Welcome to the webpage for the R-Z253 Project.

Z253 is a SNP at position 7253034 on the Y-chromosome. The ancestral allele at this position is G, whereas the Z253+ allele is A.

Z253 was initially discovered in two anonymous participants of the 1000 Genomes Project, namely samples HG01136 (Colombian) and NA19717 (Mexican-American). Z253 has since been found in FTDNA samples with ancestry from Denmark, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Wales.

Z253 is downstream of L21 and DF13, so everybody who is Z253+ is also L21+ and DF13+. Hence everybody who is Z253+ is in the R-L21 subclade of the Haplogroup R1b. If you are L21- or DF13- then you are Z253- (assuming that is, that the Z253 mutation has occurred only once).

If you are L21+ and DF13+ but negative for other SNPs that are downstream of DF13 (especially DF21, DF41, DF49, L513 and Z255) then you may want to consider ordering a SNP test to determine whether you are positive or negative for Z253.

If you have ordered a test for Z253 then you are welcome to join this project. If you test positive for Z253 then you will be listed in an appropriate "Confirmed Z253+" group. Alternatively, if you test negative then you'll be added to the "Tested negative for Z253" group.

If you haven't been directly tested for Z253 but have instead tested positive for one of its descendant SNPs (such as L226, L554, L643, L1066, Z2185 or Z2534) then you are welcome to join this project.

In the quest to discover more information about Z253 and the other subclades of L21, it is especially helpful for people to join additional projects that are of relevance to them. To that end, if we find that a member of the R-Z253 Project is eligible to join upstream haplogroup projects such as the R-L21+ Project and the R1b All Subclades Project, but has not done so, we will take the necessary steps to make him a member of the R-L21+ Project, while also remaining a member of the R-Z253 Project. Likewise, members of the R-Z253 Project who meet the criteria for subclade projects (such as for L226 or L554) then we will similarly ensure that they are added to those projects as well.

It is also helpful if project members upload their results to YSearch. We will not do this automatically for our project members, but we would be happy to provide assistance if requested.

Here's how to order a SNP test to determine your Z253 status:

1. Login to your personal page at www.familytreedna.com.
2. Click on the orange "Order Upgrade" link at the right of the top menu.
3. Click on "Order an Advanced Test".
4. Choose "SNP" from the "Test Type" drop-down list.
5. Enter "Z253" in the "Marker" field and then click "Find".
6. Click "Add" to add the Z253 test to your shopping cart.
7. Click the "Next" button and then proceed to pay for the test.

The steps below show how to join the R-Z253 project. Note that similar steps will enable you to join surname projects as well as geographical projects that might be relevant to you.

1. Login to your personal page at www.familytreedna.com.
2. Click on "Join Projects" in the left-side menu.
3. Scroll down to the Y Haplogroup Projects and then click on the link for letter "R".
4. Scroll down and click on the link for "R-Z253".
5. Click the "Join" button that is at the lower right side of the screen.

If you are Z253+ then you can do further SNP testing to determine which subclade of Z253 you might belong to. The currently known structure of Z253 and its subclades is as follows:

• BY60 : This SNP appears to also be known by the names A494, FGC17433 and Z17693
• L554 : So far this subclade has been found in only four surnames (Brown, Perry, Pike and Wilcox). People who are L554+ should also join the L554 Project
• PF825 : So far this SNP has been found in a handful of people with ancestry from the British Isles.
• S844 : S844 is a parent of the following subclades:
  • L1308 : So far this SNP has been found in a handful of people with ancestry from the British Isles.
  • S845 :
• Z2534 : This subclade is a parent of the following subclades:
  • L226 : This is a large subclade of Z253. People who are L226+ should also join the L226 Project
  • L643 : So far this subclade has been found in only three surnames (MacKenzie, Matheson and Orem, all of Scottish origin).
  • Z2185 : This subclade appears to be a fairly diverse subclade of Z2534. Note that Z2185 appears to also be known as CTS9975. People who are Z2534+ should consider testing the Z2185 SNP, especially if they do not have the off-modal markers that are typical of the L226 subclade. Within the Z2185 subclade, the following subclades have been found:
    • L1066 : L1066 appears to be synonymous with CTS1202. Within the L1066 subclade, the following SNPs have been found:
      • CTS9881 :
      • L894 and L895 : So far these SNPs have only been found in one family, so these SNPs might be private in nature.
  • Z2189 : So far this subclade has been found in only a few people, all with (presumed) Iberian ancestry.
    • DF73 : So far this subclade has been found in only a few people, all with (presumed) Iberian ancestry.

Additional SNPs that have the potential to form subclades of Z253 are listed below. For most of these SNPs we have not yet encountered people who have tested positive for them (some of these may not yet be available to be ordered). The principal exceptions are Z2183, Z2184, but additional testing will be necessary before the correct position of these SNPs can be determined. The Yahoo group for the L21 Project is a good place to find news and other developments about these SNPs.

