December 2017 Report

The Iowa DNA Project, formed in November 2014 has now reached 1312 members.  Categorized as ‘geographical’, the project is designed for those who have direct ancestors who lived in Iowa, or those researching collateral lines that lived in Iowa. Our focus is on those who have taken autosomal, aka  Family Finder  tests.     However,  we also have numerous members enthusiastically investigating their mtDNA and YDNA origins.

Those new to DNA testing are especially welcome and their research aims are supported and encouraged  within the project.  If you have tested with another company, you may wish to transfer your results to FTDNA and join us.  Instructions are available here.

 Key Figures

• Total Iowa DNA Project Members: 1312
• Family Finder Tests Completed: 1100
• Average number of database wide matches per member:  1303
• Weekly New Member Inter-Project Match Updates
• All Iowa Counties Researched and Represented

Nuts and Bolts

Since its inception, the Iowa DNA Project has maintained a list of surnames and related areas of interest.  Details can be provided directly so that they may be added to the indexes and/or posted for discussion on our Project Activity Feed.  Index searches are available to all existing members and collaboration is encouraged.

The Iowa DNA Project Surname Index can be found here.  Surnames associated with specific counties can be found in our FAQ here.  Current members, if you’ve not already uploaded a gedcom and entered your surname and most distance ancestor details in your profiles, you are strongly encouraged to do so!  You can get detailed instructions on how to complete the process here.

As you can see from the figures below, members have worked diligently to  complete their profiles, thus increasing their odds of making the connection that will break down a brick wall.

• Total Iowa Surnames: 1416
• Members with Family Trees: 872
• Members with listed Surnames:  1018
• Members with listed Most Distant Ancestors: 878

 Iowan Family Groups

The long term goal of the Iowa DNA Project is the inclusion of multiple generations and extended family members who have taken the Family Finder test.  These family groups assist in helping inter-project matches determine how they may be connected and which branch of their family trees to examine further.  We have teamed up with Göran Runfeld of dnagen.net  to utilize his ICW Tool to map out the inter-connectedness of the entire Iowa DNA project.   Below is the ‘Atlas’ or a graphical depiction of the current connections between our members.

Inter-Connectedness Atlas

Using the ICW Tool gives Iowa DNA Project members easy access to a wealth of additional information and charts including a tabulation of our members’ Suggested Relationships.  As you can see, our members are actively recruiting close family members to test.

Suggested Relationships

• Parent/Child: 253
• Full Siblings: 176
• 1^st Cousin: 66
• 2^nd Cousin: 264
• 3^rd Cousin: 550
• 4^th Cousin: 1584

More can be learned about the process and results here*.

*Detailed information, filters and charts are available to Iowa DNA Project members.  Current members, if you would like to find your kit(s) in the Atlas , choose ‘KIT’ from the ‘FILTER’ drop down button on the left and enter your kit number(s).

Haplogroups

 Project YDNA:

As expected, the most common Y haplogroup remains R and its subclades, with I and its subclades the second most prevalent.  Over the last 6 months, we have seen a slight increase in the rarer haplogroups Q, C and T.  To date,  84 project members have completed the Big Y test and 183 have completed the Y-DNA111, with a total of 11 subgroups represented.  If you are interested in getting closer to your terminal SNP but are put off by the price tag of the Big Y, there are numerous reasonably priced SNP packs available to help get you further down the phylotree*.

As you can see from the results below, members have taken advantage of various offers and tailored SNP packs to get closer to their terminal SNPs, particularly those who had been languishing under the enormous umbrella of the R-M269 subclade.

Member YDNA Haplogroups:

• R-M269: 193
• R (excluding R-M269): 139
• I: 84
• E: 16
• J: 14
• G: 9
• N: 4
• Q: 3
• C: 2
• T: 2
• B: 1

More information on the project’s patriarchs and YDNA results can be found here.

*If you are unsure, check with your Haplogroup’s administrator for guidance on which SNP pack is suitable for you.

Project mtDNA:  

The most common mtDNA continues to be H and its subclades with a variety of other haplogroups also represented.  The representation of haplogroups has remained stable other than a marked increase in K haplogroup members.  Currently, 372 project members have completed Full Mitochondrial Sequencing and another 473 the mtDNA Plus, with a total of 17 subgroups represented by the project.

Member  mtDNA Haplogroups:

• H: 198
• U: 56
• K: 52
• T: 50
• J: 37
• W:  12
• I: 12
• V: 11
• L: 5
• HV: 4
• X: 3
• A: 2
• B: 2
• N: 2
• HVO:2
• RO: 2
• C: 1

Complete information on our project’s mtDNA matriarchs, statistics and mutations can be found here.

Declared Countries of YDNA and mtDNA Origin

MyOrigins Leaderboard

Based on percentage points per member, the current Iowa DNA Project populations are listed below in order of frequency.  Descriptions of each population cluster can be found here.

• British Isles 43,273
• West and Central Europe 23,464
• Scandinavia 11,168
• East Europe 5,466
• Southeast Europe 4,395
• Iberia 1,492
• West Africa 523
• Asia Minor 423
• Ashkenazi 400
• Finland 317
• North and Central America 305
• Sephardic 234
• West Middle East 210
• South America 112
• Northeast Asia 75
• East Middle East 88
• East Central Africa 31
• Central Asia 19
• South Central Africa 11
• North Africa 11
• South Central Asia 5
• Siberia 2

With the newest version of myOrigins, population trace amounts are also available in the ethnicity report.

• West Middle East 174 members
• Finland 151 members
• East Europe 128 members
• Oceania 109 members
• Southeast Europe 99 members
• North and Central America 97 members
• South America 93 members
• Asia Minor 76 members
• Siberia 63 members
• South Central Africa 61 members
• Central Asia 60 members
• North Africa 54 members
• Ashkenazi 52 members
• East Middle East 52 members
• West Africa 50 members
• South Central Asia 45 members
• East Central Africa 38 members
• Sephardic 29 members
• Southeast Asia 26 members
• Iberia 25 members
• Scandinavia 25 members
• Northeast Asia 20 members
• British Isles: 7 members
• West and Central Europe 6 members

 100% Club:

Currently, 4 of our members have returned a 100% result (1 British Isles, 2 Scandinavia and 1 Eastern European).

Ancient Origins

FTDNA has added the Ancient Origins calculator to its list of offerings, and describes it as, “The European Continent has been witness to many episodes of human migration, some of which have spanned over thousands of years. The most up-to-date research into these ancient migrations on the European Continent suggests that there were three major groups of people that have had a lasting effect on present day peoples of European descent: Hunter-Gatherers, Early Farmers, and Metal Age Invaders.”  Now, those who have taken the Family Finder test can also learn more about their deep origins.

In general, across the board project members are returning roughly equal proportions of Hunter Gatherer and Early Farmers, with additional 10-15% Metal Age Invader ancestry.  Detailed information on the calculator and how to use this new tool can be found here .

Ancient Origins Leaderboard

• Hunter Gatherers  41,915
• Early Farmers 40,411
• Metal Age Invaders 11,670
• Non-European 1,011

Coming Results:

The FTDNA lab is currently waiting for the following test kits to be returned: 3 Family Finder (1 3^rd Attempt), 7 mtDNA Full Sequence,  3 YDNA 37, 1 YDNA 111, 1 SNP and 1 Factoid.

From the FTDNA lab, project members are waiting for the following results:   5 mtFull Sequence, 1 mtDNA Plus,  2 YDNA 37,   2 YDNA 67,   6 YDNA 111 (1 delayed),  5 Big Y (3 delayed), 2 Y Haplogroup Backbone (1 delayed),   4 SNP Pack (2 delayed), 7 individual SNPs, 1 Family Finder Geno2+ and 5 Family Finders.

