DNA Tools/ Objectives and Findings in our Study

 DNA Tools and the Haplotree: 

The two kinds of DNA test that are used for our study is the male only Y-DNA test and the Autosomal DNA test. The Autosomal test can be found on sites like ancestry, My Heritage, 23 and Me , and several others. It is recommended you test with Ancestry, because they have the largest database, and you can transfer your DNA file from ancestry to several other testing sites for free if you wish to. This will generate many more cousins trees to research. The Autosomal  test is wonderful for family matching within 200 years, but is often times not very useful outside that time period.  The male only Y-DNA test looks only at the male inherited Y-Chromosome. The Y is passed from father to son relatively unchanged from generation to generation. Going back all the way to "Genetic Adam", who lived a few hundred thousand years ago in central Africa. Any man in the world who takes a Y-DNA test can see how they connect to any other man in time. There are occasional mutations along the Y that occur in specific men called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPS) and short tandem repeats (STRs)  These markers and variants allow us to track our ancestors through time. It is unknown to science why these mutations occur. They are essentially evolutionary hiccups. These serve as breadcrumbs for researchers that establish migration patterns, establish deep lineages in the surname era, and uncovers how each individual branches off from one another recent in time. STRs are useful, but the only test that finds the more valuable SNP variants is the pricy BigY700 test. Although this test is far more affordable than the early days of its rollout. SNPs are valuable because they occur every third generation on average which can help reassemble our family trees. 

 The Haplotree, also called the Tree of Mankind, has over 100k branches on it compiled from YDNA testers on sites like FTDNA. There are also over 20k skeletal remains that have been  sequenced from archeological sites that are also included on the Haplotree. YDNA is essentially a time machine that allows us to see where in the world our male ancestors came from and migrated to. The mutations are also valuable in our family trees within the last few hundred years. Through advanced testing of specific lineages, we can help link lost family connections in the last few to several hundred years. Irish researchers know all too well how difficult it is to link our trees on paper pre 1850. The Irish document loss and with mass migration in the last few centuries it is difficult for us to fill in our family trees. 

Background and what we have uncovered: 

The Crean/Crehan/Crean/Crane surname study is a vast undertaking that requires many to participate. We have learned a good amount of info already in the first year of research and testing. We have had over 30 testers added to the surname project on FTDNA. This Project enable me to group and compare markers in order for us to map families within Ireland. The test results are revealing deviations of the original surname like Cryan to Crean, Cryan to Cryans,  and Crean to Crane and Crain. These deviations seem to always occur after the migration of a family. Testing of an individual has enormous power for those of our cousins in the diaspora. In the case of several Crane testers who are in America, YDNA testing revealed their roots were with the Creans of Roscommon and Galway. This was new information uncovered as the story of their ancestors had been lost through several generations in the new country. 

The Project has nine unique and unrelated families that do not connect in the surname era. I color coded each group to distinguish them. The surname era is estimated to be back to 1000ce, but for the common family in Ireland its more likely in the 4-600 year range. Of these nine groups, we have three Cryan groups, each unrelated to each other and each being rooted in Boyle, Carrick on Shannon and Strokestown. The Boyle and Carrick on Shannon groups, the Gold and Blue, have used their surnames in excess of 400 years each. More testers are needed to establish clearer info on the Strokestown area  group. (Lime). So far we have three Crean groups that are not connected on the male line in the surname era. The Green in west Kerry, the Brown in Roscommon and Galway, and the Grey with roots from Mallow to Cork City. The Green is likely Tom the explorers line, but more testing is needed to establish this. The Brown group has shown surname use in this family going back 500-600 years. The Cranes I mentioned in America are part of this Brown group. We still have loads to learn on the Crehans of Galway. We have only one tester so far. 

Some questions we had before starting this project have been answered. There were several families that were unaware of their connections to others but have now been linked. There are many questions that remain and many more questions will arise with more testing. Which group are descendants of the Sligo Tea merchants who were mentioned in the annals? Time will tell on that. We have established a great base of testers that will only help moving forward.

Probable Tom Crean lineage.  Paternal lineage through time out of Africa 

http://scaledinnovation.com/gg/snpTracker.html

SNP mutation R-FT359093

Michael Crow