Eddy Family Association DNA Project

How to join the new Eddy Family Association of America DNA group.

To Go Directly to the DNA Site Click Here

The EFA has established -- on the www.Ancestry.com web site -- a new DNA group.  It is free to join, however, you must register with ancestry.com to have access.  I encourage and hope that everyone who reads this bulletin will join this new project of the Eddy Family Association.  Although it is free to join the site, it does cost money to have your DNA Y chromosome antigens tested.   

 Because this is genetic data, every member must be approved before being able to view the data  -- which I do after a request has been made to join.  But don’t worry, none of this genetic data will show any personal or medical or confidential information. 

 Why join?  We have established this DNA site to help us determine if the various lines of Eddy’s in the United States, and abroad, are indeed related.  Advances in the understanding of the Y chromosome antigens have enabled individuals to determine where and from what major groups of people we all come from.  This science can now be useful for us to understand our large Eddy family and is explained on the DNA group web site in detail.

To join the group, go to the www.Ancestry.com website.  When you are at the main page of the website, click on the icon at the top that says: DNA.  When you are at the DNA page, click on the line that reads:  “Find and Connect to Individuals and Groups with a Last Name Search.”  On the next screen, you will type the surname Eddy into the search engine spot.  After you search for the Eddy name, up will pop a listing of DNA group sites that are on ancestry.com related to Eddy’s.  You will readily see our new Eddy Family Association DNA group site.  Click on the JOIN button and register.  When you get there you will see how easy it is.  Now, after you register, you will have to ask for permission to join.  After you list what branch of the EFA you are from, I will be notified that you have requested to join.  I will then approve your membership.  Just follow directions…it really is quite simple.

This web site can be used for all sorts of things, not just for the DNA information.  It can be used for communicating with one another as well as for general announcements.  It is, in essence, a mini-blog.

 How to interpret the data on the Eddy Family Association DNA group on www.ancestry.com.

 

You may not readily understand the significance of the science behind the DNA Y chromosome testing.  Do not worry as the ancestry.com site has several educational sections that provide an overview on how to interpret the data.  Take your time to read these sections.

 After you have registered and when you have a working knowledge of our DNA Groups’ site, click the Compare DNA button.  This button allows you to see the results of the DNA of the members of the EFA. 

When you join, each Eddy family member must outline what line they are from.  This allows me to arrange the DNA results by family line.  When you are on the page that compares the DNA, you will see names under each of the lines in the Eddy Family Association as outlined in our books from the 1930 edition onward.

If you are not fully aware of why Y chromosome antigens can be useful for understanding genealogy, you may find the following points, adapted from Ancestry.com, helpful:

1. The Paternal Lineage Y chromosome test analyzes specific segments of the Y-chromosome.  Depending on how many antigens you pay for, you will get data on many different alleles or antigens.  These antigen results are compared to other individuals.

2. The Y chromosome is only found in males. Men have one Y chromosome and one X chromosome.  Women have two X chromosomes and no Y.

 

3. The Y-chromosome is passed largely unchanged from father to son.  This is the most important fact to remember.  If you understand this fact you will understand the importance of the Y chromosome in genealogy.  By contrast, the other chromosomes undergo recombination and change after each generation little by little.  The consequence of the other chromosomes undergoing recombination is that after 8 generations, there is not much in common from the direct descendants of any family after those 8 generations. In contrast the Y chromosome stays very similar because it does not undergo recombination.  If you don’t understand this, ask your teenage child or a neighbor’s child who is taking biology to explain this.

 

4. And because the Y chromosome is unchanged over the generations (unlike the autosomes), the DNA results from a male participant today can be used to represent the paternal lineage dozens of generations into the past.  

 

5. And finally, please remember that although women do not have a Y chromosome, a women can recruit a brother, father, or paternally related Uncle or Cousin to provide the DNA sample.  And that sample can be used as if it were your own!

 

After you have joined you will be able to learn more about how this test can answer some important questions about the Eddy lines. 

Summary of current findings of the EFA DNA group (as of March 21, 2009)

 

Current data suggests that the John of Woodbridge line is distinct from the John of Taunton line.  No data has been submitted from the William Eddye of Cranbrook line … so no conclusions can yet be made regarding that line and the unconnected branches or lines. 

 

Of interest however, when you go to the site, you may want to compare the two individuals from the John of Woodbridge line: You will see that both individuals have identical Y chromosome antigen profiles.  These two individuals are not brothers, but rather they have a common ancestor five generations back -- They are first cousins, five times removed!  If we were comparing genetic data from their other chromosomes, we would see significant differences -- but not with the Y chromosome.  This is further proof that the Y chromosomes just do not change much over many, many generations.

 

We will need much more information submitted in order to make conclusive statements regarding the Eddy branches.   Further data must be submitted before any final, definitive conclusions can be made, so I am encouraging one male member of each family unit to submit data.

 

Submitted by: Gary E. Eddey, President of EFA and administrator of the EFA DNA group site on www.Ancestry.com