Y-DNA Question

[sshayward]

Received my brother's Y-DNA back (37). I am very much a maverick at DNA testing but I thought the Y DNA testing followed the father's bloodline (i.e. father, grandfather,etc.) One of the known matches I found is a 4th cousin on my paternal grandmother's line (father's mother)!! Many of the matches are similar names to a prevalent line on my paternal grandmother's side. I didn't expect anything on my paternal grandmother's line.
Somebody please help me figure this out. Sorry to sound so ignorant.

[Jim Barrett]

Sorry to sound so ignorant.

Not knowing something and being ignorant are two different things.

You are correct in thing that Y-DNA is passed from father to son along the paternal line. Women do not have Y-DNA so they can't pass it to anyone.

The 4th cousin along your paternal grandmother's line must also be related along your paternal line.

You really need additional markers. I encourage all of my project members to test 67 markers. Of course this 4th cousin would also need 67 markers.

[dna]

Please consider Family Finder. With 4th cousins it is hit and miss, but who knows, you could be lucky.

W. (Mr.)

[sshayward]

Not knowing something and being ignorant are two different things.

You are correct in thing that Y-DNA is passed from father to son along the paternal line. Women do not have Y-DNA so they can't pass it to anyone.

The 4th cousin along your paternal grandmother's line must also be related along your paternal line.

You really need additional markers. I encourage all of my project members to test 67 markers. Of course this 4th cousin would also need 67 markers.

Thanks for the education. We are planning to do a FF for my brother but we mainly wanted the Y-DNA for the Scotland project and family surname. I was just surprised to see the 4th cousin on his Y results and my sister's and my FF results. I really hope I can get a clearer picture the more I study. Thanks again.
Stephanie

[lgmayka]

One of the known matches I found is a 4th cousin on my paternal grandmother's line (father's mother)!! Many of the matches are similar names to a prevalent line on my paternal grandmother's side.

Are you referring to 37-marker matches, or lower-resolution matches? Frankly, I would not take matches at 12 or 25 markers very seriously.

[Canyon Wolf]

NPE

Another possibility would be the Great-grandmother's brother is actually the father (this does not have to be incest). Perhaps a brother or male cousin is the father and perhaps the child was adopted/raised by the sister and her husband. Since you are not matching people with your own surname this would be a reasonable explanation.

[sshayward]

Why then would you order the tests?

Are you referring to 37-marker matches, or lower-resolution matches? Frankly, I would not take matches at 12 or 25 markers very seriously.

If 12 or 25 markers cannot be taken seriously then why bother?

[jbarry6899]

If 12 or 25 markers cannot be taken seriously then why bother?

In some cases a 12 or 25 marker test can be helpful and can serve as a gateway to more information. In our surname project we have a group of men who match each other and have a very rare value for one of the markers in the first 12. Someone who has such a match has a good chance of connecting with this branch of the family.

[1798]

If 12 or 25 markers cannot be taken seriously then why bother?

The best test to start with is 67 markers. If anyone matches you at 67 markers with the same surname then they are worth looking into.

[ec1970]

The best test to start with is 67 markers. If anyone matches you at 67 markers with the same surname then they are worth looking into.

The overwhelming majority of men who have taken a Y-DNA test have tested less than 67 markers.

Thus the 67+ sample size would be so low as to be useless. And many men have seemingly wasted $150 on a useless test.

[1798]

The overwhelming majority of men who have taken a Y-DNA test have tested less than 67 markers.

Thus the 67+ sample size would be so low as to be useless. And many men have seemingly wasted $150 on a useless test.

It is not a waste but a start.One can always upgrade.

[GoofusBroadway]

and...

... if my math is correct, the cost of the earlier test plus the cost of the upgrade usually adds up to about the same cost as if one had the 67-marker test to begin with. (At least that seems to have been my experience.)

The big difference isn't so much in money as in time (i.e., you have to wait again for results).

k.

[lgmayka]

If 12 or 25 markers cannot be taken seriously then why bother?

As another poster pointed out, a 25- or even 12-marker match can be significant if:
- You share a surname, or
- You share a rare off-modal marker value.