Current members, please keep in mind you cannot be checked for inter-project matches without a completed Family Finder test. 

 Do You have Iowan Roots?

If you have Iowan roots, you are very welcome to join and encouraged to collaborate, share your family’s history, and find connections with your fellow Iowans.

You can read more about the benefits of joining a project at FTDNA here .  If you would like to join the Iowa DNA Project, please visit our homepage here.  The project has converted to MyGroups and has activated its Activity Feed to encourage collaboration. The Feed may be accessed after joining and of course our links section, which contains tutorials for FTDNA users and case studies,  is available to all.

 

May 2017 Quarterly Report

The Iowa DNA Project, formed in November 2014 has now reached 1071 members.  Categorized as ‘geographical’, the project is designed for those who have direct ancestors who lived in Iowa, or those researching collateral lines that lived in Iowa. Our focus is on those who have taken autosomal, aka  Family Finder  tests.     However,  we also have numerous members enthusiastically investigating their mtDNA and YDNA origins.

Those new to DNA testing are especially welcome and their research aims are supported and encouraged  within the project.  If you have tested with another company, you may wish to transfer your results to FTDNA and join us.  Instructions are available here.

Key Figures

• Total Iowa DNA Project Members: 1071
• Family Finder Tests Completed: 930
• Average number of database wide matches per member:  1244
• Weekly New Member Inter-Project Match Updates
• All Iowa Counties Researched and Represented

Nuts and Bolts

The Iowa DNA Project Surname Index can be found here.  Surnames associated with specific counties can be found in our FAQ here.  Current members, if you’ve not already uploaded a gedcom and entered your surname and most distance ancestor details, you are strongly encouraged to do so!  You can get detailed instructions on how to complete your profile here.

As you can see from the figures below, members have worked diligently to  complete their profiles, thus increasing their odds of making the connection that will break down a brick wall.

• Total Iowa Surnames: 1276
• Members with Family Trees: 727
• Members with listed Surnames:  850
• Members with listed Most Distant Ancestors: 756

Iowan Family Groups

The long term goal of the Iowa DNA Project is the inclusion of multiple generations and extended family members who have taken the Family Finder test.  These family groups assist in helping inter-project matches determine how they may be connected and which branch of their family trees to examine further.  We have teamed up with Göran Runfeld of dnagen.net  to trial his ICW Tool to map out the inter-connectedness of the entire Iowa DNA project.   Below is the ‘Atlas’ or a graphical depiction of the current connections between our members.

Inter-Connectedness Atlas

Using the ICW Tool gives Iowa DNA Project members easy access to a variety of additional information and charts including a tabulation of our members’ Suggested Relationships.  As you can see, our members are actively recruiting close family members to test.

Suggested Relationships

• Parent/Child: 240
• Full Siblings: 200
• 1^st Cousin: 70
• 2^nd Cousin: 280
• 3^rd Cousin: 450
• 4^th Cousin: 1160

More can be learned about the process and results here*.

*Detailed information, filters and charts are available to Iowa DNA Project members.  Current members, if you would like to find your kit(s) in the Atlas , choose ‘KIT’ from the ‘FILTER’ drop down button on the left and enter your kit number(s).

Haplogroups

Project YDNA: As expected, the most common Y haplogroup remains R and its subclades, with I and its subclades the second most common.  To date,  58 project members have completed the Big Y test and 119 have completed the Y-DNA111.  If you are interested in getting closer to your terminal SNP but are put off by the price tag of the Big Y, there are numerous reasonably priced SNP packs available to help get you further down the phylotree*.

As you can see from the results below, members have taken advantage of the recent sales and discounts to get closer to their terminal SNPs, particularly those who had been languishing in the R-M269 subclade.

Member YDNA Haplogroups:

• R-M269: 159
• R (excluding R-M269): 104
• I: 72
• E: 13
• J: 10
• G: 9
• N: 3
• Q: 2
• B: 1
• C: 1
• T: 1

More information on the project’s patriarchs and YDNA results can be found here.

*If you are unsure, check with your Haplogroup’s administrator for guidance on which SNP pack is suitable for you.

Project mtDNA:  

The most common mtDNA continues to be H and its subclades with a variety of other haplogroups also represented.  The representation of haplogroups by project members has remained stable since the previous quarterly.  Currently, 303 project members have completed Full Mitochondrial Sequencing.

Member  mtDNA Haplogroups:

• H: 162
• U: 46
• T: 42
• K: 37
• J: 34
• W:  11
• V: 9
• I: 9
• HV: 4
• L: 3
• X: 3
• A: 2
• B: 2
• N: 2
• HVO:2
• C: 1
• RO: 1

Complete information on our project’s mtDNA matriarchs, statistics and mutations can be found here.

Declared Countries of YDNA and mtDNA Origin

MyOrigins Leaderboard

 On April 7, myOrigins was updated to myOrigins 2.0.  Per the release notes, “Seeing your results change does not mean that they were incorrect before, but rather, that with more research and the addition of more reference populations we are able to paint a clearer picture of your genetic tapestry. As our database grows, we are able to gain a better understanding of the unique genetic variation for each of our reference populations and even add new reference populations to our existing regions. We will also share these advances with you and continue to refine your results.”  As a result of the changes, lively discussions have sprung up at the official FTDNA forum.

Based on percentage points per member, the current Iowa DNA Project populations are listed below in order of frequency.  Descriptions of each population cluster can be found here.

• British Isles 36,976
• West and Central Europe 19,462
• Scandinavia 9678
• East Europe 4738
• Southeast Europe 3892
• Iberia 1286
• West Africa 507
• Asia Minor 443
• Finland 290
• North and Central America 266
• Ashkenazi 230
• Sephardic 215
• West Middle East 143
• South America 109
• Northeast Asia 73
• East Middle East 32
• East Central Africa 23
• Central Asia 19
• South Central Africa 11
• North Africa 11
• South Central Asia 5
• Siberia 2

With the newest version of myOrigins, population trace amounts are also available in the ethnicity report.

• Sephardic 23 members
• Ashkenazi 48 members
• North and Central America 79 members
• South America 87 members
• British Isles: 7 members
• Scandinavia 24 members
• Finland 130 members
• West and Central Europe 6 members
• Southeast Europe 85 members
• East Europe 104 members
• Iberia 23 members
• West Middle East 60 members
• East Middle East 47 members
• Asia Minor 63 members
• North Africa 45 members
• East Central Africa 28 members
• South Central Africa 53 members
• West Africa 44 members
• Central Asia 53 members
• South Central Asia 37 members
• Siberia 31 members
• Northeast Asia 17 members
• Southeast Asia 16 members
• Oceania 101 members

As the results have been tracked since the inception of the project, it is possible to compare the current results above to the results of the previous version of myOrigins.

• British Isles 45,621
• Western and Central Europe 27,325
• Scandinavia 26,446
• Southern Europe 7,687
• Eastern Europe 5,382
• Finland and Northern Siberia 874
• Asia Minor 772
• West Africa 398
• Ashkenazi Diaspora 300
• Eastern Middle East 287
• Native American 237
• Central Asia 233
• Northeast Asia 143
•  (Blended Population Cluster) Eastern, Western and Central European 100
• ECW Euro 100
• North Africa 87
• East Central Africa 16
• South-Central Africa 9

100% Club:

Previously, the Iowa DNA project had 19 members returning a 100% result of a single population cluster.  Following the update, two members of our total 1071 have returned a 100% result (British Isles and Eastern Europe).

