HOUSTON, Texas (GBT) — FamilyTreeDNA has received a DNA sample from family historian and GBT webmaster Tim G. at it's Houston facility last Friday, July 15. Tim ordered the DNA sampling kit on Saturday, July 2, at the suggestion of his uncle, Amir Ishaq D. Al-Sulaimani, to determine whether he is among the J1 sub-family of Grahams. Tim received the DNA kit last Saturday, July 9th and mailed his prepared sample the following morning.
The J1 Graham "are unlikely to belong to the same family as the Noble Grahams of Montrose and Menteith," according to the Graham group news page on FamilyTreeDNA. "Legend has it that the Grahams of Netherby (in the Scottish Borders) descended from Long Will Graham, eldest son of John Graham of Kilbride, 'John of the Bright Sword', who was the second son of Malise Graham, Earl of Menteith. However ... [t]hey were NOT the earliest Grahams on the Borders by any means, nor the largest Family. There had been Grahams there for generations before the Netherby lot arrived and one reason for John of the Bright Sword taking refuge there was that he could join men of his own surname."
The J1 paternal line passed through the Middle East and parts of Northern Africa on the way to Europe from "Y-DNA Adam", who lived in western Africa, according to Wikimedia's World Map of Y-DNA Haplogroups. This is in contrast to other popular Graham haplogroups, such as the R1b, which is more native to Europe and the United Kingdom, the I1, haplogroup which is native to Scandinavia, and the I2, which is native to Eastern Europe, according to Eupedia.com.
"I've always suspected that was not of the same ilk as the Noble Grahams of Montrose and Menteith," said Tim. "The Grahams of the border were a different breed, but I've always been short on the details. Hopefully this DNA analysis will clear up a few things."
Tim was encouraged by his uncle to order the less expensive Y-37 test first, and then to upgrade to the more comprehensive "Big Y-700" package later if the results of the first test prove to be interesting. FamilyTreeDNA advertises its Y-37 test as "a good start".
"I'll probably end up doing all of it eventually. I am the family historian, after all. I'd like to get it all on record, but doing so will depend on my future finances." said Tim.
The DNA sample will take four to eight weeks to analyze. Results are expected to be returned some time between late summer and early fall. ⬮
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