This
page contains one note:
LeStrange/Strange/Strang/Stronge/Strong
DNA Study Note #12:
===========================================
The subject of this note is a discussion of certain aspects of the DNA Study as it relates to Kit #5825 of the Shetland Islands Group: Refer to: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~donegalstrongs/dnaresults.htm for presentation of information relating to the Kit discussed here.Kit #5825 was distinguished, initially, for several reasons. It was our first Scottish representive in the DNA Study, and there was speculation that, given some of the family history involved, the participant was likely related to other Strangs and Stranges of Scotland, probably including Strange of Balcaskie. As the results now on hand show, this early speculation has proved to be at variance with the DNA evidence. The question then arises, "WHAT is the origin of the Shetland Island Strong lineage?"
Note the DYS #393=14 value borne by Kit #5825. Recently there has been some speculation on the Rootsweb Genealogy-DNA List that there may be some unique markers borne by members of the Shetland Islands community. Among those markers is DYS #393=14. It is too early to say that value is indicative of any special set of origins. However, a study by certain individuals is underway in an attempt to evaluate the markers found in various persons with roots in the Shetland Islands who have been tested. There is an excellent website and database by Tony Gott, who is apparently the premier genealogist of the Shetland Islands; you can see his site at Shetland Family History Home Page. David Faux is working on a DNA Study of the Shetland Island as a Community and Geographic location. See his website at Shetland Islands Surname DNA Project.
One thing to remember in all of this is that while Haplogroup HG3, also known as YCC R1a, has been found in communities descended from the Vikings, not all Vikings were exclusively of that haplogroup. There were other haplogroups represented within their population... and it is just possible that the Haplotype of Kit #5825 may belong within one of them. Perhaps the DYS #393=14 marker is one indication of such an origin. All of which brings to mind the hypothesis of Professor Black that one of the origins of the Strong surname was the Norse given name, "Strangi"; see: What's in a Name?
Alternatively, remember that a process of genetic drift occurs with mutations at an estimated rate of 1 in 500 years... that is one of the DYS markers may change out of the 25 studied and reported on... in a haplotype... in 500 years. It seems possible that where one has two or more divergent lineages, each could develop certain mutations in that 500 year time span... making them appear to be further apart than they really are if they have a common ancestor. Now, note that there are a number of similarities between the single member of group Scotland and the members of Groups Southern, and New England, on the one hand, and Group Donegal Bay and Group Strange of Balcaskie on the other hand. We MAY be looking at the result of genetic drift over a period of perhaps 500 to 1000 years here.
However, look again at the similarity between each of the other groups and the Shetland Islands Kit #5825 result. There may be another answer here, as well. Perhaps the "Scottish" Shetland Islands lineage in our study is really ENGLISH! In this regard, see the given names of the extensive list of Strongs and Strangs found using the surname search function at the Shetland Family History Home Page. Some of the names have a distinctly "English" ring to them, "Bartholomew" Strang, for example. More testing and analysis in comparison with potential new volunteers to the study, hopefully from additional representatives of the various "Strang" and "Strong" lineages of Scotland may yield some answers.
The following message relates to the discussion here:
An Edited Original Message -----
From: "Stuart Baillie Strong"
To: "'David B. Strong'"
Sent: Monday, May 19, 2003 8:55 AM
Subject: RE: Preliminary Strange of Balcaskie DNA Results, 16 May 2003
As you say, with nine differences between The Strange of Balcaskie’s DNA results and Kit #5858, they are not related in any reasonable time frame. I had thought that with ancestors living in adjoining islands in the North of Scotland 4-500 years ago with the surname Strang, there would be a link - but it doesn't look like it. As you say, kit #6880 (Pennsylvania Strong) is the closest to The Strange of Balcaskie's results. But with four markers different, it's still a long way away. Kit 6811 is next with 7 differences.
Trying to make some more sense of this, I did some "playing" with the data. I assumed that: a) a difference of several bonds at one DYS marker counts as one single distance event b) I would ignore any differences in the red "rapidly-mutating markers" indicated in the DNA Results chart.
I personally have grave doubts about assumption b) but I still blundered on. (Editor's Note: Assumption "b" is probably wrong, but for purposes of the discussion and analysis here, it probably doesn't make a lot of difference).
With the above assumptions, I calculated the answers to two questions:
1) Who has the closest genetic distance to Kit #8881? Answers:
Dist./Kit No/Description
2 6680 Pennsylvania Strong PA>MI
3 6811 New England Strong Dorset> MA / EJ>John, Jr
3 7257 New Eng Strong MA>/ EJ>Jedidiah
3 7544 Irish L'Estrange IRE>AUST
4 5858 SW England Strong OH>OK>TX
4 8431 Donegal & Strong IRE>ON>AUST
4 6436 Southern Strong IN
4 6643 Donegal & Strong IRE>PA
4 7036 Norfolk Strong VA>MS>TX
The above table to my mind doesn't give a lot more insight. Except perhaps to increase a little the likelihood of Kit #6680 being reasonably closely related to Kit #8881 (two of the four differences in the basic raw data are for "fast-moving" markers).
2) Who has the closest genetic distance to Kit #5825? Answers:
Dist./Kit No/Description
2 6811 New England Strong Dorset> MA / EJ>John, Jr
2 5858 SW England Strong OH>OK>TX
3 7257 New England Strong MA>/ EJ>Jedidiah
3 STRANGE OF BALCASKIE ASSUMED HAPLOTYPE
3 7544 Irish L'Estrange IRE>AUST
3 6746 SW England Strong Hamps?, NFLD
4 6643 Donegal & Strong IRE>PA
What surprised me was the amount of light blue kits ("New England") that are clustered at the top of my list for question #2. Kits 6811 and 5858 only differ from the Kit #5825 results at markers DYS # 393 and 447 (as I mentioned above, I'm ignoring all the red "fast-mutating" markers). I guess the New England DNA results and Kit #5825 are unusual in having the value 23 for DYS # 390. Now maybe, I begin to understand your statement, "Perhaps the "Scottish" lineage (from the Shetland Islands) in our study is really ENGLISH!"
Best regards
Stuart B. Strong
Contact DNA Study Coordinator and/or Stuart Baillie Strong Through:
==== STRONG Mailing List ====
========================================================
Address to subscribe or cancel subscription for MAIL-MODE:
Address to subscribe or cancel subscription for DIGEST-MODE:
==========================================================
To subscribe, send 1 word message: subscribe
To cancel subscription, send 1 word: unsubscribe
USE Back Button to
return to DNA Study Results page!