Ancient Origins

FTDNA has added the Ancient Origins calculator to its list of offerings, and describes it as, “The European Continent has been witness to many episodes of human migration, some of which have spanned over thousands of years. The most up-to-date research into these ancient migrations on the European Continent suggests that there were three major groups of people that have had a lasting effect on present day peoples of European descent: Hunter-Gatherers, Early Farmers, and Metal Age Invaders.”  Now, those who have taken the Family Finder test can also learn more about their deep origins.

In general, across the board project members are returning roughly equal proportions of Hunter Gatherer and Early Farmers, with additional 10-15% Metal Age Invader ancestry.  Detailed information on the calculator and how to use this new tool can be found here .

Ancient Origins Leaderboard

• Hunter Gatherers  35,722
• Early Farmers 34,209
• Metal Age Invaders 9872
• Non-European 930

Coming Results:

The FTDNA lab is currently waiting for the following test kits to be returned:1 Family Finder, 6 mtDNA Full Sequence, 1 Big Y, 2 YDNA 111 and 1 Factoid.

From the FTDNA lab, project members are waiting for the following results:   7 mtFull Sequence,  1 mtDNA Plus, 1 YDNA 37,   2 YDNA 67 (1 delayed),  4 YDNA 111 (1 delayed),  3 Big Y,  1 Y Haplogroup Backbone (delayed),  7 SNP Pack (2 delayed),  2 individual SNPs and  4 Family Finders.

Current members, please keep in mind you cannot be checked for inter-project matches without a completed Family Finder test. 

Do You have Iowan Roots?

If you have Iowan roots, you are very welcome to join and encouraged to collaborate, share your family’s history, and find connections with your fellow Iowans.

You can read more about the benefits of joining a project at FTDNA here .  If you would like to join the Iowa DNA Project, please visit our homepage here.  The project has converted to MyGroups and has activated its Activity Feed to encourage collaboration. The Feed may be accessed after joining and of course our links section, which contains tutorials for FTDNA users and case studies,  is available to all.

 

February 2017 Quarterly Report

The Iowa DNA Project, formed in November 2014 has now reached 901 members.  Categorized as ‘geographical’, the project is designed for those who have direct ancestors who lived in Iowa, or those researching collateral lines that lived in Iowa. Our focus is on those who have taken autosomal, aka  Family Finder  tests.     However,  we also have numerous members enthusiastically investigating their mtDNA and YDNA origins.

Those new to DNA testing are especially welcome and their research aims are supported and encouraged  within the project.  If you have tested with another company, you may wish to transfer your results to FTDNA and join us.  Instructions are available here.

Key Figures

• Total Iowa DNA Project Members: 901
• Family Finder Tests Completed: 800
• Average number of database wide matches per member:  1411
• Weekly New Member Inter-Project Match Updates
• All Iowa Counties Researched and Represented

Nuts and Bolts

The Iowa DNA Project Surname Index can be found here.  Surnames associated with specific counties can be found in our FAQ here.  Current members, if you’ve not already uploaded a gedcom and entered your surname and most distance ancestor details, you are strongly encouraged to do so!  You can get detailed instructions on how to complete your profile here.

As you can see from the figures below, most members have completed their profiles, thus increasing their odds of making the connection that will break down a brick wall.

• Total Iowa Surnames: 1155
• Members with Family Trees: 644
• Members with listed Surnames:  772
• Members with listed Most Distant Ancestors: 689

Iowan Family Groups

The long term goal of the Iowa DNA Project is the inclusion of multiple generations and extended family members who have taken the Family Finder test.  These family groups assist in helping inter-project matches determine how they may be connected and which branch of their family trees to examine further.  We have teamed up with Göran Runfeld of dnagen.net  to trial his ICW Tool to map out the inter-connectedness of the entire Iowa DNA project.   Below is the ‘Atlas’ or a graphical depiction of the current connections between our members.

Using the ICW Tool gives Iowa DNA Project members easy access to a variety of additional information and charts including a tabulation of our members’ Suggested Relationships.  As you can see, our members are actively recruiting close family members to test.

Suggested Relationships

• Parent/Child: 184
• Full Siblings: 152
• 1^st Cousin: 56
• 2^nd Cousin: 224
• 3^rd Cousin: 264
• 4^th Cousin: 768

More can be learned about the process and results here*.

*Detailed information, filters and charts are available to Iowa DNA Project members.  Current members, if you would like to find your kit(s) in the Atlas , choose ‘KIT’ from the ‘FILTER’ drop down button on the left and enter your kit number(s).

Haplogroups

Project YDNA: As expected, the most common Y haplogroup remains R and its subclades, with I and its subclades the second most common.  To date,  51 project members have completed the Big Y test and 119 have completed the Y-DNA111.  If you are interested in getting closer to your terminal SNP but are put off by the price tag of the Big Y, there are numerous reasonably priced SNP packs available to help get you further down the phylotree*.  As you can see from the results below, members have taken advantage of the recent sales and discounts to get closer to their terminal SNPs, particularly those who had been languishing in the R-M269 subclade.

Member YDNA Haplogroups

• R-M269: 137
• R (excluding R-M269): 93
• I: 62
• E: 10
• G: 9
• J: 7
• N: 3
• B: 1
• C: 1
• Q: 1
• T: 1

More information on the project’s patriarchs and YDNA results can be found here.

*If you are unsure, check with your Haplogroup’s administrator for guidance on which SNP pack is suitable for you.

Project mtDNA:  

 The most common mtDNA continues to be H and its subclades with a variety of other haplogroups also represented.  The representation of haplogroups by project members has remained stable since the previous quarterly.  Currently, 257 project members have completed Full Mitochondrial Sequencing.

Member  mtDNA Haplogroups:

• H: 134
• U: 44
• T: 38
• K: 37
• J: 29
• W:  11
• V: 8
• I: 8
• L: 3
• HV: 3
• X: 2
• A: 2
• B: 2
• N: 2
• HVO:2
• C: 1
• RO: 1

Complete information on our project’s mtDNA matriarchs, statistics and mutations can be found here.

Declared Countries of YDNA and mtDNA Origin

MyOrigins Leaderboard

Based on percentage points per member, the Iowa DNA Project populations are listed below in order of frequency.  Descriptions of each population cluster can be found here.  Additional admixture tools can be found at Gedmatch.

On the whole, as our numbers have risen since November 2016, the populations seen in the project have remained at generally consistent proportions.

• British Isles 45,621
• Western and Central Europe 27,325
• Scandinavia 26,446
• Southern Europe 7,687
• Eastern Europe 5,382
• Finland and Northern Siberia 874
• Asia Minor 772
• West Africa 398
• Ashkenazi Diaspora 300
• Eastern Middle East 287
• Native American 237
• Central Asia 233
• Northeast Asia 143
•  (Blended Population Cluster) Eastern, Western and Central European 100
• ECW Euro 100
• North Africa 87
• East Central Africa 16
• South-Central Africa 9

100% Club:

• 100% British Isles 9 members
• 100% Western and Central Europe 6 members
• 100% Scandinavian 2 members
• 100% Eastern, Western and Central European 1 member
• 100% Scandinavian, Western Central European 1 member

Ancient Origins

FTDNA has added the Ancient Origins calculator to its list of offerings, and describes it as, “The European Continent has been witness to many episodes of human migration, some of which have spanned over thousands of years. The most up-to-date research into these ancient migrations on the European Continent suggests that there were three major groups of people that have had a lasting effect on present day peoples of European descent: Hunter-Gatherers, Early Farmers, and Metal Age Invaders.”  Now, those who have taken the Family Finder test can also learn more about their deep origins.

