About us
Click on "Y-DNA Results", to see the charted display of group member results. The "colorized" is somewhat easier to read to spot differences, and shows sub-group Mode values. The numbers represent the number of times that a known short segment of the four DNA molecules is repeated rather than just showing up once. These go back to an ancient copy mutations that are over 20,000 years old, that all men have, but because they can randomly change slightly up or down, have resulted in a broad difference among today's population. The changes are slow enough to allow and show a highly accurate of connection or lack thereof between modern day males, particularly when combined with the use of surnames that track family descent over the last 800+ years. We initially test at 37 known allele points to help refine the results. The sequence of DNA molecules that have copy repeats are different for each tested allele, but appears to be the same molecule grouping for all men, just at a differing number of copy repeats.
From time to time, a result summary is sent out to out to group members and to prospective members who have been contacted about their family genealogy. Below is the basic message from the Nov. 10, 2010 Update on Ditty DNA Testing.
"To Ditty Y-DNA Participants / Sponsors, and close family researchers and potential new participants;
[Distribution list deleted. Do note that the conclusions noted here are based on the author's understanding of the testing technology.]
This update will summarize the results from this summer's four new participants and update new information. Part of this e-mail was circulated to tested participants on Aug. 26th 2010, but these results are more complete. This e-mail is also being copied to potential new participants to help encourage their participation, especially with a potential end of year sale.
This would be a good time to revisit the Ditty Surname Group web page at:
http://www.familytreedna.com/public/Ditty/default.aspx?/publicwebsite.aspx ; , and check out the Y-DNA chart. The Y-DNA chart has reverted to a simplified format, that doesn't highlight the results that differ from the "norm" within related sub-groups and now doesn't show a 'Mode' or most common value for the set. This is due to changes that FT-DNA is doing with the Surname Coordinators project administration tools, and hopefully this will eventually allow me to re-post the more detailed chart pattern.
Because this will be a long e-mail, I will organize it into the following sections:
1) Results for the Swiss Dittys.
2) Results for David Micah Ditty (sponsor Lori Disney).
3) Results for the Northern Ireland Dittys. [See #4 for comment on Jim Ditty's 67 marker results]
4) Implication of the extended 67 marker test for the Northern Ireland Dittys.
5) Welcome to our 8th & newest participant, Derek Ditty, from an Irish line, who's results should post by late December.
6) Anticipated end of year Family Tree DNA sale for 37 markers.
7) Implication of the new Family Finder test (at just under $300.00) that could help define cousin relationships within a large sub-group. This might eventually help define relative closeness within the Northern Ireland Ditty sub-group.
8) Initial contact with a Swiss DeDie in Corcelles Switzerland, a possible connection to the US Swiss Dittys.
1) Results for the Swiss Dittys.
We have two Swiss emigrant Ditty lines both originally named DeDie, Abraham Ditty arrived ~1743 and Johannes Ditty (possibly Jean Johannes) arrived ~1765. Cary Ditty is in the Abraham line and Dean Paul Ditty is in the Johannes line. With comparison at 37 markers, they are at a Genetic Distance of 2 to each other (35 of 37 marker match), and thus these lines are definitely related going back to a common ancestor (this assumes their paper trails are correct). Dean differs from Cary at allele #2, DYS 390, where Dean is at a value of 23 while Cary is at a value of 24. From an analysis of how many 12/12 non-surname matches that they have, I suspect that Dean's value is closer to the original line, and Cary's value is a more recent mutation shift. Dean and Cary also differ at allele # 570 where Dean has a copy repeat value of 20 while Cary has a copy repeat value of 19. Additional tested participants from these Swiss lines would help clarify a mode value. The Swiss Dittys are of the I1 haplogroup, and are distinctly different from the other Dittys.
2) Results for David Micah Ditty (sponsor Lori Disney).
