Welcome to the Young Y-DNA Project Results 

This page presents the Y-DNA test results for our project members. Currently, our core Y-DNA STR study group consists of roughly 500 members. Through careful analysis, we have successfully organized nearly 400 of these participants into 85 distinct genetic family groups. Within each of these groups, members are genetic cousins who share a common paternal ancestor.

How We Group Families Because "Young" is a descriptive surname, there is no single original "Young" family tree; instead, there were many different founding fathers (or "Surname Adams") from various regions. For example, research has identified at least 11 distinct geographical origins just within Scotland. To accurately map these different family lines, we use a combination of modern genetics and traditional genealogy:

• Genetic Closeness: We analyze your genetic distance, specific DNA markers (STRs and SNPs), and unique genetic patterns to see how closely related you are to others.
• Surname Matches & Geography: Using methods like those from the Scottish and Irish Origenes studies, we can analyze the recurring surnames in your Y-DNA matches. By overlaying these matching surnames with historical census data of local farmers, we can often pinpoint the exact "genetic homeland" where your specific Young ancestor lived 1,000 years ago.
• Traditional Paper Trails: We compare traditional genealogical research, such as shared surname variants and the geographic location of your Most Distant Known Ancestor (MDKA).

Understanding the Color-Coded Chart We color-code our results tables based on deep ancestral origins (major haplogroups). Our project's most dominant haplogroup is Blue (Indo-European R1b), which reaches its highest concentration in Britain and Ireland.

• Blue: Indo-European R1b
• Purple: Viking / Anglo-Saxon
• Yellow: Neolithic
• Pink: Roman
• Brown: Asiatic
• Red: Native American

Current Goals & How You Can Help

• Recruit UK & Ireland Testers: Approximately 23% of our members trace their earliest origins to Britain and Ireland. We need more testers based in these locations to help bridge the gap between our international members and their historical homelands.
• Upgrade Your Kit: Small testing kits can sometimes be difficult to assign to a specific group. Upgrading to at least 37 markers—or the comprehensive Big Y-700 test—gives us the data we need to accurately map your specific branch.