In general, across the board project members are returning roughly equal proportions of Hunter Gatherer and Early Farmers, with additional 10-15% Metal Age Invader ancestry.  Detailed information on the calculator and how to use this new tool can be found here .

Ancient Origins Leaderboard

• Hunter Gatherers  30,148
• Early Farmers 28,840
• Metal Age Invaders 9639
• Non-European 780

Coming Results:

Following the recent seasonal sales, the FTDNA lab is currently waiting for the following test kits to be returned:1 Family Finder, 4 mtDNA Full Sequence,  and 1 Factoid.

From the FTDNA lab, project members are waiting for the following results:  6 mtFull Sequence (1 delayed), 1 mtDNA Plus (delayed),  3 YDNA 67,  2 YDNA 111 (1 delayed),  3 Y Haplogroup Backbone (2 delayed),  1 SNP Pack (delayed),  3 individual SNPs (1 delayed) and  2 Family Finders (1 delayed).

Current members, please keep in mind you cannot be checked for inter-project matches without a completed and unlocked Family Finder test. 

Do You have Iowan Roots?

If you have Iowan roots, you are very welcome to join and encouraged to collaborate, share your family’s history, and find connections with your fellow Iowans.

You can read more about the benefits of joining a project at FTDNA here .  If you would like to join the Iowa DNA Project, please visit our homepage here.  The project has converted to MyGroups and has activated its Activity Feed to encourage collaboration. The Feed may be accessed after joining and of course our links section, which contains tutorials for FTDNA users and case studies,  is available to all.

 

 

November 2016 Quarterly Report

The Iowa DNA Project was formed in November 2014 and on its second anniversary, has now reached 804 members.  The project is categorized as ‘geographical’, and is designed for those who have direct ancestors who lived in Iowa, or those researching collateral lines that lived in Iowa. Our focus is on autosomal, aka Family Finder results, but we also have numerous members actively investigating their mtDNA and YDNA origins.

Those new to DNA testing are especially welcome and their research aims are supported and encouraged  within the project.  If you have tested with another company, you may wish to transfer your results to FTDNA and join us.  Instructions are available here.

Key Figures

• Total Iowa DNA Project Members: 804
• Family Finder Tests Completed: 700
• Average number of database wide matches per member:  1469
• Weekly New Member Inter-Project Match Updates
• All Iowa Counties Represented

Nuts and Bolts

The Iowa DNA Project Surname Index can be found here.  Surnames associated with specific counties can be found in our FAQ here.  Current members, if you’ve not already uploaded a gedcom and entered your surname and most distance ancestor details, you are strongly encouraged to do so. You can get detailed instructions on how to complete your profile here.

• Total Iowa Surnames: 1056
• Members with Family Trees: 579
• Members with listed Surnames:  704
• Members with listed Most Distant Ancestors: 624

Iowan Family Groups

The long term goal of the Iowa DNA Project is the inclusion of multiple generations and extended family members who have taken the Family Finder test.  These family groups assist in helping inter-project matches determine how they may be connected and which branch of their family trees to examine further.  We have teamed up with Göran Runfeld of dnagen.net  to trial his ICW Tool to map out the inter-connectedness of the entire Iowa DNA project.   Below is a graphical depiction of the current connections between our members.

Using the ICW Tool gives Iowa DNA Project members easy access to a variety of additional information and charts including a tabulation of our members’ Suggested Relationships.  As you can see, our members are actively recruiting close family members to test.

Suggested Relationships

• Parent/Child: 168
• Full Siblings: 154
• 1^st Cousin: 56
• 2^nd Cousin: 224
• 3^rd Cousin: 203
• 4^th Cousin: 546

More can be learned about the process and results here*.

*Detailed information is available to Iowa DNA Project members

Haplogroups

Project YDNA: As expected, the most common Y haplogroup is R and its subclades, with I and its subclades the second most common.  To date,  44 project members have completed the Big Y test.  If you are interested in getting closer to your terminal SNP but aren’t interested in the price tag of the Big Y, there are numerous reasonably priced SNP packs available to help get you further down the phylotree*.  Given the current seasonal sales and discounts, there is no better time to push your research forward.

Member YDNA Haplogroups

• R-M269: 126
• R (excluding R-M269): 73
• I: 58
• E: 9
• G: 8
• J: 5
• N: 3
• B: 1
• C: 1
• Q: 1
• T: 1

More information on the project’s patriarchs and YDNA results can be found here.

*If you are unsure, check with your Haplogroup’s administrator for guidance on which SNP pack is suitable for you.

Project mtDNA:  The most common mtDNA continues to be H and its subclades with a variety of other haplogroups also represented.  In comparing the current haplogroup breakdown to the previous report, it is clear that with additional members testing, there has been a major reshuffling of the represented mtDNA.  Currenly, 221 project members have completed Full Mitochondrial Sequencing.

Member  mtDNA Haplogroups:

• H: 120
• U: 41
• T: 33
• K: 31
• J: 25
• W:  10
• V: 8
• I: 7
• L: 3
• X: 2
• A: 2
• B: 2
• HV: 2
• RO: 1
• N: 1
• HVO:1
• C: 1

Complete information on our project’s mtDNA matriarchs, statistics and mutations can be found here.

Declared Countries of YDNA and mtDNA Origin

MyOrigins Leaderboard

Based on percentage points per member, the Iowa DNA Project populations are listed below in order of frequency.  Descriptions of each population cluster can be found here.  Additional admixture tools can be found at Gedmatch.

On the whole, as our numbers have risen since last August, the populations seen in the project have remained at generally consistent levels with two exceptions.  Members with Western and Central European have seen a slight increase over those with Scandinavian ancestry .  Members with Native American and Northeast Asian ancestry have continued to rise.

• British Isles 42,937
• Western and Central Europe 25,642
• Scandinavia 25,151
• Southern Europe 7,345
• Eastern Europe 5,128
• Finland and Northern Siberia 804
• Asia Minor 723
• West Africa 397
• Ashkenazi Diaspora 285
• Eastern Middle East 284
• Native American 236
• Central Asia 225
• Northeast Asia 143
•  (Blended Population Cluster) Eastern, Western and Central European 100
• ECW Euro 100
• North Africa 83
• East Central Africa 16
• South-Central Africa 9

100% Club:

• 100% British Isles 8 members
• 100% Western and Central Europe 3 members
• 100% Scandinavian 2 members
• 100% Eastern, Western and Central European 1 member
• 100% Scandinavian, Western Central European 1 member

Ancient Origins

FTDNA has added the Ancient Origins calculator to its list of offerings, and describes it as, “The European Continent has been witness to many episodes of human migration, some of which have spanned over thousands of years. The most up-to-date research into these ancient migrations on the European Continent suggests that there were three major groups of people that have had a lasting effect on present day peoples of European descent: Hunter-Gatherers, Early Farmers, and Metal Age Invaders.”  Now, those who have taken the Family Finder test can learn more about their deep origins.

In general, across the board project members are returning roughly equal proportions of Hunter Gatherer and Early Farmers, with additional 10-15% Metal Age Invader ancestry.  Detailed information on the calculator and how to use this new tool can be found here .

