yDNA Groupings

Note: Most pages under this heading are only available to registered members. Best way to register is to perform genetic genealogy testing and match other members. Otherwise, talk to the admins about starting a new branch if you are not matching others here but you have strong genealogical work already. See our How To Join page for more information.

The H600 Surname Project has DNA Groupings based upon matching Y chromosome (aka yDNA) results from multiple descendants, preferably distantly related. The DNA Grouping pages support a corresponding Patriline (or family branch) with matching yDNA and thus support and possibly confirm existing genealogical work. The groupings here roughly reflect those setup on the related FTDNA project that supports this group. But not all have tested at FTDNA and some areas of the phylogenetic tree are deeper in other tree sites. So this page represents the merger of all that is known from all places and test results. And may differ from the FTDNA project.

Due to the stability of the Y chromosome, yDNA analysis stretches much farther back than genealogical records or Autosomal SNP testing. In some cases, we are finding surprise links between family branches where genealogical work is void. Thus providing a target EKA farther back than previously known.

Three yDNA STR test results that match can define an Earliest Known Ancestor Haplotype modal (that is, the likely STR values the EKA had). More people tested starts to define the minor variations in yDNA STR values down each branch and thus Haplotype signatures for our more recent ancestors. Matching yDNA SNP values define the Haplogroup and solidify the matching Haplotype result. At the stems (or recent, nearer term branches) in the Patrilines, Autosomal testing is used to link those that are not on the Patriline directly. Often this requires they have an ancestor in the Patriline within the last 200 years.

yDNA SNP testing and the Haplogroup it defines are required to verify that yDNA STR Haplotype results are really matching. And more often nowadays as more test WGS, define nearer in time branching more reliably than STRs. As such, we group our DNA Groupings pages by their major haplogroup branches. This helps us pull together common material on major Haplogroup branches into a single page as well. You can think of the major Haplogroup branches as being the grouping for family branches with an EKA from thousands of years ago. This is normally the realm of population studies and anthropology and not really covered or supported here. Instead, we work to bridge the gap that SNP testing defines in ancient lines to the genealogical time frame ancestors we study here.

A DNA Grouping page is meant to shadow a Family Branches page. Each DNA Grouping page has a volunteer coordinator who promotes the gathering of more information about the lineage through further DNA tests and expanded traditional genealogical research. More often than not though, "the tail wags the dog". Meaning, DNA test matching is showing disparate family branches should be in the same Patriline. In those cases, a next-level up family branches page is created to group existing, formerly disparate branches. We then begin to track the study of how the ancestral lines merge further back in time. The DNA Grouping page shadowing this new shell family branch page is then used to capture the matching DNA analysis and its exploratory work. Family branch pages are labeled Bnn. Their corresponding DNA Groupings page is labeled BnnDNA. Good examples of super-group family branches in the project are B09 and B10.

When just a single individual has yDNA tested but there exists several hundred years of solid genealogical research, we may create the family branch page in hopes of recruiting and attracting more family members. But we will usually wait for there to be a DNA match before starting the corresponding DNA Groupings page here.

There are DNA testers listed in these groups that are not necessarily project members or current researchers in the family branches. Their results may be included without their active participation as they have been pulled from public sources or found with genealogical search methods. Often we have reached out and they have not responded. We include them if their genealogical body of work is public and has potential to help other members. Sometimes, these are the first members in a family branch page as researchers push their one-name study further to transform into a surname study effort.

To fully appreciate this section and its contents, you should be familiar with the Family Branches and Genetic Genealogy sections. The latter is where we cover our current work on genetic genealogy testing. DNA Groupings detail the more in-depth, match specific analysis of SNP and STR values found in the yDNA that are more unique to family branch members. Genealogical implications of test results are folded back into the family branches pages. The genetic information about a branch is covered in the corresponding page here.  But realize that DNA results, just as with any genealogical resource, gives us clues to build a body of evidence in support of a posited theory. On their own, they usually mean little.

Note that we are just expanding our DNA analysis from exclusively working the patriline (yDNA) to now include near-term (Autosomal or atDNA) matching of non-patriline relatives. xDNA is simply lumped in with atDNA by testing companies and here as well. There is some unique information that can be derived by analyzing xDNA results separately that may be covered in an autosomal study page. Autosomal testing often involves working backwards from a present individual on all their ancestral lines. yDNA only involves the Patriline (male) line from a common EKA. To incorporate nearer-term, Autosomal SNP testing work in this project, post-1800 sub-branches of the Patriline are identified and a sub-page of the branch's DNA Grouping page is created to report the work of the Autosomal study. So autosomal studies here are a mash-up of traditional yDNA and atDNA studies that others may perform. The combination of many Autosomal clusters attached to various branches of a Patriline that link back to a common early ancestor forms the basis of a DNA Grouping in a surname family branch.

