24 April 2015

Where did Mom's German go?

My Mom recently submitted her DNA sample for testing with FamilyTreeDNA. The results were... more than surprising. 

Let me start with this: I have a lot to learn about the world of DNA and genealogy. I am just getting started in this excitng new field, but I have a few questions that I felt like DNA could help me.

So when I asked my Mom to submit her sample to FamilyTreeDNA, I didn't really set up any expectations for the results. I had a general idea: we would certainly see some Irish and German, and I thought there might be a chance of either Native American or African, based on family oral history and theories presented by cousins.

I couldn't have been more surprised at the results.

What happened to Germany? 


I can trace my maternal line straight back to Germany - I know the ship the original immigrants arrived on, and I know the family they left behind. I know the two brothers who came over together, and each of their recorded descendants. I've connected with a "cousin" who is still in Germany that can trace back several more generations. There has never been any doubt that my mother has German heritage. Um... what happened to Germany?

And Turkey? Where did that come from?

Oh boy.

I've got work to do.


Mom's results


For reference, Mom's surname is HEERTEN. There are very few of us in the U.S., so if you have that name in your tree, we're related... so PLEASE CONTACT ME. :)

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