Ancient Origins Leaderboard

• Hunter Gatherers  27,247
• Early Farmers 26,036
• Metal Age Invaders 8857
• Non-European 780

Coming Results:

With the current fantastic seasonal sales and existing member bonus discounts FTDNA members are enjoying, we have a slew of kits on order and waiting to be processed.  Currently, orders expected by the lab are: 1 Family Finder, 1 YDNA 25 Marker, 1 YDNA 67 Marker, 1 YDNA 111 Marker, 6 mtDNA Full Sequence, 1 Factoid and 1 SNP test.   Current members, please keep in mind you cannot be checked for inter-project matches without a completed and unlocked Family Finder test.

From the FTDNA lab, we are waiting for the following results:  2 mtFull Sequence, 2 mtDNA Plus, 4 Big Y, 1 YDNA 67, 3 YDNA 111, 3 Y Haplogroup Backbone (3 delayed), 5 SNP Packs, 1  individual SNPS and 2 Family Finders.

Do You have Iowan Roots?

If you have Iowan roots, you are very welcome to join and encouraged to collaborate, share your family’s history, and find connections with your fellow Iowans.

You can read more about the benefits of joining a project at FTDNA here .  If you would like to join the Iowa DNA Project, please visit our homepage here.  The project has converted to MyGroups and has activated its Activity Feed to encourage collaboration. The Feed may be accessed after joining and of course our links section, which contains tutorials for FTDNA users and case studies,  is available to all.

 

 

August 2016 Quarterly Report

The Iowa DNA Project was formed in November 2014 and has now reached 713 members.  The project is categorized as ‘geographical’, and is designed for those who have direct ancestry in Iowa, as well as those researching collateral lines that lived in Iowa. Our focus is on autosomal, aka Family Finder results, but we also have many members testing and actively researching their mtDNA and YDNA origins.

Those new to DNA testing are especially welcome and their research aims are supported and encouraged  within the project.  If you have tested with another company, you may wish to transfer your results to FTDNA and join us.  Instructions on how to transfer your raw results are available here.

Key Figures

• Total Iowa DNA Project Members: 713
• Family Finder Tests Completed: 577
• Average number of database wide matches per member: 26
• Highest number of Inter-Project matches per member: 853
• Weekly Inter-Project Match Updates
• All Iowa Counties Represented

Nuts and Bolts

The Iowa DNA Project Surname Index can be found here.  Surnames associated with specific counties can be found in our FAQ here.  Current members, if you’ve not already uploaded a gedcom and entered your Surname and Most Distant Ancestor details, you are strongly encouraged to do so. You can get detailed instructions on how to complete your profile here.

• Total Iowa Surnames: 989
• Members with Family Trees: 461
• Members with listed Surnames:  553
• Members with listed Most Distant Ancestors: 487

Iowan Family Groups

The long term goal of the Iowa DNA Project is the inclusion of multiple generations and extended family members who have taken the Family Finder test.  These family groups assist in helping inter-project matches determine how they may be connected and which branch of their family trees to examine further to prove their connections.  In October 2015, we teamed up with Göran Runfeld of dnagen.net  to trial his ICW Tool and to map out the interconnectedness of the entire Iowa DNA project.   Below is a depiction of the current extended connections between our members.

Using the ICW Tool gives Iowa DNA Project members easy access to a variety of additional information and charts including a tabulation of our members’ Suggested Relationships.  As you can see, Iowa DNA Project members are actively recruiting close family to test.

Suggested Relationships

• Parent/Child: 125
• Full Siblings: 89
• Grandparent/Grandchild/Half Siblings: 34
• Aunt/Uncle/Niece/Nephew: 40
• 1^st Cousin: 67
• 2^nd Cousin: 108
• 3^rd Cousin: 154
• 4^th Cousin: 391

More can be learned about the ICW Tool’s process and results here.   Detailed information and full access to charts and figures is available to project members.

Haplogroups

Project YDNA: As expected, the most common Y haplogroup is R and its subclades, with I and its subclades being the second most common.  To date,   38 project members have completed the Big Y test.  If you are interested in getting closer to your terminal SNP but aren’t thrilled about the price tag of the Big Y, there are reasonably priced SNP packs available to help get you further down the phylotree*.

• R-M269: 108
• R (excluding R-M269): 66
• I: 55
• E: 8
• G: 7
• J: 4
• N: 3
• B: 1
• C: 1
• T: 1

More information on the project’s patriarchs and YDNA results can be found here.

*If you are unsure, check with your Haplogroup’s administrator for advice on which, if any SNP pack is suitable for you.

Project mtDNA:  The most common mtDNA continues to be H and its subclades with a variety of other haplogroups also represented.   196 project members have completed Full Mitochondrial Sequencing.

Member Haplogroups:

• H: 106
• U: 34
• K: 30
• T: 28
• J: 21
• W: 8
• V: 7
• I: 7
• L: 3
• B: 2
• HV: 2
• HVO:2
• X: 2
• C: 1
• A: 1
• RO: 1
• N: 1

Complete information on our project’s mtDNA matriarchs, statistics and mutations can be found here.

Declared Countries of YDNA and mtDNA Origin

MyOrigins Leaderboard

Based on percentage points per member, the Iowa DNA Project populations are listed below in order of frequency.  Descriptions of each population cluster can be found here. For the calculator junkies, additional admixture tools can be found at Gedmatch.

On the whole, as our numbers have risen, the populations seen in the project have remained at generally consistent levels. In the last 3 months, project members with calculated Western and Central European ancestry have risen slightly to surpass those with calculated Scandinavian origins.

• British Isles 40,519
• Western and Central Europe 24,018
• Scandinavia 23,790
• Southern Europe 6811
• Eastern Europe 4758
• Finland and Northern Siberia 744
• Asia Minor 656
• West Africa 393
• Ashkenazi Diaspora 285
• Eastern Middle East 265
• Native American 233
• Central Asia 169
• Northeast Asia 143
• (Blended Population Cluster) Eastern, Western and Central European 100
• Scandinavian Western Central and Eastern European 100
• North Africa 76
• East Central Africa 16
• South-Central Africa 9

100% Club:

• 100% British Isles 8 members
• 100% Western and Central Europe 3 members
• 100% Scandinavian 2 member
• 100% Eastern, Western and Central European 1 member
• 100% Scandinavian, Western and Central European 1 member

Coming Results:

Currently, we are waiting for a few samples to be returned to the lab for testing: 1 R1b – DF27 SNP Pack, 1 Factoid, and 2 mtDNA Full Sequence.

From the FTDNA lab, we are waiting for the results of several tests:   1 YDNA 37 Marker,  1 YDNA 67 Marker, 1 YDNA 111 Marker (delayed),  3  Y-Hap-Backbone (3 delayed),  1 SNP Pack (delayed),  2 single SNPs (1 delayed),  5 mtDNA Full Sequence (2 delayed), 11 Factoids (11 delayed), 2 mtDNA Plus (2 delayed), and 3 Family Finders (1 delayed).  We have members who are predominantly interested in haplogroups and have not yet ordered a Family Finder.  We also have 58 kits that have taken advantage of the 3^rd Party transfer offer  but are not yet unlocked.   Current members, please keep in mind you cannot be checked for inter-project matches without a completed and unlocked Family Finder test.

Do You have Iowan Roots?

As the Iowa DNA Project has grown, our membership has become increasingly varied.  As early uptakers of the FTDNA ‘Activity Feed’ it has been fantastic to see members sharing photos of their Iowa ancestors, asking questions, collaborating and sharing their successes.   Some of our members have specialized knowledge, databases and access to hard to find resources for their locale.  Our membership is not only spread across the United States, but also includes international members hoping to reconnect with missing branches of family known to have immigrated to Iowa.  Additionally, we have descendants of more recent immigrants, some who know the names of their ancestral European villages and their immigrant family’s Scandinavian farm names.

