MIDDLETON Family DNA Results (under construction)- Background

Background

I, John W. Middleton, was the first Middleton to have my DNA tested by Family Tree DNA. I ordered my kit on 4/1/2002. I had been running a genealogy web site for a while when I found out about DNA testing for genetic genealogy purposes. I had been trying to find the connection between 5 Middleton’s who migrated from Marion, SC to Alabama. I thought that if I could get someone from each of the 5 lines to submit samples for testing, that we could prove that they were brothers. I was a bit naive of the process and overzealous with my expectations. In the following paragraphs I will explain what this project is about what DNA testing can do for you. I don’t go into any real detail as I am still learning myself. Use the resources of FTDNA to learn more, if you so desire.

Before I get started, I'd like to give you a link to The Middleton Travels Home Page, where I have my genealogy information: http://home.comcast.net/~john.middleton/index.html. I also have created a few ways for us to communicate. The first is a MiddletonGenealogy Group on Facebook. The other is a twitter feed that is accessed by using @middgenealogy. You must be registered on facebook and/or twitter to use these tools. Now, more about the project.

A DNA test can be used to affirm or confidently disprove a genealogical connection on the direct paternal line. If you have the same last name as another researcher and suspect that the two or you are connected, then DNA testing can be helpful. It will not tell you how you are connected or when, rather that there is a probability that within so many generations you are connected. The more markers you test the more refined the results will be.

There are currently two types of genetic testing available to the genealogist. Y-DNA testing analyzes the male Y chromosome and mtDNA testing analyses the mitochondrial DNA. I'll discuss Y-DNA testing since that has the most relevance to genealogical research. Y-DNA testing provides clues about the male or surname line and provides a link from son to father to grandfather back through time.

A very straightforward explanation of how Y-DNA testing works follows. Every male has one Y chromosome and one X chromosome. Each son normally inherits an exact copy of his father’s Y chromosome. Occasionally, a mutation will occur and the son's Y chromosome will be slightly different than his fathers. By tracking these changes, it's possible to tell who is related to whom and approximately when they had a common ancestor.

When you have your Y-DNA tested, the testing company sends you a swab to run around your cheek to gather a few cells. There is no pain or blood. You return the swab to the testing company and they examine your Y-DNA for certain markers. Markers are just specific locations on the Y chromosome that contain a certain "value". Testing is currently available for 12, 25, 37, 67 and/or 111 markers. The more markers tested, the better the differentiation between individuals. The testing company will provide the individual with the values of the markers tested and then these markers can be compared to other males, typically with the same surname. Surnames only became common in the 17th century so it's possible you could have a common ancestor with a male of a different surname.

Here's an example of how it works. A father has two sons and one son has a mutation at one of the markers while the other son inherits an exact copy of his father’s Y chromosome. Now the same marker has a different "value" in each son. The son with the mutation will pass his Y chromosome with the mutation on to his son and from that point on, it will be possible to tell which son you are related -- to depending on the "value" of the marker present in your Y chromosome.

As time goes on, more and more of these mutations occur and it's possible to figure out where you belong in the male family tree by the "values" of your markers. This is why it's important to have a large pool of men participate in the Y DNA project. As more branches of the family tree are present in the pool of men tested, it becomes easier to place yourself in the tree based on the "values" of the markers you have in your Y chromosome.

A twelve marker test may be all that is necessary to indicate that a man is descended from a specific Middleton -- but more is always better. Remember, we are looking for the marker that is unique, that will identify a certain family with the MIDDLETON name.

This surname project is for all MIDDLETON Genealogy researchers worldwide, even though the bulk of the members to date are from the United States. Our initial thrust was to identify MIDDLETON’s on the 1790 U. S. Census but we soon realized the Y chromosome was perfect to trace our familes back to their traditional homeland. It is hoped that MIDDLETON researchers from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and any other part of the world where MIDDLETONs have emigrated to, or have independently originated, will join us in our quest to trace and connect the many MIDDLETON lines.

The surname project is working with the MIDDLETON@ROOTWEB.COM email list which is a clearing house for on-going research of all MIDDLETONs in all places, not just the British Isles, the United States, and Canada. Membership is open to all person Due to the nature of the Y-DNA test, only males bearing the MIDDLETON surname are eligible to submit a DNA sample (for more information on this, see the explanation on the Family Tree DNA website). It is hoped, however, that other researchers will find the results useful, and they are encouraged to contact eligible family members in their MIDDLETON line of research about submitting a DNA sample for testing and inclusion in the project.

The more test results in the database, the greater the chance of establishing DNA profiles for known lines of descent, as well as finding links between what may appear to be unrelated lines.

There is also a Surname Project General Fund (see link on left side of this page) which allows anyone to contribute funds to offset the expense of a test, with the use of the donation either left to the discretion of the group administrator, or earmarked for a specific test.

Test results are shown on the pages marked "Results" and "Y Results", and you will note that test participants are identified only by their test kit number. Names of participants are confidential, though participating individuals may give the group administrator permission for their contact information to be released to interested parties.