About Y-DNA Haplogroups (paternal ancient ancestry)

Y-DNA is used extensively by scientists to study paternal ancestry. Unlike all other types of DNA, the Y-DNA is passed down strictly from father to son from generation to generation. By testing the Y-DNA, scientists are able to view the genetic markers of an individual's paternal ancestors from thousands of generations ago.

Y-DNA contains two types of ancestral markers, namely STR markers and SNP markers. While STRs are useful for tracing recent ancestry (past few hundred years), SNPs are used to study ancient human history (thousands of years ago). SNPs are small changes (mutations) which occur naturally and randomly in the DNA every few thousand years. Once a SNP occurs in the Y-DNA of a male individual, it becomes a permanent marker that is passed down from that point forward to all future male descendants. The Y-DNA of every male living today contains a unique collection of SNPs inherited from male predecessors over the past tens of thousands of years.

Thousands of SNPs have been discovered in the Y-DNA. By examining SNPs from indigenous individuals from around the world, scientists can estimate the time and location each SNP first occurred. Once the time and location of occurrence of the SNP is known, it becomes a "time and date stamp" which can be used to trace ancestry.

All humans living today can be classified into a specific Y-DNA haplogroup in the Y-DNA Tree based on SNP markers found in their Y-DNA.

Human Y-DNA haplogroups are named using the letters of the alphabet, A to T. Each Y-DNA haplogroup can be further subclassified into finer branches called subclades. Subclades are named using numbers and lower case letters. For example, R1b1b1b2a is a subclade of haplogroup R.

Y-Chromosomal Adam is the name given by researchers to the male individual who is the most recent common paternal ancestor of all living humans.

By testing your Y-DNA SNPs, you will receive your own unique SNP profile and determine your Y-DNA haplogroup. Your SNP profile can be used to create a timeline based on what is currently known about the approximate time and place of origin of each SNP and retrace the migration path of your ancestors over the past 150,000 years.

If you have not tested yet, order your test at Genetrack.