If you have Iowan roots, you are welcome to join us and encouraged to collaborate and share your family’s history and its place in the settlement of Iowa.

DNA Courses in Iowa August 2016

If you’re in Iowa and would like hands on assistance to make sense of your research, check out the classes offered by Iowa DNA Project’s own Dr Bryant McAllister of the University of Iowa.

Course Description and Details

Each of these courses is designed to support the goals of 1) encouraging understanding of the biological basis of commercial DNA test results, and 2) fostering proficiency navigating the web interface and interpreting DNA test results. These courses are intended for individuals with DNA test results already available. Classes will involve a mix of presentation, demonstration, and guided activity.

Bryant McAllister, PhD, Associate Professor of Biology at The University of Iowa is the instructor for these courses. As a scientist with a focus in evolutionary genetics, Dr. McAllister is an educator able to provide broad insights to individuals looking to apply DNA testing to family history research.

To register go to UI Center for Conferences

Class size is limited. The registration fee is $180 per course, or $320 for both. The deadline to register is July 18.

*Afternoon (1:00-4:00pm) sections of the courses may be opened if the morning sections reach capacity.

If you have questions or would prefer to register by phone please contact the UI Center for Conferences at conferences@uiowa.edu, 1 800 551 9029 or 319 335 4141.

May 2016 Quarterly Report

The Iowa DNA Project was formed in November 2014 and has now reached 614 members.  The project is categorized as ‘geographical’, and is designed for those who have direct ancestry in Iowa, as well as those researching collateral lines that lived in Iowa. Our focus is on autosomal, aka Family Finder results, but we also have many members testing and actively researching their mtDNA and YDNA origins.

Those new to DNA testing are especially welcome and their research aims are supported and encouraged  within the project.  If you have tested with another company, you may wish to transfer your results to FTDNA and join us.  Instructions on how to transfer your raw results are available here.

Key Figures

• Total Iowa DNA Project Members: 614
• Family Finder Tests Completed: 502
• Total Donations: $224  Current Balance $26
• Average number of database wide matches per member: 853
• Highest number of Inter-Project matches per member: 18
• Weekly Inter-Project Match Updates
• All Iowa Counties Represented

Nuts and Bolts

The Iowa DNA Project Surname Index can be found here.  Surnames associated with specific counties can be found in our FAQ here.  Current members, if you’ve not already uploaded a gedcom and entered your Surname and Most Distant Ancestor details, you are strongly encouraged to do so. You can get detailed instructions on how to complete your profile here.

• Total Iowa Surnames: 895
• Members with Family Trees: 461
• Members with listed Surnames:  553
• Members with listed Most Distant Ancestors: 487

Iowan Family Groups

The long term goal of the Iowa DNA Project is the inclusion of multiple generations and extended family members who have taken the Family Finder test.  These family groups assist in helping inter-project matches determine how they may be connected and which branch of their family trees to examine further to prove their connections.  In October 2015, we teamed up with Göran Runfeld of dnagen.net  to trial his ICW Tool and to map out the interconnectedness of the entire Iowa DNA project.   Below is a depiction of the current extended connections between our members. 

Using the ICW Tool gives Iowa DNA Project members easy access to a variety of additional information and charts including a tabulation of our members’ Suggested Relationships.  As you can see, Iowa DNA Project members are actively recruiting close family to test.

Suggested Relationships

• Parent/Child: 69
• Full Siblings: 71
• Grandparent/Grandchild/Half Siblings: 27
• Aunt/Uncle/Niece/Nephew: 29
• 1^st Cousin: 48
• 2^nd Cousin: 95
• 3^rd Cousin: 130
• 4^th Cousin: 356

More can be learned about the ICW Tool’s process and results here.   Detailed information and full access to charts and figures is available to project members.

Haplogroups

Project YDNA: As expected, the most common Y haplogroup is R and its subclades, with I and its subclades being the second most common.  To date,  34 project members have completed the Big Y test.  If you are interested in getting closer to your terminal SNP but aren’t thrilled about the price tag of the Big Y, there are reasonably priced SNP packs available to help get you further down the phylotree*.

• R-M269: 86
• R (excluding R-M269): 55
• I: 46
• E: 7
• G: 6
• J: 4
• N: 3
• B: 1
• T: 1

More information on the project’s patriarchs and YDNA results can be found here.

*If you are unsure, check with your Haplogroup’s administrator for advice on which, if any SNP pack is suitable for you.

Project mtDNA:  The most common mtDNA continues to be H and its subclades with a variety of other haplogroups also represented.   172 project members have completed Full Mitochondrial Sequencing.

Member Haplogroups:

• H: 89
• U: 28
• I: 25
• T: 23
• K: 22
• J: 14
• V: 6
• W: 4
• B: 2
• HV: 2
• L: 2
• HVO:2
• C: 1
• X: 1
• A: 1
• RO: 1
• N: 1

Complete information on our project’s mtDNA matriarchs, statistics and mutations can be found here.

Declared Countries of YDNA and mtDNA Origin

MyOrigins Leaderboard

Based on percentage points per member, the Iowa DNA Project populations are listed below in order of frequency.  Descriptions of each population cluster can be found here. For the calculator junkies, additional admixture tools can be found at Gedmatch.

On the whole, as our numbers have risen since last November, the populations seen in the project have remained at generally consistent levels with two exceptions.  Members with calculated Native American and Northeast Asian ancestry have increased.

• British Isles 20,941
• Scandinavia 12,048
• Western and Central Europe 11,131
• Southern Europe 3134
• Eastern Europe 2228
• Finland and Northern Siberia 664
• Asia Minor 567
• West Africa 291
• Ashkenazi Diaspora 246
• Eastern Middle East 194
• Native American 175
• Central Asia 169
• Northeast Asia 120
• (Blended Population Cluster) Eastern, Western and Central European 100
• North Africa 68
• East Central Africa 13
• South-Central Africa 8

100% Club:

• 100% British Isles 6 members
• 100% Western and Central Europe 3 members
• 100% Scandinavian 1 member
• 100% Eastern, Western and Central European 1 member

Coming Results:

Currently, we are waiting for a few kits to be returned to the lab for testing: 1 Factoid, 1 mtDNA Plus, 3 mtDNA Full Sequence,  1 YDNA 12 Marker, 4 YDNA 37 Marker, 1 YDNA 111, and 1 Family Finder.

From the FTDNA lab, we are waiting for the results of several tests:   4 YDNA 37 Marker, 2 YDNA 67 Marker, 3 YDNA 111 Marker,  2 Y-Hap-Backbone,  3 SNP Packs, 1 single SNP, 2 Big Y, 11 mtDNA Full Sequence, 3 mtDNA Plus, and 3 Family Finders.  We have members who are predominantly interested in haplogroups and have not yet ordered a Family Finder.  We also have 42 kits that have taken advantage of the 3^rd Party transfer offer  but are not yet unlocked.   Current members, please keep in mind you cannot be checked for inter-project matches without a completed and unlocked Family Finder test.

Do You have Iowan Roots?

Over the last 18 months, the Iowa DNA Project has experienced tremendous growth.  We have members with, “boots on the ground” in Iowa, some of who have specialized knowledge, databases and access to hard to find resources for their locale.  Our membership is not only spread across the United States, but also includes international members hoping to reconnect with missing branches of family known to have immigrated to Iowa.  Additionally, we have descendents of more recent immigrants, some who know the names of their ancestral European villages and their immigrant family’s Scandinavian farm names.

If you have Iowan roots, you are welcome to join us and encouraged to collaborate and share your family’s history and its place in the settlement of Iowa.

