S&SMFB - FAMILY HISTORY BASED ON GENETIC DATA

II-1, AUTOSOMAL DNA

According to the Genographic Project, results received 20 April 2013, the autosomal DNA information is determined from the entire genome so we’re able
to see both parents’ information, going back six generations.


** This covers me, my two parents, eight grandparents, sixteen- 5th generation grandparents and, thirtytwo - 6th generation grandparents - remarkable!

According to the NGS Genographic Project, my percentages (1a) reflect both recent influences and ancient genetic patterns in my DNA due to migrations as groups from different regions mixed over thousands of years.  (1b) My ancestors also mixed with ancient, now extinct hominid cousins like Neanderthals in Europe and the Middle East or the Denisovans in Asia.

(1a) Geno 2.0 compared the DNA results of PSHG member 5010 to the reference populations they currently have in their database and estimated which of these were most similar in terms of the genetic markers carried. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the member belonged to these groups or is directly from these regions, but that these groups were a similar genetic match and can be used as a guide to help determine why there is a certain result.

 

STAPLES, 5010, REGIONS:

NORTHERN EUROPEAN 45%:
This component of your ancestry is found at highest frequency in northern European populations—people from the UK, Denmark, Finland, Russia and Germany in our reference populations. While not limited to these groups, it is found at lower frequencies throughout the rest of Europe.

This component is likely the signal of the earliest hunter-gatherer inhabitants of Europe, who were the last to make the transition to agriculture as it moved in from the Middle East during the Neolithic period around 8,000 years ago.

**The ancestors of Peter Staple (c1642-1719) carrying SNP R1b-M269 into Western Europe after the Younger Dryas ice age that lasted about 1,000 years, split into two new haplogroups, R-U106, R-P312 and U105. Peter's new ancestral haplogroup became R-U106 (aka R-M405, aka R-S21), it has been scientifically accepted that post-glacial and Neolithic area migrations of R-U106 were in Northwestern Europe, Netherlands, Belgium, Northern Germany and Northwestern France and it is estimated the duration of the Neolithic era in this part of Europe was about 3,000 years, from 6500 years ago to 3700 years ago.


MEDITERRANEAN 38%:
This component is found at highest frequencies in southern Europe and the Levant—people from Sardinia, Italy, Greece, Lebanon, Egypt and Tunisia in our reference populations. While not limited to these groups, it is found at lower frequencies throughout the rest of Europe, the Middle East, Central and South Asia, due to these populations traveling through this region on their journeys and retaining that in their DNA.

This component is likely the signal of the Neolithic population expansion from the Middle East, beginning around 8,000 years ago, likely from the western part of the Fertile Crescent.

SOUTHWEST ASIAN 16%:
This component is found at highest frequencies in India and neighboring populations, including Tajikistan and Iran in our reference dataset. It is also found at lower frequencies in Europe and North Africa. As with the Mediterranean component, it was likely spread during the Neolithic expansion, perhaps from the eastern part of the Fertile Crescent. Individuals with heavy European influence in their ancestry will show traces of this because all Europeans have mixed with people from Southwest Asia over tens of thousands of years.


REFERENCE POPULATIONS:

GERMANIC POPULATION: NORTHERN EUROPEAN 46%; MEDITERRANEAN 36%; SOUTHWEST ASIAN 17%. 
This closest reference population (to Staples, 5010) is based on samples collected from people native to Germany. The dominant 46% Northern European component likely reflects the earliest settlers in Europe, hunter-gatherers who arrived there more than 35,000 years ago. The 36% Mediterranean and 17% Southwest Asian percentages probably arrived later, with the spread of agriculture from the Fertile Crescent in the Middle East over the past 10,000 years. As these early farmers moved into Europe, they spread their genetic patterns as well.

Today, northern and central European populations retain links to both the earliest Europeans and these later migrants from the Middle East.

**Being the closest reference population supports YHRD research using STR markers with SNP U106 with matches in Germany, Netherlands and Belgium.]

