Really, no matches in 4 years???

[rt-sails]

Really, no matches in 4 years

Really, no matches in 4 years since I got tested in the program? Hearing that your DNA is unique and nobody else tested that comes up resembling your DNA is not what you want to hear when you're researching your haplogroup.

Presumably, you're talking about a Y-DNA STR haplotype. Almost no one but FTDNA is testing those now. (The exceptions are small labs without match-searching resources; 23andMe and Ancestry test autosomal DNA but not Y.)

In my project (a large one for a common, multi-origin surname) between 5% & 8% have no close Y-DNA matches as reported by FTDNA. OOTH, about the same percentage have too many matches -- hundreds at 67 markers.

I'm investigating the why of both ends of this spectrum. It's a complicated business, but some haplotypes seem to be very common (e.g., WAMH) and others rare. The first step is to come up with a way to quantify this other than "matches" which is very fuzzy.

Someone mentioned haplogroup. Some haplogroups (e.g., A, N & O) are under-represented in the databases because few have tested. If you're in one of those, you're less likely to find matches by chance.

Four years isn't that long for a less-common haplotype. I've had members who got their first match 10 years after testing. I'd advise hangin there and checking periodically.

[Littlest bit]

I have to agree with MMaddi on this one:

Look at it this way. Once you do get any matches, it's more likely that they're meaningful, even at the 12 marker level. Think of other R-M269 men who may get literally hundreds of matches at 12 markers and dozens at 25 markers, most of which are meaningless. Would you rather have that situation?

For the longest time, my grandpa a Welsh R-M269 known L21, got one match at 12 markers. Now he's got 4, 1 0-step and 3 1-step, but of the 4, 2 are surname matches and I can place both of them in our tree. One of them is as close are sharing a common 3rd great grandfather.

Meanwhile my son is an Irish R-M269 known L226, has 28 pages of 12 marker matches and not a single one is a surname match. It's a less common Irish name, Frawley, which I guess must contribute to the lack of surname matches.

Anyway, my grandpa carries the the fairly uncommon CTS1751 terminal snp, which has lots of representation in Ireland and may have started there. Here's more info about it with a way to check for it if you are tested elsewhere:

http://www.anthrogenica.com/showthread.php?1326-CTS1751-(L21-gt-DF13-gt-CTS1751)-and-variations-of-L144&highlight=cts1751

Good luck!

[MMaddi]

That is ridiculous. Seriously, R-M269 is so common, why the lack of genetic matches?!

1. Only exact and 11/12 matches among the first 12 markers show up on your match list. You may have 2 or 3 uncommon marker counts in your first 12 markers.

2. The ethnic/geographic ancestry of your paternal line may be uncommon in the database, which would be a factor.

3. A combination of 1 and 2.

Look at it this way. Once you do get any matches, it's more likely that they're meaningful, even at the 12 marker level. Think of other R-M269 men who may get literally hundreds of matches at 12 markers and dozens at 25 markers, most of which are meaningless. Would you rather have that situation?

I'm R1b-U106 and had no matches at all for a few years. I have 4 off-modal markers among the first 12. Then I found a 42/43 match in the Ancestry.com database and he retested here. We're now a 104/111 match. I do have a 11/12 match beside him, but that match falls away at 25 markers. The 104/111 match is still my only significant match and that's fine with me.

[Janet]

What are these "health reports"

I've never dealt with 23 and me, so what are these reports?

[Janet]

If it makes you feel better, I was raised in Ireland to Irish parents and I got a lack of results too. My predicted haplogroup is allegedly the biggest in western Europe but apparently I'm still rare enough to not get many matches. Frustrating, but you're not alone.


And yes, GEDmatch might help. A lot of people go with 23andMe for health reports so there might be some people with your haplogroup there!

[Carla]

That is ridiculous. Seriously, R-M269 is so common, why the lack of genetic matches?!

I wish I knew. The one exact 12 marker match is to another "Wood", at least. But it's been over 6 years now!! lol... who knows.

[schnook]

That is ridiculous. Seriously, R-M269 is so common, why the lack of genetic matches?!

[Carla]

Don't feel alone. I had my cousin's Y dna done to 67 markers. The last name is Wood, haplogroup
R-M 269and only one 12 marker match since January of 2009!

[schnook]

No matches past 12 markers is quite different from having no matches at all (although, naturally, only matches that relate to your own haplogroup mean anything).

Since first testing in 2008 I have acquired more than 100 STR matches in the FTDNA database at 12 markers, but none past that.

However, on the SNP front, I have 450+ matches through Family Finder, including two 3rd cousin matches which are corroborated with BD&M paperwork.

So, it pays to test every which way.

I know getting matches at 12 markers only is different from no matches at all, but 12 marker matches are pointless to me.

Actually yes, OP have you tried Family Finder? Surely you could find some more matches there!

[gtc]

Yes. I got no matches there past 12 markers. I am hopeful if 850200 does it they will get a better result than I did.

No matches past 12 markers is quite different from having no matches at all (although, naturally, only matches that relate to your own haplogroup mean anything).

Since first testing in 2008 I have acquired more than 100 STR matches in the FTDNA database at 12 markers, but none past that.

However, on the SNP front, I have 450+ matches through Family Finder, including two 3rd cousin matches which are corroborated with BD&M paperwork.

So, it pays to test every which way.

[schnook]

It's really bizarre. Most common Western European haplogroup but no real matches at all?!

[A.Lock]

Same with me, so you are not alone and I am R1b also.

[schnook]

@Schnook and 850200: Have you uploaded your STRs to Ysearch?

That database is not restricted to FTDNA results, so you may get lucky there.

Yes. I got no matches there past 12 markers. I am hopeful if 850200 does it they will get a better result than I did.

[gtc]

@Schnook and 850200: Have you uploaded your STRs to Ysearch?

That database is not restricted to FTDNA results, so you may get lucky there.

[schnook]

The most prolific DNA in Ireland in Western Europe and I have no matches. its weird I feel like a leper.

If it makes you feel better, I was raised in Ireland to Irish parents and I got a lack of results too. My predicted haplogroup is allegedly the biggest in western Europe but apparently I'm still rare enough to not get many matches. Frustrating, but you're not alone.


And yes, GEDmatch might help. A lot of people go with 23andMe for health reports so there might be some people with your haplogroup there!