Access to the near term Autosomal DNA activity is limited to registered members of that particular subgroup; not just the Patriline group. This because it is dealing with living testers and their nearer living relatives. To be admitted as a registered member of an Autosomal group, you must be a verified, matching DNA result to another member (or expected to have so and are recruited in by other members). The admin of each subgroup can assist you with verifying your match in order to facilitate your membership. Information about testers, their nearer term lineage, their DNA test results, and their result ID's is considered private to each tester and only releasable to non -project people with explicit permission of the tester or authorized manager of the test kit.

Matriline (mtDNA) testing is not normally very useful in a genealogical activity. But some value can be extracted to confirm Matriline descendants as they both should share the same mtDNA test result.

Phylogenetic Trees of Haplogroups

yDNA and mtDNA SNP testing has traditionally been used for the study and understanding of Haplogroups. The understanding of Haplogroups, or ancient populations, is in a constant flux. Especially since the introduction of genetic genealogy testing and citizen scientists getting into the fray. Historically, such studies were performed exclusively by University researchers (anthropologists and more recently population geneticists) with a focus on pushing back in time to early human groups. Citizen scientists have been more interested in nearer term connections and are beginning to close the time gap of any testing result value to be within the genealogical time frame; thus beginning to help individuals understand their 1,000 to 500 years ago ancestry.

Haplogroups are identified by SNP value "signatures". Researchers attempt to order the likely time frame that the SNP changes occurred during human evolution. This order is represented as a branching phylogenetic tree with the root given a biblical-name reference of "Adam" for the Y chromosome tree (and "Eve" for the Matriline one given by mtDNA testing). Branches from the root are defined by ancient SNP changes.

The top level branching in the ancient, human-history phylogenetic tree is historically identified by single alphabetic letters. Originally, the branching below these nodes was then designated using alternating numbers and letters (that is, the YCC long form). In a few cases, the second level branch (with a numeral) and then sometimes a third character letter designation is important enough that it is treated like a "top level", major alphabetic branch. For example, most talk of I1 and R1b as "top level" branch points. Often, when using the newer YCC short form to identify a major branch point or terminal, the main SNP defining the branch / terminal is pre-pended by the "top-level" branch name from this older, alphabetic YCC long form. For example, R1b-P312 or even simply R-P312.

There are many phylogenetic trees available to compare and contrast these days; a list is available in the glossary. The ISOGG Tree has been the main tree used by non-academics for the last decade of genetic genealogy and was defined by an academic consortium YCC for two decades before that. ISOGG volunteers continued the work based on published, academic papers. But since the introduction of Sequencing testing, the expansion has been much faster than this activity can keep up with. So other sources arose that are more current and heavily participated in. The ISOGG Tree uses the old style YCC long form which has been dropped by everyone else. The MTDNA Phylo Tree Authors put out a simplified yDNA top-level phylogenetic tree with much of the major branching visible on separate, linked pages. They use the newer YCC short form in this tree. The tree starts with "Adam" as A and tends to use letters for the early, ancient branching. yFull also has a simple, top-level tree depicted. There has been some recent, major-restructuring of the top-level, single letter tree. See the tree restructuring section below for more information.

Most group members have their yDNA SNP test done with FamilyTreeDNA; with their Sequencing BigY test. So many see their placement in the FamilyTreeDNA chart as a first step. But the FamilyTreeDNA chart is not open and available to all. It also only shows your path and not easily the paths of others. So many work with more open trees like yTree and yFull that are also accepting of participants results.

YFull is a newcomer that is based on Sequencing testing analysis; such as the BigY test from FamilyTreeDNA. It changes daily as users submit results for analysis. They are restructuring some of the more stable, upper parts of the tree that ISOGG and others have as yet to follow. YFull also has a nice top level, single page tree like the MTDNA Phylo Tree Authors adopted.

A recent strong up-and-comer with a nice display is Alex Williamson's yTree which has started merging older efforts by a number of the FamilyTreeDNA R1b research groups that had been helping develop the ISOGG Tree. yTree only provides information about the R1b-P312 branch and below. Although deep in the traditional Haplogroup tree, most white European men fall below the R1b-P312 branch point and thus in this tree. Half or more of our testers in this project are there also; mimicking that statistic.

Haplogroup study and understanding is really outside the scope of our work here. Members are encouraged to read online references and build a sub-page to their DNA Grouping to document and follow the current thinking, if interested, for their branch. It is not a focus nor expected support area otherwise. We are a genetic genealogy based surname study, not a genetic anthropological one.

Major Ancient Haplogroups

There are a few top level, single letter designated haplogroups (or branch points in the phylogenetic tree) that are significant in their own right. Not just because they contain large portions of the existing population today. But because they are considered the defining branch point for important civilizations like the Vikings or first farmers of Europe. We do not wish to get into the anthropological definitions that exist for these various groups today. But simply introduce them here as they form the next level down in this Wiki structure for you to follow. Each branch is given in both YCC long form and short form (with path) below.

