I am honored to be a part of RootsTech 2025 with a presentation on Y-DNA testing strategies. Whether or not you are attending RootsTech, you can watch my prerecorded session online at no charge by logging into FamilySearch. There are also a great number of other online and recorded sessions to watch.
RootsTech Y-DNA Presentation
The 26-minute, prerecorded presentation provides a brief introduction to the two types of Y-DNA tests – Y37 through Y111 (STR) and Big Y-700 (STR and SNP) – and how each test can be used separately or together to provide insight into a variety of genealogical research questions beyond the deep ancestral roots of paternal surnames. The presentation describes how to identify and use targeted DNA testers, which are living descendants of the family to which you believe you’re related, and uses several brief case studies to highlight the variety of research questions for which Y-DNA can be used, including:
- Ancestral Origins: Where are the modern and ancient origins for my paternal line?
- Genetic Networks: Within a group of shared autosomal DNA matches, which of my great grandparent lines is the match related?
- Unknown Parentage: What is the biological surname of my father or grandfather?
- Relatedness: Are two men with the same surname related?
A copy of the syllabus for the RootsTech 2025 session can be found here as well as on FamilySearch’s RootsTech 2025 website.
Y-DNA Case Studies in the RootsTech Presentation
A different case study is used for each research question shown in the above image, which is drawn from my own personal genealogical research. Targeted Y-DNA testers, which were recruited by me, are used to test the hypotheses linked to each research question.
Ancestral Origins
I used the Big Y-700 DNA test to identify where in Europe my immigrant ancestor, John Wilson (1715-1799), likely originated.
Genetic Networks
I identified a group of autosomal DNA matches who all descended from William W. Wilson (1827-1896) and Louisa Lewis. These matches were part of a genetic network that also included other known Wilson descendants on my line whose common ancestor with me was William Wilson (died 1804). However, I could not discern how William W. Wilson was related to my Wilson line. I recruited a paternal descendant of William W. Wilson and used the Y-37 test and then the Big Y-700 test to establish the family connection.
Unknown Parentage
In 1835, William B. Wilson (born 1809), who was a sibling to my ancestor, entered into an indenture with Catherine Eckleberry to raise her two-year old son, Martin Eckleberry. Using the Y-37 test, I determined that Martin was illegitimate and took his mother’s surname as his own.
Relatedness
In 1850, my Wilson ancestor lived in a small Ohio town where four other adult Wilson men about the same age resided. At the time, I did not know the parents of my ancestor. Using the Y-37 test and then the Big Y-700 test, I confirmed the five men were likely brothers or cousins. This enabled me to conclusively prove 10 years later that they were siblings when I found the estate file for their deceased grandfather in another state, which named his deceased son’s six children living in the small Ohio town: five sons and a previously unknown, but then married, daughter.
YouTube Channel
Be sure to check out my YouTube Channel for learning modules on other topics like The Big Y-700 video series and other DNA and documentary research strategies such as EGGOS Search Strategy strategic family tree triangulation and Forest Management for quickly reviewing your matches family trees.