Part 523r – Smith Robertson Genealogy – Robertson FTDNA Y-DNA 111 - DYS Values Returned

Greetings,

The first set of the Robertson DNA Y-Chromosome Segment (DYS) values have been returned. These are the results of the Robertson Family Tree DNA Y-DNA 111 markers tests. I have included all results in the following listing. But in order to understand what you are looking at, I have found some definitions that may help.

Locus – A specific spot in the genome. A variable locus will have several possible alleles. (From Family Tree DNA)

DYS# – DNA Y-Chromosome Segment (DYS): A nomenclature system which assigns DYS numbers to numbers to newly discovered markers. They are the “names” of each marker. (From Family Tree DNA)

Alleles – One of the different forms of a gene that can exist at a single locus. Since mutations in the allele value occur very slowly with time, one should see the same allele value for a male and his great-grandfather for example. (From Family Tree DNA)

The theory and idea is that one should be able to compare one’s DYS values to other individuals to see how closely or distantly one may have shared a common ancestor. The more DYS markers’ alleles match between two individuals, with the same or variation of a similar surname, the greater the probability that the two individuals may share a common ancestor. (But of course, there could be a chance that the two individuals do NOT share a same surname due to some earlier incidence as adoption, name change, etc..)

The supposed example would be that as any immediate Robertson male relative who shares the same grandfather, Frederick Henry Robertson, one would expect that anyone of them would have the similar allele results. And here are the 111 results.

Locus	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
DYS#	393	390	19	391	385a	385b	426	388	439	389-1	392	389-2
Alleles	13	24	15	10	11	14	12	12	11	12	13	28

Locus	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25
DYS#	458	459a	459b	455	454	447	437	448	449	464a	464b	464c	464d
Alleles	19	9	10	11	11	25	15	19	30	15	15	17	18

Locus	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37
DYS#	460	GATA H4	YCA IIa	YCA IIb	456	607	576	570	CDYa	CDYb	442	438
Alleles	11	11	19	22	15	15	17	16	38	39	12	12

Locus	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47
DYS#	531	578	395S1a	395S1b	390	537	641	472	406S1	511
Alleles	11	9	15	16	8	10	10	8	10	11

Locus	48	49	50	51	52	53	54	55	56	57	58	59	60
DYS#	425	413a	413b	557	594	436	490	534	450	444	481	520	446
Alleles	12	23	23	16	10	12	12	15	8	12	22	20	13

Locus	61	62	63	64	65	66	67
DYS#	617	568	487	572	640	492	565
Alleles	12	11	13	11	11	13	12

Locus	68	69	70	71	72	73	74	75
DYS#	710	485	632	495	540	714	716	717
Alleles	37	15	9	16	12	27	26	19

Locus	76	77	78	79	80	82	83	84	85
DYS#	505	556	549	589	522	494	533	636	575	638
Alleles	12	12	13	12	10	9	12	12	10	10

Locus	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93
DYS#	462	452	445	GATA A10	463	441	GGAAT 1B07	525
Alleles	11	30	12	14	24	14	10	10

Locus	94	95	96	97	98	99	100	101	102
DYS#	712	593	650	532	715	504	513	561	552
Alleles	20	15	19	12	24	16	12	15	24

Locus	103	104	105	106	107	108	109	110	111
DYS#	726	635	587	643	497	510	434	461	435
Alleles	12	23	18	10	14	17	9	12	11

To date we have received notification from Family Tree DNA that there is another Robertson who may match to these results, with a Genetic Distance of 10.

A Genetic Distance, as defined by Family Tree DNA - Genetic Distance is the number of differences, or mutations, between two sets of results. A genetic distance of zero means there are no differences in the results being compared against one another, i.e., an exact match. This is the meaning when comparing Y-chromosome DNA or mitochondrial DNA. This is the computed total, from what I understand of the differences be the alleles from two different test participants. In other word if our Robertson Locus 94 of DYS #712 scored "20" and the other Robertson's Locus 94 of DYS #712 scored "30", the difference between 20 and 30 is equal to a Genetic Difference of 10.

In the current matching case with our Robertson and the other Robertson participant, the Genetic Distance can be written to say that based on the results there is a greater than 99% chance that there may be a common ancestor at about 28 generations or around the year 1300, give or take a few years. And now both sides just have to find the corroborating documentation... and because of the year this in not a small feat.

Enjoy,

Jim