February 2016 Quarterly Report

The Iowa DNA Project was formed in November 2014 and has now reached 519 members.  The project is categorized as ‘geographical’, and is designed for those who have direct ancestry in Iowa, or those researching collateral lines that lived in Iowa. Our focus is on autosomal, aka Family Finder results, but we also have numerous members interested in testing and investigating their mtDNA and YDNA origins.

Those new to DNA testing are especially welcome and their research aims are supported and encouraged  within the project.  If you have tested with another company, you may wish to transfer your results to FTDNA and join us.  Instructions on how to transfer your raw results are available here.

Key Figures

• Total Iowa DNA Project Members: 519
• Family Finder Tests Completed: 427
• Total Donations: $224  Current Balance $26
• Highest number of database wide matches per member: 3500
• Average number of database wide matches per member: 872
• Highest number of Inter-Project matches per member: 11
• Weekly Inter-Project Match Updates
• All Iowa Counties Represented

Nuts and Bolts

The Iowa DNA Project Surname Index can be found here.  Surnames associated with specific counties can be found in our FAQ here.  Current members, if you’ve not already uploaded a gedcom and entered your Surname and Most Distant Ancestor details, you are strongly encouraged to do so. You can get detailed instructions on how to complete your profile here.

• Total Iowa Surnames: 831
• Members with Family Trees: 410
• Members with listed Surnames:  459
• Members with listed Most Distant Ancestors: 396

Iowan Family Groups

The long term goal of the Iowa DNA Project is the inclusion of multiple generations and extended family members who have taken the Family Finder test.  These family groups assist in helping inter-project matches determine how they may be connected and which branch of their family trees to examine further to prove their connections.  Last October, we teamed up with Göran Runfeld of dnagen.net  to trial his ICW Tool and to map out the interconnectedness of the entire Iowa DNA project.   Below is a depiction of the current extended connections between our members. 

Using the ICW Tool gives Iowa DNA Project members easy access to a variety of additional information and charts including a tabulation of our members’ Suggested Relationships.  As you can see, our members are actively recruiting close family members to test.

Suggested Relationships

• Parent/Child: 68
• Full Siblings: 54
• Grandparent/Grandchild/Half Siblings: 28
• Aunt/Uncle/Niece/Nephew: 28
• 1^st Cousin: 40
• 2^nd Cousin: 52
• 3^rd Cousin: 100
• 4^th Cousin: 236

More can be learned about the ICW Tool’s process and results here.  Detailed information and access to charts and figures is available to project members.

 

Haplogroups

Project YDNA: As expected, the most common Y haplogroup is R and its subclades, with I and its subclades being the second most common.  To date,  28 project members have completed the Big Y test.  If you are interested in getting closer to your terminal SNP but aren’t interested in the price tag of the Big Y, there are numerous reasonably priced SNP packs available to help get you further down the phylotree*.

• R-M269: 75
• R (excluding R-M269): 52
• I: 36
• E: 5
• G: 5
• J: 4
• N: 3
• B: 1

More information on the project’s patriarchs and YDNA results can be found here.

*If you are unsure, check with your Haplogroup’s administrator for advice on which SNP pack is suitable for you.

Project mtDNA:  The most common mtDNA continues to be H and its subclades with a variety of other haplogroups also represented.  147 project members have completed Full Mitochondrial Sequencing.

Member Haplogroups:

• H: 81
• K: 22
• U: 27
• T: 19
• J: 14
• I: 7
• W:  4
• V: 4
• B: 2
• HV: 2
• L: 1
• HVO:1
• C: 1
• X: 1
• A: 1
• RO: 1

Complete information on our project’s mtDNA matriarchs, statistics and mutations can be found here.

Declared Countries of YDNA and mtDNA Origin

MyOrigins Leaderboard

Based on percentage points per member, the Iowa DNA Project populations are listed below in order of frequency.  Descriptions of each population cluster can be found here.  Additional admixture tools can be found at Gedmatch.

On the whole, as our numbers have risen since last November, the populations seen in the project have remained at generally consistent levels with two exceptions.  Members with calculated Native American and Central Asian ancestry have increased.

• British Isles 16,755
• Scandinavia 10,093
• Western and Central Europe 8650
• Southern Europe 2577
• Eastern Europe 1931
• Finland and Northern Siberia 521
• Asia Minor 496
• West Africa 259
• Ashkenazi Diaspora 184
• Eastern Middle East 159
• Central Asia 138
• Native American 128
• (Blended Population Cluster) Eastern, Western and Central European 100
• Northeast Asia 83
• North Africa 57
• East Central Africa 8
• South-Central Africa 6

100% Club:

• 100% British Isles 5 members
• 100% Western and Central Europe 3 members
• 100% Scandinavian 1 member
• 100% Eastern, Western and Central European 1 member

Coming Results:

Currently, we are waiting for a few kits to be returned to the lab for testing: 1 Factoid, 1 YDNA 12 Marker, 1 YDNA 111 Marker, 1 Y-Hap-Backbone, 1 mtDNA Full Sequence and  1 mtDNA Plus.  We have members who are predominantly interested in haplogroups and have not yet ordered a Family Finder.  We also have 40 kits that have taken advantage of the 3^rd Party transfer offer  but are not yet unlocked.   Current members, please keep in mind you cannot be checked for inter-project matches without a completed and unlocked Family Finder test.

From the FTDNA lab, we are waiting for:  2 mtFull Sequence (1 delayed), 1 Big Y, 3 YDNA 67, 2 YDNA 111, 1 Y Haplogroup Backbone (failed quality control/delayed), 1 R1b-M222 SNP Pack, 1 R1b-Z253 SNP Pack, 1 R1b-L1065 SNP Pack, 6 individual SNPS (4 failed quality control/ delayed, 1 delayed) and 1 Family Finder (delayed).

Do You have Iowan Roots?

Many of our project members descend from families who were part of the pioneering settlement of Iowa that pushed in from the eastern seaboard, riding their prairie schooners west, until they found the bountiful farmland of Iowa. Additionally, we have descendents of more recent immigrants, some who know the names of their ancestral European villages and their immigrant family’s Scandinavian farm names.  If you have Iowan roots, you are welcome to join and encouraged to collaborate and share your family’s history and its place in the settlement of Iowa.

Happy First Birthday Iowa DNA Project

The Iowa DNA Project was formed at the end of November 2014 and for its first birthday has now reached 361 members.  The project is ‘geographical’ in nature, and designed for those who have direct ancestors who lived in Iowa, or those researching collateral lines that lived in Iowa. Our focus is on autosomal, aka Family Finder results, but we also have members who have had or are in the process of having their mtDNA and YDNA tested.  Those new to DNA testing are especially welcome and their research aims are supported within the project.

The previous (August 2015) Quarterly Report can be viewed here.

Key Figures

• Total Iowa DNA Project Members: 361
• Family Finder Tests Completed: 305
• Total Donations: $105  Current Balance $6
• Highest number of database wide matches per member: 3000
• Lowest number of database wide matches per member: 1
• Average number of database wide matches per member: 858
• Inter-Project Matches: 233
• Highest number of Inter-Project matches per member: 11
• Weekly Match Updates
• 96 of 99 Iowa Counties Represented

Nuts and Bolts

The Iowa DNA Project Surname Index can be found here.  Surnames associated with specific counties can be found in our FAQ here.