• F1969 has been included as a subclade of L1066/CTS1202 in FTDNA's 2014 Y-SNP tree.
• F3808 has been included as a subclade of Z253 in FTDNA's 2014 Y-SNP tree.
• F4036 (the initial F4036+ result on hand is Z2534- L554-)
• PF1557 (PF1557 is at a peer level to Z2534 and L554)
• Z252
• Z2182
• Z2183 (Z2183 is downstream of Z2184 and Z2185. It is not yet known if Z2183 is upstream or downstream of L1066)
• Z2184 (Z2184 is downstream of Z2534 and upstream of L1066 and Z2183. It is not yet known if Z2184 is upstream or downstream of Z2185)
• Z2186
• Z2187 (Z2187 is downstream of Z2534, and is approximately equivalent to DF73. Z2185+ people are unlikely to test positive for Z2187)
• Z2188 (Z2188 is downstream of Z2534, and is approximately equivalent to DF73. Z2185+ people are unlikely to test positive for Z2188)
• Z2190 (Z2190 is downstream of Z2534, and is approximately equivalent to DF73. Z2185+ people are unlikely to test positive for Z2190)
• Z2191 (Z2191 is downstream of Z2534, and is approximately equivalent to DF73. Z2185+ people are unlikely to test positive for Z2191)
• Z2192 (Z2192 is downstream of Z2534, and is approximately equivalent to DF73. Z2185+ people are unlikely to test positive for Z2192)
• Z2193 (Z2193 is downstream of Z2534, and is approximately equivalent to DF73. Z2185+ people are unlikely to test positive for Z2193)
• Z2194 (Z2194 is downstream of Z2534, and is approximately equivalent to DF73. Z2185+ people are unlikely to test positive for Z2194)
• Z2195 (Z2195 is downstream of Z2534, and is approximately equivalent to DF73. Z2185+ people are unlikely to test positive for Z2195)
• Z2196 (Z2196 is downstream of Z2534, and is approximately equivalent to DF73. Z2185+ people are unlikely to test positive for Z2196)
• Z2197 (Z2197 is downstream of Z2534, and is approximately equivalent to DF73. Z2185+ people are unlikely to test positive for Z2197)
• Z2198 (Z2198 is downstream of Z2534, and is approximately equivalent to DF73. Z2185+ people are unlikely to test positive for Z2198)
• Z2199 (Z2199 is downstream of Z2534, and is approximately equivalent to DF73. Z2185+ people are unlikely to test positive for Z2199)
• Z2200 (Z2200 is downstream of Z2534, and is approximately equivalent to DF73. Z2185+ people are unlikely to test positive for Z2200)
• Z2201 (Z2201 is downstream of Z2534, and is approximately equivalent to DF73. Z2185+ people are unlikely to test positive for Z2201)
• Z2202 (Z2202 is downstream of Z2534, and is approximately equivalent to DF73. Z2185+ people are unlikely to test positive for Z2202)
• Z2203 (Z2203 is downstream of Z2534, and is approximately equivalent to DF73. Z2185+ people are unlikely to test positive for Z2203)
• Z2204 (Z2204 is downstream of Z2534, and is approximately equivalent to DF73. Z2185+ people are unlikely to test positive for Z2204)
• Z2205 (Z2205 is downstream of Z2534, and is approximately equivalent to DF73. Z2185+ people are unlikely to test positive for Z2205)
• Z2206 (Z2206 is downstream of Z2534, and is approximately equivalent to DF73. Z2185+ people are unlikely to test positive for Z2206)

The following SNPs within the Z253 subtree are included in the Genographic Project's Geno 2.0 test.

• CTS1202 (which appears to be synonymous with L1066)
• CTS9881
• F3808
• F4036
• L226
• L554
• L643
• PF825
• PF1557
• Z253

If you have taken the Geno 2.0 test, then you are encouraged to send your raw data to project administrator David Reynolds so that he can determine which SNPs you might be positive for. This will also enable your Geno 2.0 results to be added to this Z253 SNP Summary. For instructions on downloading your raw data and sending them to David Reynolds, please click here.

In an effort to help coordinate testing of other SNPs that are downstream of Z253, an online spreadsheet has been established for those SNPs that are available for purchase. Anybody who is Z253+ and orders a test a SNP below Z253 is encouraged to add a row for themselves in the relevant sheet of the spreadsheet. Anybody who is Z253+ and is contemplating ordering a SNP can therefore see who has already put in an order. By comparing with Mike Walsh's R-L21 Haplotype spreadsheet, such contemplators can check to see if any near-matches to themselves have already ordered the test (in which case they might not need to order a test).

Determining the proper placement of new SNPs within the ISOGG Y-SNP Tree will require that their relation with other known SNPs be fully determined. This entails performing SNP tests to confirm both positive and negative relationships. Contributions to the Z253 Project's General Fund help to assist with the expense of tests such as these. To donate, follow the link below.