The best-selling author of The Seven Daughters of Eve now turns his sights on the United States, one of the most genetically variegated countries in the world. From the blue-blooded pockets of old-WASP New England to the vast tribal lands of the Navajo, Bryan Sykes takes us on a historical genetic tour, interviewing genealogists, geneticists, anthropologists, and everyday Americans with compelling ancestral stories. His findings suggest: Of Americans whose ancestors came as slaves, virtually all have some European DNA. Racial intermixing appears least common among descendants of early New England colonists. There is clear evidence of Jewish genes among descendants of southwestern Spanish Catholics. Among white Americans, evidence of African DNA is most common in the South. European genes appeared among Native Americans as early as ten thousand years ago. An unprecedented look into America's genetic mosaic and an impressive contribution to how we perceive race, this is a fascinating book about what it means to be American.Also of possible interest: Viking DNA: The Wirral and West Lancashire Project (Stephen Harding, Mark Jobling, Turi King); Surnames, DNA, and Family History (George Redmonds, Turi King, David Hey).
DNA USA: A Genetic Biography of America
Apparently not due out for another year, but here's what Bryan Sykes has been working on:
"European genes appeared among Native Americans as early as ten thousand years ago."
ReplyDeleteDoes he endorse the Solutrean thingy?
"Does he endorse the Solutrean thingy?"
ReplyDeleteBased on the date mentioned I imagine the proposal relates to the Na-Dene / Athabaskan migration. But it's Bryan Sykes, so I prefer to wait and evaluate his evidence myself.
Im American.. always thought of myself as white, with a good tan. My body shape has always been built like a "sista", as Ive heard more than a few times. I recently took a DNA test and it came back as 85% European (includes Europe Middle East and some Asian countries), 12% sub saharan african, and 3 % Indiginous (Native American). THat 12 % seems like a lot, and the average for European Americans is 1 - 2 % What gives? No one in my family looks black, but thats like 4 generations? So Im 1/8th? Anyone have comments?
ReplyDelete"I recently took a DNA test and it came back as 85% European (includes Europe Middle East and some Asian countries), 12% sub saharan african, and 3 % Indiginous (Native American). THat 12 % seems like a lot, and the average for European Americans is 1 - 2 % What gives?"
ReplyDeleteWhich company is this? I'm guessing AncestryByDNA, in which case the "admixture" is almost certainly noise. ABD uses far too few markers to give a good estimate.
DecodeMe tests an adequate number of markers, but their algorithm means most whites will be shown with spurious non-European "admixture".
23andMe is the only company whose admixture estimates are reasonably reliable for white Americans and Northwestern Europeans.
According to the geneticist Mark Shriver, his own ancestry is 25% African, but by appearances he looks Caucasoid.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think about this and his statements on American Whites, n/a?
Mark Shriver is an American geneticist and Professor of Biological Anthropology at Penn State University. He analysed his own DNA and the results were surprising. It turned out that he had 25 per cent African ancestry.
‘No one in my family had ever discussed the fact that we had this recent West African ancestry, but I think it's great. I've studied a mixture for 10 years now and I'm even an example myself. And I'm not unique among American whites. Our best estimates now put the level of European Americans with West African ancestry at around 10%, each having about one great grandparent of African ancestry.Our results showed a slight relationship between percentage of African ancestry and skin colour, but it's not a strong one. Even people with 100% African ancestry have widely varying skin pigmentation. Although skin colour can be an indicator of proportions of African and European genetic contribution, the bottom line is "you can't tell by looking".’
Mark Shriver is one of those responsible for AncestryByDNA, and his claims about admixture in white Americans are based on versions of that test (that is, they are inaccurate).
ReplyDeleteShriver's estimate of his own degree of admixture is also undoubtedly inflated -- though I believe Shriver carries the Duffy null allele, meaning he likely does have actual African ancestry at some point. He also happens to have a Mexican grandmother, so he hardly represents the typical American.
He also happens to have a Mexican grandmother
ReplyDeleteI was going to mention that if you didn't.
I also recall him saying his mother was shocked and denied having black ancestry.
He strikes me as one of those leftist intellectuals that while not necessarily lying outright, they use vague language and don't tell the complete truth.
though I believe Shriver carries the Duffy null allele, meaning he likely does have actual African ancestry at some point.
ReplyDeleteAs a reference he looks whiter than Reginaldo, so there you go.