Lori's research connected her line to that of the Swiss Johannes Ditty line. However, David has a distinctly different male line DNA. His line is closer to a Southern Irish Type 2 Haplotype. He has many 12/12 non-surname matches (256) with other mostly Irish surnames, and at 37 markers, several close non-surname matches at a GD or 2, 3, & 4, with Irish surnames, the most common of which are McCraw and McGraw. It is possible that Lori's research is not incorrect, in that there could be a maternal connection with the Swiss Ditty line of Johannes. There are many ways that this type of alternate male DNA is introduced into a line, including adoption, or raising a sister's child when she and her husband have died, but raising him as a Ditty rather than using the father's name. If another branch of David's family could be tested (another son's line from a G-GF or GG-GF, this could help clarify where this type of connection could have been introduced. Alternatively, we may find that there are other Irish Ditty lines that match David, and that be the correct connection. David is in Haplogroup R, specifically estimated at R1b1b2.
3) Results for the Northern Ireland Dittys. [Comment on Jim Ditty's 67 marker results- see #4].
We have four tested Northern Ireland Dittys: Pat Ditty who descends from a James Ditty born in 1793 and emigrates to Clarion Co. PA; Robert Ditty from CastleDawson, Londonderry, N. Ireland; Jim Ditty who descends from John Ditty born in 1806 in Londonderry N. Ireland and emigrates to West Virginia, and an elderly Mr Ditty from Florida (who is sponsored by Rhonda Watson) who descends from a James Ditty born 1655/1660 and has emigrated to York Co. South Carolina and is in their 1790 census. These four are all related and descend from a common male ancestor. These Irish lines are all quite close, and a clear pattern seems to indicate a most likely set of results, or a norm or a Modal set of values. Pat, James and our Florida Ditty all have a GD=1 from the Modal value, while Robert has a GD=2 from the Modal value set. Pat differs at allele #12 with a 31 value versus a 30 value at DYS 389-2. James differs at allele #34 (CDY-a) with a 36 value versus a Modal value of 37. Mr Ditty of Florida differs at allele #36 (DYS 442) with an 11 value versus a Modal value of 12. Robert Ditty of CastleDawson differs at allele # 32 (DYS 576) with a value of 17 vs. 18 and at allele # 35 (CDY-b) with a value of 38 vs. 37. At all points of difference, there is an agreement among 3 out of 4 members, and a total agreement for 32 of the allele points.
These changes are natural, since the copy mutations originated 20,000 to 30,000 years ago, and have a scientifically calculated estimate for a natural rate of change. However, I would have expected two or three members to have an exact match at 37 markers (based on my Fletcher line experience). These Irish Dittys are in Haplogroup R, specifically estimated at R1b1b2.
4) Implication of the extended 67 marker test for the Northern Ireland Dittys.
I had previously mentioned that Jim Ditty had proceeded to upgrade to 67 markers and the additional tests (from 38 to 67) have now yielded some surprises. The major surprise was the copy mutation value at the #63 allele, DYS-487, where Jim had an allele copy value of 8 (this is rather rare, as it is outside of the normal distribution range of 10 thru 17). So rare that the value couldn't be entered in the Y-search system. [Y-search is a listing program that you should all have participated in.] After several inquiries with FT-DNA, they confirmed that among all of their tests at 67 markers, that this had only occurred 7 times, and they have corrected the Y-search input limitation. A review of these occasions indicated no connection to the Ditty line, with other values at a high genetic difference. Then a review of a set of distribution histograms for common Haplogroup R normal value sets, showed that values at another allele was also rather rare, and several more were uncommon. This would indicate that when we find other close non-surname matches at 67 markers, that we can be assured that it is a close connection. This would help to tell us a lot about the lineage connection back to just before surnames were adopted (over 1000 years ago), but it may take a while before Y-DNA testing is common within the European and UK communities. I would like to see another participant upgrade his testing levels to 67 markers to verify if the unique markers in Jim's test are consistent through the other Irish Dittys. I intend to do this on a new member, see below, and it would be good to have three participants to prove out a Mode value set (best 2 of 3). I will plan to send out a more detailed e-mail on this subject to the Northern Ireland Ditty participants.
I will also recommend that our Irish line participants join another project, concurrent with the Ditty Project, that is called the R1b Project, run by Charles Kerchner & Tibor Feher, as this will allow posting our results and tracking to find other surnames that come close to matching our group. This could help give additional insight into the origins of the Ditty surname. The e-mail referenced above will detail how to select an additional project.
