Autosomal DNA. This is tested using the Family Finder product and the tests determine the segments of DNA is shared with everyone you’re related to. The markers that are tested change quite quickly and this test is really only accurate when tracing back between 5 and 7 generations. After this time period the DNA gets too diluted.
  • X DNA. This test provides information about the paternal ancestry line. Because it tests the Y chromosome, which women don’t have, it’s only available to men, although, women can still derive helpful details from the DNA tests of their fathers, uncles or brothers, for instance.
  • mtDNA. This test provides information about the maternal ancestry. Both male and female children inherit mitochondrial DNA, but only females can pass it on to their own children.

Autosomal DNA tests survey a person’s entire genome at over 700,000 locations. It covers both the maternal and paternal sides of the family tree, so it covers all lineages. Chromosome tests reflect the direct father-to-son path in your family tree, and the mtDNA test only reflects the direct mother-to-child path in your family tree.

I have tested several family members and the results and analysis can be see at the FamilyTreeDNA page. It shows a link between Tree # 1 and:

  • Tree # 9, which originated in Ballinure, the same area as Tree # 1
  • plus
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(This needs more work in 2025)

FamilyTreeDNA also produced reports on the Haplogroup of each tester. The relevant groups for us are shown at Haplogroup RM-198, Haplogroup I-M223 and Haplogroup RM-343.

Gedcom

This …..

TBC