There is often no longhand style path designation for these ancient haplogroups. They exist in the early, simple tree as a single letter. Recent reworkings of the tree have brought in new complexity from the early work of the 1980's and 90's. See the resources mentioned above for the simplified top-level tree. As a result of these recent changes, the paths given below are the fragments at each branch of the original YCC long form (single letters) and the major SNP that branch is known by below. Often, these ancient haplogroups mentioned here are the predicted haplogroup from STR results. Only those haplogroups that have representation in our project are given here. See the table of contents for lower level pages in the upper right for the next level pages that pertain to this project.

The root Adam is officially not defined but generally considered to be A. There is an A00 ancient branch from Adam and then all the rest of the tree as a branch haplogroup designated A0-T. These pseudo branches were created / inserted. They generally have two haplogroup single-letter designations separated by a dash (-) to represent a range. So A0-T is everything from A0 through to the deepest on the top-level, simple tree which happens to be the letter T. Sometimes the dash (-) is dropped and the range simply enumerated. Like HIJK instead of H-K.

There are often tens to a hundred or so SNPs defined for these early branches. But one must be used for the YCC short form name of the haplogroup branch that is based on a single SNP. Some have a historic, single SNP name. Others do not and there is confusion as to what the short form name is. We do what we can to capture the trees as represented by the different sites (ISOGG, yFull, FTDNA, etc). When a single, common SNP for a branch is not generally used, we provide multiple, commonly seen ones as aliases or alternate names (with SNPs shown separated by a slash '/').

The tree is in a constant state of flux. And like biology in general, attempts to place rules of classification are constantly broken with exceptions and nuances that are discovered later.

Haplogroup I

The YCC path designation, in top-level tree single-letter style, for I is, starting at A0-T and taken from the ISOGG and yFull trees on Jan 2018, shown here along with the shorthand SNP notation for each branch point. The path designation is:
Each SNP in this "new", short-style SNP-name path corresponds with a letter or number in the name / path of the old-style, longhand designation of the top-level tree.

Haplogroup I has two major branches just below it. Old form designated as I1 and I2. New form is I-M253 and I-P215; respectively.

Haplogroup R

The YCC path designation, in top-level tree single-letter style, for R starting at A0-T and taken from the ISOGG and yFull trees on Jan 2018, shown along with the shorthand SNP notation of each branch point, is:
The above designation is a mix of the 2015 and earlier single-letter designation, as well as the new post 2015 tree revamp designation. We found it simpler to follow yFull for the old, long YCC designation here.

Haplogroup R has one major branch below it and a few minor ones. The major one is designated R1 or R-M173 in the new nomenclature. Within R1, there are two major branches: R1a and R1b (designated R-M420 and R-M343; respectively). R1b is the elephant that has well over 50% of all European males existing within it.

Haplogroups R and I shares the same path down until the IJK branch point. IJK splits into IJ and K. IJ then splits to I whereas K then splits into LT (or L-T) which contains R further down in it.

Tree Restructuring

Restructuring / renaming has been underway since 2015 in the top-level tree. Starting at haplogroup K and moving downwards has been restructured in the phylogenetic tree. As a result, it removed old single letters or created dual names for many of the traditional L through T haplogroups. Dual K sub-branch names exist now for what was L through T. The old LT branch is now relabeled K1 and has two sub-branches L and T (that is, renamed to K1a and K1b; respectively). This because a K2 has been added. The rest of LT (all except the defining bookends of L and T) are now part of branch K2. What used to be named M, N, O, P, Q, R and S are now called K2b1b, K2a1, K2a2, K2b2, K2b2a1, K2b2a2 and K2b1a; respectively. Note that the SNPs defining these branch points (that is,haplogroups) have not really changed. Just the ordering in the phylogenetic tree structure. Hence, why switching to naming haplogroups using the YCC short form of SNPs is popular with many. The short form name is not subject to a changed name when restructuring in the tree above it occurs.

The best view to this new tree that retains the old names as well as shows the new branching is given in the yFull K Branch Tree. We have shown a capture of this K branch tree here, as of Jan 2018, as well as the ISOGG tree of both K and P to depict their version. The main issue driving the changes was having new branching below and interspersed with the single letters. But then how to name the new branches given single letters were already exhausted? Simplifying them all to K and using the old, long form terminology resolved the issues and allowed the restructuring. Look at the ISOGG trees from each year of 2015 to 2018 as they were incrementally changed to understand this revamping. Beside having M through S depicted in a new K branch page, dual names and the K branch are on the top-level tree as well. With this change, the top level lettering has been reduced to simply A-K with L-T now being phased out.

None of this is really important for genetic genealogy. it is all ancient, pre-recorded history waiting for the anthropologists (and those with an interest there) to discover. But it does affect us as to when R disappears completely. Because then we will have to describe R as K2b2a2 and rename our description page of R1b-P312 to K2-P312 or something similar.

External Resources

• Eupedia Haplogroup Pages
• ISOGG Haplogroup Pages
• Wikipedia Haplogroup Page
• R1b Haplogroup project at FTDNA for up-to-date, latest information on developments in R1b (especially their Dropbox Overview chart)