5) Welcome to our 8th & newest participant, Derek Ditty, (results to post by late December).
This is for an Irish Ditty line and he is a replacement participant for William Ditty of Edinburgh. This is my wife's line, and was to have been the first kit in the program (which I paid for). After a kit was lost upon return, then a replacement kit was also lost (UK mail strike), William stopped wanting to communicate with me. Finally in frustration, I reassigned this kit to Derek Samuel Ditty, who is a nephew to my wife (and a 3rd cousin to William). A year has been lost, but the results should be in before Christmas. Derek's line is from Northern Ireland, going back to a Samuel Ditty b.~1798, who's son William married a Margaret Wilson in 1852, and after three of nine children they emigrated to Scotland. Because of the unique values in the upgraded 67 allele test for Jim Ditty, I have upgraded Derek to the same level, and these values should be in by mid January.
Another unique test for R Haplogroup participants is the Deep Clade testing (at ~$89) which I will pursue for Derek's kit. This can't be ordered until FT-DNA does a preliminary assignment into a Haplogroup. That should put these results into the March time frame. The Deep Clade test will help to define the ancient roots of the Ditty clan into a smaller segment of the much broader classification of R1b1b2. In my case, my Fletcher deep clade testing refined my results from R1b1b2 to R1b1b2a1b5*. The genetic research going on, is looking for additional markers (very slow changing SNP markers) to help define these smaller segments. Derek lives in Scotland, north of Glasgow. The deep clade test for one of a group of related participants (going back to a common ancestor) will also apply to all of the participants.
6) Anticipated end of year Family Tree DNA sale for 37 markers. Attn: Potential new participants.
Family Tree DNA has a history of running two sales each year for the Y-DNA 37 marker test, that typically represents a $30.00 savings. This is likely to occur between mid-November and the end of the year. They vary the timing a little, and they may vary the offer. They don't like to preclude ongoing sales, and there is not much advance notice and the sale open order period may only last for 2 or three weeks. I will try to send out a prompt notice to those that I have previously contacted, and hope that you may now desire to join us in this testing program. It's a bit of a waste to have two brothers or 1st or 2nd cousins test, so communicate you intentions if you have a close relative on the list. It does help to have more distant cousins test, as any confirmation or contradiction of a value change will indicate where any minor change occurred within your family tree. If you have any desire to participate in this program at some time, this is a good time to make a decision to proceed and do so at a slight savings. Perhaps your family always struggles for what to buy you for the holidays. Drop a hint. Thirty dollars off of a $149.00 price plus shipping ($4 for US and $6 for international) makes the Y37 DNA test a little easier to handle. If you no longer have the e-mail on sign up instructions, let me know and I will resend it.
7) Implication of the new "Family Finder" test.
Family Tree DNA has a new test, that was developed with a special computer chip to help automate the testing process and the data analysis, which will produce some unique results for genealogists. This test samples over 500,000 SNP points of the full DNA, and the comparison looks for segments of these SNP strings passing unchanged through the generations. This test will rather accurately project family relationships through 5th and 6th cousins. That's like descendants from two different lines from their GGGGG-Grandparents (for 6th cousins). This covers all of your lines. Thus your mother's mother's father's mother's father's mother's father's brother's line down through male and female lines.
This test costs just under $300.00. It takes a lot of data points to do this. This is much more complicated than the simple Y-DNA or mt-DNA. There is more potential for an implied medical situation and information that could be used to classify your health. Another lab that uses this new technology tests about 40,000 more points and uses them to project your probabilities of having various medical conditions with results listed as a 10% or 20% greater or lessor likely-hood of having one of these conditions. This alternate lab (named: 23andMe) charges about $200.00 more than FT-DNA. FT-DNA does not do this type of medical projections, just genealogy.
One disadvantage is that within 6th cousins, many people will have over 10,000 potential relatives, and since many of these will be through maternal connections, you may have many people trying to contact you trying to figure out how you just happen to be 6th cousins. Many of these connections will be lost without a detailed knowledge of the maternal links. It can even be very hard to even utilize the mitochondrial (mtDNA) which follows the mother's mother's line, since the surname changes with each generation, and is sometimes not recorded in paper records.
