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Group Administrator: Dewaine Alcorn

Background

Project Surnames:

Alchehorne	Alchorne	Alcorn	Aldcorne
Allcorn	Auldcorne

Project Background:

The Alcorn Surname Project was established to utilize new scientific discoveries and methodologies to assist us in our Genealogy Research. This new field of utilizing testing for genealogy research is called Genetic Genealogy. Any variation of the Alcorn name is welcome: Allcorn, Alchorne, Alchehorne, Aldcorne, Auldcorne, etc. We all should be related somewhere in the past.

Scientists have discovered that a small portion of the Y chromosome, which is found only in men, is passed from father to son, virtually unchanged. This section of the Y chromosome does not have information that defines a person, it simply has some markers which are passed from father to son unchanged, except for a random mutation about every 500 generations. [Mutation does not signify any thing negative. It is simply a scientific term for a change.] There is nothing in these markers that can be used to identify medical problems or to have any legal implications.

The test result is a string of 12 numbers. These numbers have value when compared to the results from another male. By comparing the results, you can tell if the two men had a common ancestor, and approximately when the common ancestor occurred.

The results of the DNA tests will be made available on the internet for interested Alcorn researchers. They will help us in our efforts to unravel some of the mysteries of time. If two or more Alcorn participants match 12
out of 12 markers, then it can be stated with reasonable certainty that a common ancestor existed for all such participants, possibly as early as the latter part of the eighteenth century, or even into the nineteenth century."

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Project Goals:

When all twelve markers match, the next step is to determine how close the Most Recent Common Ancestor (MCRA) is. To do that, updating the DNA sample to a 25 marker test can be done for an additional $90.00. Updating to a 37 marker test would reduce the distance to MRCA for just $169.00.

DNA testing looks at part of the Y chromosome called "junk" and doesn't test for the other chromosomes for aberrant genes or disease indicators that medical and/or insurance companies would be interested in. The DNA testing company we use is bound by law not to release DNA results unless the person tested gives them permission.

The viability and usefulness of the project is directly proportionate to the number of participants. The more we have, the better our research becomes!

Project News:

We have our first 12 marker match...but his surname is not Alcorn. How could this happen? Robert 's grandfather Virgil was raised by Virgil's aunt Anna Merchant after Virgil's mother died and his father took the rest of the family to CA. He would like to confirm that he is related to the Alcorns still living in California.
We can say that he and I have a 50% chance of a common ancestor about 14 generations ago. He could add the 25 marker test and see if we are more closely related. The other Alcorn Project Member and I have 14 mutations which indicate we are not related and I wonder if I was the mismatch for Alcorn. Not that we can judge at this time, but, he may have had an occurance in his ancestry similar to what Robert had.

Project Results:

We have a 25 marker match with a distance of 2 with a native male from County Donegal! Richard and I are probably related at 14 generations back with 95% confidence. Can you do better?