About us
The Salmon Surname DNA Project began February 2005.
In May 2000, Family Tree DNA in Houston, Texas, had begun offering the first genetic genealogy tests to the public; a 12-STR Y-DNA test expanded from the technology of paternity tests. Bryan Sykes (1947-2020), a molecular biologist at Oxford University, had studied the Sykes surname and obtained valid surname project results by looking at and comparing only four STR (Short tandem repeat) markers on the chromosome. https://isogg.org/wiki/Timeline:History_of_genetic_genealogy
STR comparison remains the fundamental method; 31/37 STRs shared between any two men sufficiently reveals relatedness; and absence of STRs in common indicates lack of recent biological relatedness. In addition to the STRs, test-takers received a basic SNP designation; R-M269, I-M253, et cetera, revealing branch placement on the master tree of all Y-DNA testers. Men of branches R and I were obviously only anciently related (all branches converge anciently on Y-DNA 'Adam').
In 2014 Ancestry.com (23 million DNA testers in 2023) dropped Y-DNA testing, but FTDNA introduced advanced Y-DNA testing: 'The Big Y'. SNP results thereby obtained build the master tree and fine-tune branches. The ISOGG (International Society of Genetic Genealogy) published the first full master tree in 2006 and you can see how it has grown. https://isogg.org/tree/
The letter prefix merely indicates the lab that discovered an SNP. New results, thus new fine-tuning of branches, arrive so frequently that FTDNA itself now maintains the master tree and it can be accessed in the 'Haplotree and SNPs' section of an individual's Y-DNA test section on their homepage.
We still have two members who first tested 2003, and seven who first tested 2005.
In May 2000, Family Tree DNA in Houston, Texas, had begun offering the first genetic genealogy tests to the public; a 12-STR Y-DNA test expanded from the technology of paternity tests. Bryan Sykes (1947-2020), a molecular biologist at Oxford University, had studied the Sykes surname and obtained valid surname project results by looking at and comparing only four STR (Short tandem repeat) markers on the chromosome. https://isogg.org/wiki/Timeline:History_of_genetic_genealogy
STR comparison remains the fundamental method; 31/37 STRs shared between any two men sufficiently reveals relatedness; and absence of STRs in common indicates lack of recent biological relatedness. In addition to the STRs, test-takers received a basic SNP designation; R-M269, I-M253, et cetera, revealing branch placement on the master tree of all Y-DNA testers. Men of branches R and I were obviously only anciently related (all branches converge anciently on Y-DNA 'Adam').
In 2014 Ancestry.com (23 million DNA testers in 2023) dropped Y-DNA testing, but FTDNA introduced advanced Y-DNA testing: 'The Big Y'. SNP results thereby obtained build the master tree and fine-tune branches. The ISOGG (International Society of Genetic Genealogy) published the first full master tree in 2006 and you can see how it has grown. https://isogg.org/tree/
The letter prefix merely indicates the lab that discovered an SNP. New results, thus new fine-tuning of branches, arrive so frequently that FTDNA itself now maintains the master tree and it can be accessed in the 'Haplotree and SNPs' section of an individual's Y-DNA test section on their homepage.
We still have two members who first tested 2003, and seven who first tested 2005.