This type of testing is just over a year old, but FT-DNA advises that they already have over 10,000 in the data base for comparison (compared to about 170,000 males with Y-DNA testing since the year 2000).
For the Irish Ditty line, one reason this might be of interest in the future would be to confirm just how close or distant the various Ditty lines are from each other. For most, a GGGGG-GF would be early 1700's, so it could be quite telling. I am not recommending this testing at this time, but I want you to know that it is now available so that at some point in the future close Ditty match members would know that it could be a next step.
8) Initial contact with a Swiss DeDie in Corcelles Switzerland, a possible connection to the US Swiss Dittys.
I was able to do a phone search for Swiss DeDie's, and found a Jean-Pierre DeDie in Corcelles Switzerland, well, one of the three towns that has Corcelles in it's name. One simply 'Corcelles', is a village of about 200 located about 20 miles north of Bern, Switzerland. The other two are hyphenated as Corcelles-Something and are much larger. Jean Paul lives about 20 miles west of Bern in Corcelles-NE (or Corcelles-Cormondreche). He is over 80, and speaks French, but his wife was German born and also speaks English relatively well. They have no children and do not use a computer. His wife said he is the last in his line. They know of some other DeDie's in other parts of Switzerland, but don't know of any relationship. If someone from the Swiss Ditty lines would want to sponsor them, I could attempt to communicate by letter and try to talk them into participating in the program, and providing as much info as he knows on his line of descent. A sponsor should plan to also communicate the results to them, so that they get something out of the program. One unique factor is that the ship record that Jean Johannes DeDie (Ditty) came over on (he is shown just as "Jean", shows that he traveled with two brothers, one of whom was named Jean-Pierre DeDie. There is no indication if that brother also changed his name to Ditty, or if he survived to marry and had children. However, the name similarity to a modern DeDie is one of those unique coincidences of life.
These Swiss emigrants declared themselves to be "Swiss French Protestants", which should mean that they were Huguenots, or followers of Calvin. The name DeDie could refer to being "of" the town of Die, a French town near the Italian border not far from Switzerland, which had a university that followed strong Calvinist teachings.
Remember to keep your e-mail and street addresses and phone numbers up to date at your main FT-DNA page. It doesn't help to test for posterity and then be unreachable. Going forward, each new participant will either reinforce our understanding or open up new concepts for consideration.
Wishing you all the best, and looking forward to additional participation:
Richard J. "Dick" Fletcher (302) 731-8799 Your Ditty Surname Coordinator"
From time to time, a result summary is sent out to out to group members and to prospective members who have been contacted about their family genealogy. Below is the basic message from the Nov. 10, 2010 Update on Ditty DNA Testing.
"To Ditty Y-DNA Participants / Sponsors, and close family researchers and potential new participants;
[Distribution list deleted. Do note that the conclusions noted here are based on the author's understanding of the testing technology.]
This update will summarize the results from this summer's four new participants and update new information. Part of this e-mail was circulated to tested participants on Aug. 26th 2010, but these results are more complete. This e-mail is also being copied to potential new participants to help encourage their participation, especially with a potential end of year sale.
This would be a good time to revisit the Ditty Surname Group web page at:
http://www.familytreedna.com/public/Ditty/default.aspx?/publicwebsite.aspx ; , and check out the Y-DNA chart. The Y-DNA chart has reverted to a simplified format, that doesn't highlight the results that differ from the "norm" within related sub-groups and now doesn't show a 'Mode' or most common value for the set. This is due to changes that FT-DNA is doing with the Surname Coordinators project administration tools, and hopefully this will eventually allow me to re-post the more detailed chart pattern.
Because this will be a long e-mail, I will organize it into the following sections:
1) Results for the Swiss Dittys.
2) Results for David Micah Ditty (sponsor Lori Disney).
3) Results for the Northern Ireland Dittys. [See #4 for comment on Jim Ditty's 67 marker results]
4) Implication of the extended 67 marker test for the Northern Ireland Dittys.
5) Welcome to our 8th & newest participant, Derek Ditty, from an Irish line, who's results should post by late December.
6) Anticipated end of year Family Tree DNA sale for 37 markers.
