[Genealib] DNA Technology and Surname Research Revisited

[tinster2 at yahoo.com]

DNA Technology and Surname Research Revisited

Forensic Science "Assumption 1—that,
with the exception of identical twins,
each person's DNA is unique—"
http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=1866&page=133

Pregnancy with Twins:
Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility:
University of Iowa Health Care
http://www.uihealthcare.com/depts/med/obgyn/infertility/patienteducation/twins.html
. . .
"Dizygotic twins increase with parity,
with maternal age to 35, and have
incidences that vary widely between
populations, from 3 per 1,000 in
Asians to 8 per 1,000 in Caucasians
to 16 per 1,000 in Africans.  In contrast,
monozygotic (identical) twinning originates
when a single embryo divides into two,
then subsequently develops into two individuals.
The incidence ranges from I in 200 to I in 300
of all births accounting for 30% of all twins and
is relatively constant throughout the world."

World historical and predicted populations
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_population
shows in A.D. 1750, only (2009-1750) = 259
years ago, there were 791,000,000 persons.
or 791 million people on the earth; of which
according to worldwide scientific evaluations,
791,000,000/1,000; there were 791,000 x 1000
births.  If three in every 1,000 were identical
births, as scientifically suggested, worldwide,
that provides an essentially duplicated gene
pool of  2,373,000 persons, out of 791 million.
[1,186,500 individual sets of duplicated genes,
subject to all types of residency changes.]

Surname samples obviously eliminate population
size as being infinite; also, various connective
usages infer relationships over time, which
eliminates random mating in the population.
No matter how many markers are tested,
no matter how many results match, there
is no statistical possibility of EVER using
DNA to "prove" direct genealogical links.
These facts completely undermine DNA
testing worldwide, from the time of Adam
to the present day, as a practical tool for
either the professional or novice genealogist.

Genealogical Research: Methods & Sources,
revised edition [Milton Rubincam, editor],
page 564, notes that the ancient Etruscans,
who inhabited north central Italy from the 8th
century B.C., were the first Europeans
to introduce surnames. The conquering
Romans derived the idea of surname
identification from the Etruscans. They
developed a sophisticated system of
nomenclature of three and occasionally
four or more names.  Presently, European
lists of surnames for research purposes,
are severely limited to medieval period
origins, suggesting insufficient database
sampling.  Genetic tests: Italians were from Turkey,
http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jun/18/science/sci-etruscans18
exposes the uncertainty of genetic test "proof".
"The ancient Greek historian Herodotus asserted
that they came from Turkey, then called Lydia,
but subsequent historians and modern archeologists
have dismissed his claim." . . . [“We think that our
research provides convincing proof that Herodotus
was right,” Piazza said.  Others are not so sure.]

DNA projection probability estimates can be
compared to NASA space exploration, in which
the DNA rocket is projected to take off, using
a current dna sample (with multiple comparisons),
to go back in time, to past locations and perhaps
potential surname relationships.  Once the
DNA rocket takes off, there are no booster
rockets or correctional thrusters on board,
(current database of surviving clean samples)
to make corrective action over time, for past
atmospheric radiation variations, biological
error "mutations", etc.; that steer the DNA ship
in the wrong direction.  Genetic genealogy
studies in part, sequences of repeating nucleotide
patterns on the Y chromosome (STRs).  Thus,
some people declare: There was no "Adam";
denying an existing paper trail in favor of theoretical
speculations.  The Testimony of Archaeology states:
http://www.angelfire.com/mo/launchingpad/chapter07.html
"Both the Hebrew, the Samaritan, the Greek
writings current in Palestine during the two
centuries before Christ, and the old Babylonian
traditions, assert a transmission of writings
about creation down from the beginning
of time to Enoch and Noah."

Curiosity drives the gene genie to a £1m turnover.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2784361/Curiosity-drives-the-gene-genie-to-a-andpound1m-turnover.html
Oxford Ancestors Ltd states it is "using DNA
to investigate aspects of human evolution
since the mid-1980's", using ancient DNA
to genetically link modern humans to
prehistoric ancestors.  Y-Chromosome
http://www.roperld.com/YBiallelicHaplogroups.htm#pref
Biallelic Haplogroups and world maps
http://www.scs.uiuc.edu/~mcdonald/WorldHaplogroupsMaps.pdf#pref
try to create "groupings" on current world maps,
http://library.thinkquest.org/17701/high/pangaea/
without the necessary critical evaluation of Pangaea.
http://www.christiananswers.net/q-aig/aig-c001.html

