A few years ago I joined up in the National Geographic Genographic Project. I sent them a DNA sample and they analyzed it for genetic markers that give an account of my deep ancestry. They identified a group of specific mutations in my DNA that trace where my paternal line arose, in space and time. Of course, they can’t show a complete record (only my male ancestors are traced, all the DNA from all my grandmothers is simply ignored), and in periods of human history where no new mutations arose the record is blank. But I have an outline of my ancestry, which is true, although filled with gaps and interruptions. Periodically, I log on to the National Geographic website, enter my pin number, and get the latest interpretation of my analysis. It is updated frequently as our knowledge of human genetic history improves. The notes below are from the Genographic Project report downloaded with my results

These are the places and times I’ve been, not all of them, but the places and times nonetheless. Every male on earth descends from a single man who lived over a hundred thousand years ago in Africa. There were other ancestors prior to that, but they left no known mutations in the y-chromosome. Mine are listed here by Branch. Meet my grandfathers…

P305 Branch
100,000+ years ago
Origin: Africa
The first mutation not shared by all males, but present in 99.9% of all human males.

M42
80,000 y.
E Africa
This branch is also shared by almost all men alive today.

M168
70,000 y
E Africa
One of the first branches to leave the African homeland.

P143
60,000 y
SW Asia
One of the oldest branches to have originated outside Africa

M89
55,000 y
SW Asia
This marker found in 90-95% of all non-Africans

M578
50,000 y
SW Asia
Due to changes in climate leading to middle eastern and north African
desertification, these people could not retreat to the home continent,
they had no choice but to stay put, or expand further into an empty world.

P128
45,000
S Asia
Found in more than half of all non-Africans alive today.

M526
42,000 y
S or SE Asia
Part of the second wave of settlers that migrated around the Indian Ocean.

M45
35,000 y
Central or S Asia
“Known as the Central Asian Clan, this branch gave rise to many distinct lineages that spent the next 30,000 years gradually populating much of the planet.”

M207
30,000 y.
C Asia
“Found in high frequency in UK, France and Spain.”

P231
25,000-30,000 y
C Asia
Most European Men, and many others from C, W, and S Asia.

M417
To be determined
C Asia
“This is the ancestral line of the Ashkenazi-Levite founding lineage.”

Hmmmm. Could I have Jewish ancestry? It can’t be ruled out. My surname is derived from the place name of a Muslim region of Europe, and where there are Muslims there can be found Jews. Of course, Some of my ancestors from that time could just have easily been Muslim or Christian, or combinations of all three.

So what can I deduce from my known family history? Not much, we were never much into genealogy. All four of my grandparents were from Cuba. My maternal grandmother was supposedly of Canary Islands lineage (a Spanish colony in the Atlantic near Africa), but I’m not even sure of that. Presumably, I am of primarily Spanish stock, probably with some Indian or Negro blood (like most Cubans) but I have no further knowledge.

In a way, its just as well. My ancestry may have contributed a great deal to what I am today, but knowing just what and why is of little use to me. We are what we make ourselves, not what we were born with. We should be neither ashamed nor proud of our ancestry, particularly our genetic inheritance. After all, we had nothing to do with it.