7) Implication of the new Family Finder test (at just under $300.00) that could help define cousin relationships within a large sub-group. This might eventually help define relative closeness within the Northern Ireland Ditty sub-group.
8) Initial contact with a Swiss DeDie in Corcelles Switzerland, a possible connection to the US Swiss Dittys.
1) Results for the Swiss Dittys.
We have two Swiss emigrant Ditty lines both originally named DeDie, Abraham Ditty arrived ~1743 and Johannes Ditty (possibly Jean Johannes) arrived ~1765. Cary Ditty is in the Abraham line and Dean Paul Ditty is in the Johannes line. With comparison at 37 markers, they are at a Genetic Distance of 2 to each other (35 of 37 marker match), and thus these lines are definitely related going back to a common ancestor (this assumes their paper trails are correct). Dean differs from Cary at allele #2, DYS 390, where Dean is at a value of 23 while Cary is at a value of 24. From an analysis of how many 12/12 non-surname matches that they have, I suspect that Dean's value is closer to the original line, and Cary's value is a more recent mutation shift. Dean and Cary also differ at allele # 570 where Dean has a copy repeat value of 20 while Cary has a copy repeat value of 19. Additional tested participants from these Swiss lines would help clarify a mode value. The Swiss Dittys are of the I1 haplogroup, and are distinctly different from the other Dittys.
2) Results for David Micah Ditty (sponsor Lori Disney).
Lori's research connected her line to that of the Swiss Johannes Ditty line. However, David has a distinctly different male line DNA. His line is closer to a Southern Irish Type 2 Haplotype. He has many 12/12 non-surname matches (256) with other mostly Irish surnames, and at 37 markers, several close non-surname matches at a GD or 2, 3, & 4, with Irish surnames, the most common of which are McCraw and McGraw. It is possible that Lori's research is not incorrect, in that there could be a maternal connection with the Swiss Ditty line of Johannes. There are many ways that this type of alternate male DNA is introduced into a line, including adoption, or raising a sister's child when she and her husband have died, but raising him as a Ditty rather than using the father's name. If another branch of David's family could be tested (another son's line from a G-GF or GG-GF, this could help clarify where this type of connection could have been introduced. Alternatively, we may find that there are other Irish Ditty lines that match David, and that be the correct connection. David is in Haplogroup R, specifically estimated at R1b1b2.
3) Results for the Northern Ireland Dittys. [Comment on Jim Ditty's 67 marker results- see #4].
We have four tested Northern Ireland Dittys: Pat Ditty who descends from a James Ditty born in 1793 and emigrates to Clarion Co. PA; Robert Ditty from CastleDawson, Londonderry, N. Ireland; Jim Ditty who descends from John Ditty born in 1806 in Londonderry N. Ireland and emigrates to West Virginia, and an elderly Mr Ditty from Florida (who is sponsored by Rhonda Watson) who descends from a James Ditty born 1655/1660 and has emigrated to York Co. South Carolina and is in their 1790 census. These four are all related and descend from a common male ancestor. These Irish lines are all quite close, and a clear pattern seems to indicate a most likely set of results, or a norm or a Modal set of values. Pat, James and our Florida Ditty all have a GD=1 from the Modal value, while Robert has a GD=2 from the Modal value set. Pat differs at allele #12 with a 31 value versus a 30 value at DYS 389-2. James differs at allele #34 (CDY-a) with a 36 value versus a Modal value of 37. Mr Ditty of Florida differs at allele #36 (DYS 442) with an 11 value versus a Modal value of 12. Robert Ditty of CastleDawson differs at allele # 32 (DYS 576) with a value of 17 vs. 18 and at allele # 35 (CDY-b) with a value of 38 vs. 37. At all points of difference, there is an agreement among 3 out of 4 members, and a total agreement for 32 of the allele points.
These changes are natural, since the copy mutations originated 20,000 to 30,000 years ago, and have a scientifically calculated estimate for a natural rate of change. However, I would have expected two or three members to have an exact match at 37 markers (based on my Fletcher line experience). These Irish Dittys are in Haplogroup R, specifically estimated at R1b1b2.
4) Implication of the extended 67 marker test for the Northern Ireland Dittys.
