I also mentioned that my own test's results are starting to come out.
When I took this test, I knew a lot of the information would go over my head. I was correct. I'm still trying to interpret everything and understand what it means.
I expected to see a pie chart that said I had a lot of French and German in me. I expected that my Native American-ness would be likely non-existent. My ticket into the Chickasaw Nation was a white guy and my sixth-great grandmother is known only as "Halfblood Chickasaw" in published histories.
So when I sent off my DNA swabs, I had this pie-charted European vision in my head. That is what I expected to see.
Here is what I got:
It says Europe (Western European) 91.86%, Middle East 8.14%, each with +/-7.08% margin of error.
Any way you do the math, there's still a piece of Middle East pie on the plate.
Family Tree DNA defines "Middle East" as Palestinian, Iranian, Jewish, Adygei, Bedouin, Bedouin South, and/or Druze.
I suspect I fall in the Jewish category, and I suspect it's the Austrian/Hungarian line I'm currently researching. Even though they are all Catholic so far, that's the best scenario for me getting this result.
Of course, this is all speculation. That Middle East pie slice comes from somewhere. Is it my mom's side or my dad's? The five other family members' pending DNA tests should answer that question. When all is said and done, one side of my family is in for a surprise.
Until then, I will continue to attempt to understand all that is possible with genealogical DNA testing. Luckily there's a "DNA Day" event at the Clayton Genealogy Library tomorrow and I have reserved a seat. My friend Debbie Wayne, CG, is teaching two classes and Family Tree DNA is teaching another. Good thing, too. When it comes to DNA, Genetic Genealogy, and interpreting test results, I need all the help I can get!
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If the pie chart is from your own mtDNA test, it represents your maternal line only, or your mother's mother's mother's... line.
ReplyDeleteHave fun tomorrow, and please say "hi" to Debbie. She was my ProGen 2 coordinator. :-)
Thanks, Elizabeth! That's what I thought about mtDNA, but I wasn't sure. That means my hunch is correct. My grandmother is also getting tested, so that should confirm it unless I was found by the side of the road...
ReplyDeleteor it could have been traders from north africa or the middle east traveling through who decided to settle down, or some moors from when spain was occupied by the moors for 800 years who later came to France or, or... who knows, it's so very far back. one day i'm going to do mine.
ReplyDeleteThose are the results from FTDNA's Population Finder (PF). It isn't based on mtDNA, but autosomal DNA, i.e. chromosomes 1-22, which are inherited 50% from each parent. PF is part of what you get with the Family Finder (FF) test. Do you have any FF matches yet? I've got about 30, and I'm communicating with most, but haven't figured out how any are related yet.
ReplyDeleteI _almost_ made it to the Houston events. :(
ReplyDeleteRe: your potential Jewish connection, there's a tradition of Jews becoming Catholic for survival. I read a fascinating book a few years ago about a man who found this very situation in his family. Now if I could only remember the author and title. And, yes I AM a librarian. It might have been "Turbulent Souls" by Stephen Dubner, but I wouldn't swear to it.
So interesting - I will have to get this testing done. Did you wait for one of the sales (I'm trying to decide whether I should try to buy the test as a Christmas present to myself)?
ReplyDeleteI'm jealous. My 23 and Me test told me I'm 100% European. Booo-ring. One of my third great-grandmothers was Jewish, but that didn't show up there (although I have a lot of Jewish cousins on the Relative Finder thing).
ReplyDeleteIf you have Scottish blood or Irish, there's the chance that you have Jewish blood from there. Many think that some of the tribes of Israel made it to the Isles so that could be where your Jewish blood comes in. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteI just got my FamilyFinder results back and I also received the 12% Adeygei/Iranaian slice. This came as a big surprize. We believe one of my great-grandparents was Jewish. Everything else was Western Europe Orkney Islands. Any idea?
ReplyDeleteDave
Dave, was your great-grandparent possibly an Iranian Jew or from the Caucasus? If so, both the percentage and places matched would fit perfectly.
ReplyDeleteThis is all so new. My great-Grandparent came from Germany but did suggest HIS Grandfather went by the name Gompertz, which is a Jewish name. My Great Grandfather in question built a huge German restaurant. We are excited, but trying to figure out the pieces of this puzzle is complicated.
ReplyDeleteHi! I got family tree dna result: Western European 91.86% and Middle East 8.1%. I realize it did not show East European - Poland yet because that where my mom's side come from. Was only Germany in Western European? Also help me understand how it does work with 8.1%? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI got the same family tree dna results
ReplyDeleteWestern European 91.84 and
8.16 Adygei, Druze, Iranian, Jewish Margin of error 1.64. Can anyone help us understand if the 8.1 is legitimate or just an anomaly.