BRITISH (UNITED KINGDOM) POPULATION: NORTHERN EUROPEAN 50%; MEDITERRANEAN 33%; SOUTHWEST ASIAN 17%. 
The Second closest reference population is based on samples collected from populations in the United Kingdom. The dominant 50% northern European component likely reflects the earliest settlers in Europe, hunter-gatherers who arrived there more than 35,000 years ago. The 33% Mediterranean and 17% Southwest Asian percentages arrived later, with the spread of agriculture from the Fertile Crescent in the Middle East, over the past 10,000 years. As these early farmers moved into Europe, they spread their genetic patterns as well.

Today, northern European populations retain their links to both the earliest Europeans and these later migrants from the Middle East.

** It is interesting to note that the known six generations of my ancestors all originated in Great Britain except one who was born in Germany.
 

DANISH POPULATION: NORTHERN EUROPEAN 53%; MEDITERRANEAN 30%; SOUTHWEST ASIAN 16%.   
The Third closest reference population is based on samples collected from people living in Denmark. The dominant 53% Northern European component likely reflects the earliest settlers in Europe, hunter-gatherers who arrived there more than 35,000 years ago. The 30% Mediterranean and 16% Southwest Asian percentages arrived later, with the spread of agriculture from the Fertile Crescent in the Middle East over the past 10,000 years. As these early farmers moved into Europe, they spread their genetic patterns as well.

Today, northern European populations retain the links to both earliest Europeans and these later migrants from the Middle East.

**There is a repeated theme of migration among the Germanic, British and Danish populations. 

IBERIAN (SPAIN & PORTUGAL: MEDITERRANEAN 48%; NORTHERN EUROPEAN 37%; SOUTHWEST ASIAN 13%.
The Fourth closest reference population is based on samples collected from people native to Spain and Portugal. The 48% Mediterranean and 13% Southwest Asian percentages reflect the strong influence of agriculturalists from the Fertile Crescent in the Middle East, who arrived here more than 8,000 years ago. The 37% Northern European component likely comes from the pre-agricultural population of Europe—the earliest settlers, who arrived more than 35,000 years ago during the Upper Paleolithic period.

Today, this component predominates in northern European populations, while the Mediterranean component is more common in southern Europe.



ROMANIAN: MEDITERRANEAN 43%; NORTHERN EUROPEAN 36%; SOUTHWEST ASIAN 19%; NORTHEAST ASIAN 4%.
The fifth closest reference population is based on samples collected from people native to Romania. The 43% Mediterranean and 19% Southwest Asian percentages reflect the strong influence of agriculturalists from the Fertile Crescent in the Middle East, who arrived here more than 7,000 years ago. The 36% Northern European component likely comes from the pre-agricultural population of Europe—the earliest settlers, who arrived more than 35,000 years ago during the Upper Paleolithic period.

The 2% Northeast Asian component shows that there has been some mixing with groups to the east, and is typical of eastern European populations such as Romanians, Russians, and North Caucasians.

GENO 2.0 Table of Reference Populations with Major Percentages from the Regions of Northern Europe, Mediterranean and Southwest Asia.

**Note: The NGS Genographic Project lists the British reference population as closest to Staples, 5010, however the above table clearly shows it is the Germanic reference population percentages that match Staples, 5010 the closest.

(1b) HOMINID ANCESTRY:

NEANDERTHALS ~1.5%; DENISOVANS ~1.6%:
It’s not surprising that modern humans were able to interbreed with their close cousins. According to one theory, Neanderthals, Denisovans, and modern humans are all descended from the ancient human Homo heidelbergensis.

Between 300,000 to 400,000 years ago, an ancestral group of H. heidelbergensis left Africa and then split shortly after. One branch ventured northwestward into West Asia and Europe and became the Neanderthals. The other branch moved east, becoming Denisovans.

By 130,000 years ago H. heidelbergensis in Africa had become Homo sapiens. Our modern human ancestors did not begin their own exodus from Africa until about 60,000 years ago, when they expanded into Eurasia and encountered their ancient cousins.

RETURN TO Chapter II Contents