I had previously mentioned that Jim Ditty had proceeded to upgrade to 67 markers and the additional tests (from 38 to 67) have now yielded some surprises. The major surprise was the copy mutation value at the #63 allele, DYS-487, where Jim had an allele copy value of 8 (this is rather rare, as it is outside of the normal distribution range of 10 thru 17). So rare that the value couldn't be entered in the Y-search system. [Y-search is a listing program that you should all have participated in.] After several inquiries with FT-DNA, they confirmed that among all of their tests at 67 markers, that this had only occurred 7 times, and they have corrected the Y-search input limitation. A review of these occasions indicated no connection to the Ditty line, with other values at a high genetic difference. Then a review of a set of distribution histograms for common Haplogroup R normal value sets, showed that values at another allele was also rather rare, and several more were uncommon. This would indicate that when we find other close non-surname matches at 67 markers, that we can be assured that it is a close connection. This would help to tell us a lot about the lineage connection back to just before surnames were adopted (over 1000 years ago), but it may take a while before Y-DNA testing is common within the European and UK communities. I would like to see another participant upgrade his testing levels to 67 markers to verify if the unique markers in Jim's test are consistent through the other Irish Dittys. I intend to do this on a new member, see below, and it would be good to have three participants to prove out a Mode value set (best 2 of 3). I will plan to send out a more detailed e-mail on this subject to the Northern Ireland Ditty participants.
I will also recommend that our Irish line participants join another project, concurrent with the Ditty Project, that is called the R1b Project, run by Charles Kerchner & Tibor Feher, as this will allow posting our results and tracking to find other surnames that come close to matching our group. This could help give additional insight into the origins of the Ditty surname. The e-mail referenced above will detail how to select an additional project.
5) Welcome to our 8th & newest participant, Derek Ditty, (results to post by late December).
This is for an Irish Ditty line and he is a replacement participant for William Ditty of Edinburgh. This is my wife's line, and was to have been the first kit in the program (which I paid for). After a kit was lost upon return, then a replacement kit was also lost (UK mail strike), William stopped wanting to communicate with me. Finally in frustration, I reassigned this kit to Derek Samuel Ditty, who is a nephew to my wife (and a 3rd cousin to William). A year has been lost, but the results should be in before Christmas. Derek's line is from Northern Ireland, going back to a Samuel Ditty b.~1798, who's son William married a Margaret Wilson in 1852, and after three of nine children they emigrated to Scotland. Because of the unique values in the upgraded 67 allele test for Jim Ditty, I have upgraded Derek to the same level, and these values should be in by mid January.
Another unique test for R Haplogroup participants is the Deep Clade testing (at ~$89) which I will pursue for Derek's kit. This can't be ordered until FT-DNA does a preliminary assignment into a Haplogroup. That should put these results into the March time frame. The Deep Clade test will help to define the ancient roots of the Ditty clan into a smaller segment of the much broader classification of R1b1b2. In my case, my Fletcher deep clade testing refined my results from R1b1b2 to R1b1b2a1b5*. The genetic research going on, is looking for additional markers (very slow changing SNP markers) to help define these smaller segments. Derek lives in Scotland, north of Glasgow. The deep clade test for one of a group of related participants (going back to a common ancestor) will also apply to all of the participants.
6) Anticipated end of year Family Tree DNA sale for 37 markers. Attn: Potential new participants.
Family Tree DNA has a history of running two sales each year for the Y-DNA 37 marker test, that typically represents a $30.00 savings. This is likely to occur between mid-November and the end of the year. They vary the timing a little, and they may vary the offer. They don't like to preclude ongoing sales, and there is not much advance notice and the sale open order period may only last for 2 or three weeks. I will try to send out a prompt notice to those that I have previously contacted, and hope that you may now desire to join us in this testing program. It's a bit of a waste to have two brothers or 1st or 2nd cousins test, so communicate you intentions if you have a close relative on the list. It does help to have more distant cousins test, as any confirmation or contradiction of a value change will indicate where any minor change occurred within your family tree. If you have any desire to participate in this program at some time, this is a good time to make a decision to proceed and do so at a slight savings. Perhaps your family always struggles for what to buy you for the holidays. Drop a hint. Thirty dollars off of a $149.00 price plus shipping ($4 for US and $6 for international) makes the Y37 DNA test a little easier to handle. If you no longer have the e-mail on sign up instructions, let me know and I will resend it.
