Sorting out DNA results, apparent "Clare" chromosome segment
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2017 6:06 pm
My knowledge of DNA in all its scientific ramifications has not significantly increased since my posting on results of my test kit with 23andMe and my Carberry male cousin's test kit with FamilyTreeNDA. However, I continue to view whatever shows up on my company's "DNA Relatives" listings. This is quite varied, as even those who participate in "Open Sharing" often don't list surnames or useful U.S. locations. "Open Sharing" means that I can see a graphic presentation of how my gene segments compare with that of a cousin identified by the company. I am informed that 23andMe uses the number of shared gene segments and the length of any such segment, to determine the degree of relationship. I continue to have no close relatives appearing on 23andMe, whether in Open Sharing or not. In the top 10 such identified relatives, there is still a good number remaining anonymous.
However, for the cousins who are Nos. 7 and 9 on the list in order of relationship to me, there is a shared gene segment which seems to point to our common Clare heritage. Cousin No. 7 (named Peter) has a posted genealogy, with ancestors Falvey and Fitzgerald of East Clare (church records located). Another "Open Sharing" cousin, Patricia, (not in my top 10) with the same shared gene segment likewise has researched her family back to Clare; I have to contact her for more details but she has listed her U.S. location as the same county where my family settled. Cousin No. 9, another Peter, has not listed any surnames or U.S. locations although he states his maternal side is Irish. None of the paternal haplogroups match that of my Carberry cousin, but our Carberry line is not Clare in origin. It would be our old ancestor Carberry's wife who was born in Clare, and her surname appears to be Maloney from an 1816 baptism.
I am showing below edited versions of these cousins' Open Sharing gene graphics, so you can see that their gene segments, all on Chromosome No. 9 (as labelled by 23andMe) look remarkably alike. Due to that company' reliance on gene length in its assessments, I suppose that the segment length is carefully depicted, and I am hoping its position is also dependably shown. If so, then could I assume this particular location on this chromosome is a "marker"-type distinction for a Clare descendant ? Any opinion from a DNA savvy person would be appreciated.
On this working assumption, I will be contacting an adopted person identified as my 4th cousin (the same as Peter, Peter, and Patricia) whose 23andMe graphic likewise shows the same chromosome 9 segment position and length. She states she wants to learn about her biological relatives but has shown no clues to U.S. locations, which adoptees usually have in one form or another. Her current surname appears to be Polish.
This small set of conclusions has sifted out of hours of viewing profiles of those identified by 23andMe as my cousins. 23andMe provides no way to sort the mass of 1400-plus such cousins, except for surnames that some have listed in their profiles. I fortunately have a maternal side that is very distinct gene-wise from my paternal side. Thus in looking for other Clare descendants, I can fairly readily weed out the maternal-side cousins by their maternal haplogroups and U.S. locations.
Actually, I am surprised that I have arrived at this stage. The down side is identified cousins, even the ones who are active in family history, are not interested in going beyond what they already have. I would like to get at least the surname of a common ancestor. That seems possible, as the time period involved is 1800 to 1835, for which documents do exist if someone had property or a family tree already exists on file from the old Genealogical Office in Dublin.
This is just a memo for your general information. I am o.k. whether or not I get more results than currently. I feel bad for the adoptees who really need responses.
Sharon Carberry
USA
However, for the cousins who are Nos. 7 and 9 on the list in order of relationship to me, there is a shared gene segment which seems to point to our common Clare heritage. Cousin No. 7 (named Peter) has a posted genealogy, with ancestors Falvey and Fitzgerald of East Clare (church records located). Another "Open Sharing" cousin, Patricia, (not in my top 10) with the same shared gene segment likewise has researched her family back to Clare; I have to contact her for more details but she has listed her U.S. location as the same county where my family settled. Cousin No. 9, another Peter, has not listed any surnames or U.S. locations although he states his maternal side is Irish. None of the paternal haplogroups match that of my Carberry cousin, but our Carberry line is not Clare in origin. It would be our old ancestor Carberry's wife who was born in Clare, and her surname appears to be Maloney from an 1816 baptism.
I am showing below edited versions of these cousins' Open Sharing gene graphics, so you can see that their gene segments, all on Chromosome No. 9 (as labelled by 23andMe) look remarkably alike. Due to that company' reliance on gene length in its assessments, I suppose that the segment length is carefully depicted, and I am hoping its position is also dependably shown. If so, then could I assume this particular location on this chromosome is a "marker"-type distinction for a Clare descendant ? Any opinion from a DNA savvy person would be appreciated.
On this working assumption, I will be contacting an adopted person identified as my 4th cousin (the same as Peter, Peter, and Patricia) whose 23andMe graphic likewise shows the same chromosome 9 segment position and length. She states she wants to learn about her biological relatives but has shown no clues to U.S. locations, which adoptees usually have in one form or another. Her current surname appears to be Polish.
This small set of conclusions has sifted out of hours of viewing profiles of those identified by 23andMe as my cousins. 23andMe provides no way to sort the mass of 1400-plus such cousins, except for surnames that some have listed in their profiles. I fortunately have a maternal side that is very distinct gene-wise from my paternal side. Thus in looking for other Clare descendants, I can fairly readily weed out the maternal-side cousins by their maternal haplogroups and U.S. locations.
Actually, I am surprised that I have arrived at this stage. The down side is identified cousins, even the ones who are active in family history, are not interested in going beyond what they already have. I would like to get at least the surname of a common ancestor. That seems possible, as the time period involved is 1800 to 1835, for which documents do exist if someone had property or a family tree already exists on file from the old Genealogical Office in Dublin.
This is just a memo for your general information. I am o.k. whether or not I get more results than currently. I feel bad for the adoptees who really need responses.
Sharon Carberry
USA