My Y-DNA and mtDNA Haplogroups

Y-DNA

My Y-DNA haplogroup is M222. The R-M222 branch of the Y-DNA tree is defined by a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) called M222. Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) and The International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) now call the M222 SNP 'R1b1a2a1a1b4b'. 23andMe call the M222 SNP 'R1b1b2a1a2f2'. M222 belongs to haplogroup R. Haplogroup R is the most common haplogroup in European populations.

Here is a video from The Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation explaining Y Chromosome DNA.

My Haplogroup results from Family Tree DNA

The M222 SNP is most common in men whose male line ancestors came from Northwest Ireland, Ulster or Lowland Scotland. Most of my Y-DNA matches have either Ulster or Scottish surnames.

The area where M222 is mostly found

A study conducted at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, found that a lot of men in Ireland (and even Scotland) have the M222 marker. The study suggests that M222 is the marker of the Uí Néill, which literally means the 'descendants of Niall'. M222 has been called the 'Niall Of The Nine Hostages' marker. Niall was a High King of Ireland and died around the year 400 AD. Here is the Niall Of The Nine Hostages page on Family Tree DNA. Here is more information about M222. This is the M222 group page from Family Tree DNA.

mtDNA

 

My mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroup is H3. H3 is a sub branch of haplogroup H. H3 is found mainly in Western Europe. H3 is at its highest frequency in Iberia and Sardinia, and is about 16,000 years old. 

H3 migration journey

A mother passes on her mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to both her daughters and sons. Only daughters have the ability to pass it on to the next generation though. Here is an image from Family Tree DNA explaining how we inherit mtDNA -

                     
                 


H3 was involved in the resettlement of Northern Europe after the Ice Age. H3 is defined by the mutation 6776C. Here is the link to the H3 Project at Family Tree DNA.