7) Implication of the new "Family Finder" test.
Family Tree DNA has a new test, that was developed with a special computer chip to help automate the testing process and the data analysis, which will produce some unique results for genealogists. This test samples over 500,000 SNP points of the full DNA, and the comparison looks for segments of these SNP strings passing unchanged through the generations. This test will rather accurately project family relationships through 5th and 6th cousins. That's like descendants from two different lines from their GGGGG-Grandparents (for 6th cousins). This covers all of your lines. Thus your mother's mother's father's mother's father's mother's father's brother's line down through male and female lines.
This test costs just under $300.00. It takes a lot of data points to do this. This is much more complicated than the simple Y-DNA or mt-DNA. There is more potential for an implied medical situation and information that could be used to classify your health. Another lab that uses this new technology tests about 40,000 more points and uses them to project your probabilities of having various medical conditions with results listed as a 10% or 20% greater or lessor likely-hood of having one of these conditions. This alternate lab (named: 23andMe) charges about $200.00 more than FT-DNA. FT-DNA does not do this type of medical projections, just genealogy.
One disadvantage is that within 6th cousins, many people will have over 10,000 potential relatives, and since many of these will be through maternal connections, you may have many people trying to contact you trying to figure out how you just happen to be 6th cousins. Many of these connections will be lost without a detailed knowledge of the maternal links. It can even be very hard to even utilize the mitochondrial (mtDNA) which follows the mother's mother's line, since the surname changes with each generation, and is sometimes not recorded in paper records.
This type of testing is just over a year old, but FT-DNA advises that they already have over 10,000 in the data base for comparison (compared to about 170,000 males with Y-DNA testing since the year 2000).
For the Irish Ditty line, one reason this might be of interest in the future would be to confirm just how close or distant the various Ditty lines are from each other. For most, a GGGGG-GF would be early 1700's, so it could be quite telling. I am not recommending this testing at this time, but I want you to know that it is now available so that at some point in the future close Ditty match members would know that it could be a next step.
8) Initial contact with a Swiss DeDie in Corcelles Switzerland, a possible connection to the US Swiss Dittys.
I was able to do a phone search for Swiss DeDie's, and found a Jean-Pierre DeDie in Corcelles Switzerland, well, one of the three towns that has Corcelles in it's name. One simply 'Corcelles', is a village of about 200 located about 20 miles north of Bern, Switzerland. The other two are hyphenated as Corcelles-Something and are much larger. Jean Paul lives about 20 miles west of Bern in Corcelles-NE (or Corcelles-Cormondreche). He is over 80, and speaks French, but his wife was German born and also speaks English relatively well. They have no children and do not use a computer. His wife said he is the last in his line. They know of some other DeDie's in other parts of Switzerland, but don't know of any relationship. If someone from the Swiss Ditty lines would want to sponsor them, I could attempt to communicate by letter and try to talk them into participating in the program, and providing as much info as he knows on his line of descent. A sponsor should plan to also communicate the results to them, so that they get something out of the program. One unique factor is that the ship record that Jean Johannes DeDie (Ditty) came over on (he is shown just as "Jean", shows that he traveled with two brothers, one of whom was named Jean-Pierre DeDie. There is no indication if that brother also changed his name to Ditty, or if he survived to marry and had children. However, the name similarity to a modern DeDie is one of those unique coincidences of life.
These Swiss emigrants declared themselves to be "Swiss French Protestants", which should mean that they were Huguenots, or followers of Calvin. The name DeDie could refer to being "of" the town of Die, a French town near the Italian border not far from Switzerland, which had a university that followed strong Calvinist teachings.
Remember to keep your e-mail and street addresses and phone numbers up to date at your main FT-DNA page. It doesn't help to test for posterity and then be unreachable. Going forward, each new participant will either reinforce our understanding or open up new concepts for consideration.
Wishing you all the best, and looking forward to additional participation:
Richard J. "Dick" Fletcher (302) 731-8799 Your Ditty Surname Coordinator"