Professor "Sykes discusses some future directions,
including using genetic research to help solve crimes";
thus, home DNA testing and industry-wide quality
standards are seriously relevant.  Eastman's Online
Genealogy Newsletter: How Popular is Genealogy?
http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2009/02/how-popular-is-genealogy.html
[February 19, 2009] notes:  "One has to wonder how
accurate a survey is when the company paying the
researchers has a very biased interest in the results."
This can be compared with the MSNBC.com Crime
& Courts Report: Crime Labs Seriously Deficient . . .
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29258576/from/RSS/
". . . the lack of strict standards . . . accredit crime labs,
require that analysts be certified and establish uniform
standards for analyzing crime scene evidence.  What's
more, the report says nearly all crime labs are run by
police or prosecutors, which exert pressure to come
up with specific conclusions."  NIST Tech Beat
[December 23, 2008] sends a similar message:
http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/techbeat/tb2008_1223.htm#dna
"The laboratories performing this testing often differ
in their results, making data comparison between
labs difficult and casting doubt on reported genetic
matches."

DNA does document, but it cannot be used
to "prove" (in the tentative sense of the word)
direct genealogical links "just as paper can".
DNA tests focus genealogical research.  Obtaining
results so accurate that there is little room for question,
are limited to comparison of one clean DNA sample to
another clean DNA sample, living to deceased, generation
by generation, to replicate by DNA a hard paper trail.
SEE: Use of Surname Models in Human Population Biology:
A Review of Recent Developments
http://cc.msnscache.com/cache.aspx?q=study+on+the+population+distribution+of+surnames+isonymy&d=75359376188854&mkt=en-US&setlang=en-US&w=ff2f5e02,e23aba66

FACTS and TRUTH, Re: DNA Technology
and Surname Research Revisited

Founders, drift and infidelity: the relationship between
Y chromosome diversity and patrilineal surnames --
King and Jobling, 10.1093/molbev/msp022 --
Molecular Biology and Evolution
http://mbe.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/msp022v1
. . . "coancestry that generally increases
as surnames become rarer."
. . .
"On average, the proportion of haplotypes lying
within descent clusters is 62%, but ranges from
zero to 87%." . . .
. . .
"Modern patterns therefore provide little
reliable information about the original
founders of surnames some 700 years ago."

Y Chromosome And Surname Study . . .
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090211111002.htm
. . .
"men with common surnames, such as Smith,
were no more likely to have such a common
ancestor than men chosen at random from
the general population."

SEE PREVIOUS POST:
Use of Surname Models
n Human Population Biology
A Review of Recent Developments
. . .
Again, at the level above national studies
(i.e., international relationships), surnames
are not very helpful.  National linguistic
barriers distinguish the surnames of
most different countries . . .
In the time frame of surname use—
in southern and western Europe
since the 12th to 15th centuries—
rural populations have been relatively
stable at these boundaries, although
the boundaries do not always coincide
with the national frontiers.

RESEARCH NOTE:  National linguistic
barriers help distinguish surnames.

GENERAL COMMENTS:
(1)  China, with its massive population:
"Although there are thousands of Chinese
family names, the 100 most common
surnames, which together make up less
than 5% of those in existence, are shared
by 85% of the population."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_surname

In China less than 5% of the total
number of surnames is connected
with more than 85% of the population
(Yuan et al. 2000b).  SEE POST ABOVE.
[men with common surnames, such as Smith,
were no more likely to have such a common
ancestor than men chosen at random from
the general population.]

Early China was a matriarchal society
as evidenced by the early surnames
that invariably contained the root or
radical for "woman"
http://www.houseofchinn.com/ChineseNames.html
. . .
However, over time as China became
a patriarchal society these terms were
somehow switched.
. . .
Yuan Yida [demonstrated that two individuals
with the same surname in China could have
received that surname from one of several
different surnames in an earlier era, casting
doubt over the notion that those who share
the same surname today would be considered
"belonging to the same family five hundred years
ago".]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuan_Yida

(2)  Africa, with its very large ethnic population:
http://www.academic-genealogy.com/regionalgenealogy.htm#Africa_All
A study of record sources from all African nations,
indicates early Arab and Islamic writings, with little
other surviving documents, outside of oral traditions.
In essence, no documentation to substantiate DNA tests.
http://www.academic-genealogy.com/ancestorrootsinformationdatabases.htm#AFRICA

(3) DNA lacks genealogical application for illiterate adult families.
"over two-thirds of the world's 785 million illiterate adults are
found in only eight countries (India, China, Bangladesh,
Pakistan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Egypt)"
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/xx.html

(4) ETC.
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