Understanding our results pages 

Detailed spreadsheets displaying our project participants’ STR results are posted in our project in both classic and colorized versions. 

Our project also provides a listing of SNP results (for Big Y tests), a map showing locations for our earliest known ancestors, and a group time tree, useful for comparing haplogroup origins. Most of these results are sub-grouped by lineage. These lineages are defined by SNP test results, STR test results, and genealogies, both member-supplied and collaborative. Our subgroups are updated periodically as we add new members or as existing members upgrade.

Our Stevenson-Stephenson project includes testers from several major haplogroups. The majority of our members have R1b ancestry, with R-M269 (R1b1a1b) our most common haplogroup, as it is across much of western Europe. Our second-largest haplogroup represented is I1 (I-M253) another haplogroup common in western Europe and among Scots and Irish men. 

While our project members have historically been grouped using STRs, we now are able to provide more definition to our lineages and sub-lineages thanks to our members who have taken advanced SNP tests. Big Y tests define specific branches on the giant tree of mankind and greatly improve age estimates, making it more likely that we will eventually identify our common ancestors, if not by name, at least by location and approximate date. 

That’s why we encourage anyone who is able to sponsor or co-sponsor a Big Y along their presumed family line. Each person testing helps all of us!

Using our results pages

You might find the classic chart easier to read when scanning results for kit numbers, earliest known ancestors, countries of origin, or haplogroups. In contrast, the colorized chart provides more detail, including minimum, maximum, and modal values within each subgroup. Markers that differ from the modal values are highlighted and color coded, enabling more detailed analysis. 

Be sure to read the explanations at the top of each chart, and use the imbedded links to find articles on understanding test results. Consider using the drop downs to sort by the number of STRs tested when you need to limit the data to more informative testing levels, or to fit all of our project tests on one page. 

You can also set the 'page size' filter to your preference. A setting of 300 will display all of our project member tests.

Finally, you can search the entire chart using any one of five options: kit number, paternal ancestor name, country, haplogroup, or subgroup.

Remember that tests that report 12, 25, 37, 67, or 111 markers are STR-only tests, while Big Y tests (Y500 or Y700) report both STRs and SNPs.

Diving into Y-DNA research can be challenging, but extremely rewarding. If you have questions, please post them to our Activity Feed if they are more general in nature, or reach out to our administrator via email with specific questions. And don’t forget to join in on the discussions on FTDNA’s Y-DNA Facebook group, or on Facebook pages for any haplogroup projects you might have joined.

Happy researching!

Initialisms

EKA – earliest known ancestor(s)

FTDNA – Family Tree DNA

SNP – single nucleotide polymorphism

STR – short tandem repeat