• Total Iowa Surnames: 667
• Members with Family Trees:276
• Members with listed Surnames: 317
• Members with listed Most Distant Ancestors: 292

Iowan Family Groups

The Iowa DNA Project has many pioneers who were the first to test within their immediate family.  However, the backbone of the project is the inclusion of multiple generations and extended family members who have also tested.  These family groups assist in helping inter-project matches determine how they may be connected and which branch of their family trees to examine further.  In October, we teamed up with Göran Runfeldt of dnagen.net  to trial his ICW Tool to map out the interconnectedness of the entire Iowa DNA project.   Below is a depiction of the connections between our current members.

Using the ICW Tool gives Iowa DNA Project members easy access to a variety of additional information and charts including a tabulation of our members’ Suggested Relationships.  As you can see, our members are actively recruiting close family members to test.

Suggested Relationships

• Parent/Child: 64
• Full Siblings: 38
• Grandparent/Grandchild/Half Siblings: 22
• Aunt/Uncle/Niece/Nephew: 22
• 1^st Cousin: 22
• 2^nd Cousin: 30
• 3^rd Cousin: 62
• 4^th Cousin: 114

More can be learned about the process and results here*.

*Additional detailed information is available to Iowa DNA Project members

Haplogroups

Project YDNA: As expected, the most common Y haplogroup is R and its subclades, with I and its subclades the second most common.  23 project members have completed the Big Y test.

• R-M269: 48
• R (excluding R-M269): 44
• I: 28
• G: 3
• E: 3
• J: 2
• N: 3

More information on the project’s patriarchs and YDNA results can be found here.

Project mtDNA:  The most common mtDNA continues to be H and its subclades with a variety of other haplogroups also represented. 105 project members have completed Full Mitochondrial Sequencing.

Member Haplogroups:

• H: 68
• K: 17
• T: 16
• U: 14
• J: 12
• I: 5
• W: 3
• V: 2
• B: 2
• C:1
• X: 1

Complete information on our project’s mtDNA matriarchs, statistics and mutations can be found here.

Declared Countries of YDNA and mtDNA Origin

MyOrigins Leaderboard

Based on percentage points per member, the Iowa DNA Project populations are listed below in order of frequency.  Descriptions of each population cluster can be found here.  Additional admixture tools can be found at Gedmatch.

• British Isles 12,333
• Scandinavia 6931
• Western and Central Europe 6558
• Southern Europe 1710
• Eastern Europe 1403
• Finland and Northern Siberia 345
• Asia Minor 296
• West Africa 158
• Ashkenazi Diaspora 120
• Eastern Middle East 106
• (Blended Population Cluster) Eastern, Western and Central European 100
• Native American 87
• Northeast Asia 78
• Central Asia 75
• North Africa 35
• East Central Africa 5
• South-Central Africa 4
• (Blended Population Cluster) British Isles and Western and Central Europe 1

As a matter of interest:

• 100% British Isles 3 members
• 100% Western and Central Europe 2 members
• 100% Scandinavian 1 member
• 100% Eastern, Western and Central European 1 member

Coming Results:

Currently, we are waiting for 3 kits to be returned to the lab for testing: 1 Factoid, 1 YDNA 67 Marker and 1 mtFull Sequence.  We have 13 members who have kits that have been transferred but not yet unlocked. Current members, please keep in mind you cannot be checked for inter-project matches without a completed and unlocked Family Finder test.

From the FTDNA lab, we are waiting for:

• 2 mtFull Sequence (1 delayed)
• 1 YDNA 37 marker
• 7 Factoids (same project member)
• 1 Y Haplogroup Backbone (delayed)
• 1 R1b-CTS4466 SNP Pack
• 1 R1b-L21 SNP Pack
• 1 Big Y
• 5 individual SNPS (same project member, 4 delayed)

Do You have Iowan Roots?

I would like to thank the project members for their patience and many efforts over the last year.  In October, I attended the Irish Genetic Genealogy Conference in Dublin, Ireland and had the pleasure of attending lectures, meeting cousins, members of ISOGG and other project administrators.  Lots of great information came out of the conference as well as ideas to make the project better. I look forward to making and sharing our discoveries in the months to come.

You can read more about the benefits of joining a project at FTDNA here.  If you would like to join the Iowa DNA Project, please visit our homepage here.  The project has converted to MyGroups and has activated its Activity Feed to encourage collaboration. The Feed may be accessed after joining and of course our links section is available to all.

DNA Genealogy Experiment: Iowa DNA Project Matches

Recently, Yaniv Erlich of DNA.Land shared a graphical image of 4300 DNA.Land users that have at least one match in their new database.  The image depicted a supercluster with more than 2500 connected users where as stated by Yaniv, “one person is the cousin of another person who is the cousin of a third person who is the cousin of … and so on.”  In the discussion that ensued on ISOGG’s Facebook page, I learned that Göran Runfeldt, a software developer, hobbyist genealogist, and Administrator and developer of the dnagen.net website has been experimenting with a similar graphics tool for Family Finder Projects.

I’d previously had the pleasure of using the DNA Genealogy Experiment  tool created by Staffan Bettner and Göran  Runfeldt, which allows individual Family Finder users to view their matches and their interconnectedness in the form of colorful graphs. The tool is free, fully customizable and in depth information and instructions can be found about it at the Swedish DNA Project News.

The possibility of using a similar tool to map out the connectedness of the entire  Iowa DNA Project was very exciting indeed!

The ICW tool is still experimental but Göran generously set me up with an Iowa DNA Project ICW tool preview. For privacy, the names of project members have been stripped.  It’s Göran’s hope that in time the ICW tool will become available to all interested FTDNA project administrators who will be able to automatically create specialized graphics and charts for their members.

Currently, the Iowa DNA Project has 342 members with 245 inter-project matches.  Using the ICW tool, I was able to view various charts such as highest number of matches per kit, summaries of longest/shortest/average cM’s/segments per kit, and match related timelines and pie charts.

Figure 1 Top 20 Matches

The figure above uses the Matches Bar Chart to depict 20 kits with the highest number of matches in the project.  Our project is fortunate to have several multi-generationally tested families and extended family testers. As the project administrator and sender of new match updates, I’m aware that some of these project members have matches with another project family, and that family has matches with yet another project family. Some of the matches overlap between some members of each family yet not with other members of the same family.

Using the Atlas component of the ICW tool we can visually display these connections.  It’s also possible to alter the number of nodes depicted per image, as well as to apply a multitude of filters.  In Figure 2, 45 Nodes, or project member kits are shown, including the 3 closely related families which are circled.  Other members with at least 1 project match are also shown. Lines are drawn to show connections between the family groups and their more distantly related cousins within the project.

Figure 2 45 Nodes

In Figure 3, 75 Nodes are shown, with each having at least 1 project match. The original families are still essentially isolated, but connections are starting to form with other kits.

Figure 3 75 Nodes

In Figure 4 100 Nodes are represented.

Figure 4 100 Nodes

At 150 Nodes, there are numerous connections between project members:

Figure 5 150 Nodes

Below are 245 Nodes representing all 245 project members and their matches within the Iowa DNA Project.  The originally isolated families have many connections with other project members, who are in turn also connected with one another.  When using the Atlas in the ICW tool, it is possible to mouse over each node to see the kit number as well as to magnify the entire field.

Figure 6 245 Nodes

As mentioned above, the tool is not yet available to all projects. It also has the current limitation of being able to process up to 1000 project members.  Göran is also working on a project which will involve, “rendering of Family Finder project Y/mt results on the more up to date ISOGG, YFull and PhyloTree haplotrees: https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/dnagen-experiment/about/results .”

For those who are already members of the Iowa DNA Project, more information about the tool and how you can access our results will be available on our project  Activity Feed.