Admittedly, I am a sucker for anything having to do with genealogy and DNA. So, when an email landed in my inbox promising 25% off something called a “GPS Origins” DNA analysis, I jumped at the chance to learn more about the migration patterns of my “ancient” ancestors! How could I pass up the opportunity to get GPS coordinates pinpointing the exact locations of my ancestors, I thought somewhat skeptically. Thirty minutes later I found myself immersed in results I had not (completely) expected!
My DNA revealed that my ancestral genes come from pools made up of folks from Norway, Finland and Sweden, Southern France and Western Siberia. This was not news given that other DNA test companies have revealed similar results. I’ll never fully understand how DNA test companies know this; but, from what I was able to learn from HomeDNA.com – the company that provides the GPS coordinates – each of us carries in our genes genetic mutations we’ve picked up over time. Comparing these mutations to others who have the same mutations enable scientists to pinpoint where we “came from” genetically. HomeDNA.com has a database of 500 reference populations.
The mutations in my genes tell a story about my ancestors’ migration patterns that started firmly in POLAND before the year 400 A.D. That is definitely NEW information. (See my genetic GPS map below.) HomeDNA.com provides two migrations paths, labelled path A and path B. Unlike my father’s ancestral migrations paths, which start in two very different locations – (A) Denmark and (B) Hungary, both of my migration paths start in Poland. Not only do they start in Poland, they practically overlap with one another. That has to mean something, methinks. Given that my father’s results start in different locations (but end similarly to my own), I must assume I inherited genetic markers from my mother that enabled HomeDNA.com to place the starting points of my path A and my path B so close together. In any event, much like my father’s results, my path A headed north through Scandinavia and my path B headed southeast to Hungary?!? I am going to need a bigger family tree.
Here’s one for ya… If your relative was brooks stone, I am wondering if we might be related through my mother, Mary Ellen Faulkonor who was the illegitimate daughter of Minnie Ethel Faulkonor and Brooks Stone. Her dob was 9/8/1940. Like a mystery? Help? My mom, Mary Ellen is elderly now and suddenly would like to see a photo of her biological father. Thanks for any help!