MtDNA haplogroup U3b

[MarcuccioV]

Does anyone here carry the MtDNA haplogroup U3b..? My research says it’s very rare in Italy (1-2%). It appears most common in Jordanians (40%) from near the Dead Sea as well as a common haplogroup among Roma peoples (Gypsies) from Northern Asia.

This came as a bit of a surprise as my grandmother seemed to favor a more northern Italian appearance, whereas my grandfather looked much more southern Italian/Greek/Arabic. Both were from near Rome. My ethnic makeup on my Italian side favors the Southern regions (Including Sicily) as well as Mediterranean areas to the east and south of Italy.

So I’m curious if anyone else with this obscure U3b MtDNA haplogroup has any further info on their family origins...

[darkerhorse]

This came as a bit of a surprise as my grandmother seemed to favor a more northern Italian appearance, whereas my grandfather looked much more southern Italian/Greek/Arabic.

Don't place too much emphasis on "looks" in determining place of origin.

[MarcuccioV]

This came as a bit of a surprise as my grandmother seemed to favor a more northern Italian appearance, whereas my grandfather looked much more southern Italian/Greek/Arabic.

Don't place too much emphasis on "looks" in determining place of origin.

True, but I had NO references at all before this...

[darkerhorse]

Fair enough.

I've also tried to correlate looks with origins. In my case, I have paper trails but no DNA testing in the immediate family yet.

[MarcuccioV]

Fair enough.

I've also tried to correlate looks with origins. In my case, I have paper trails but no DNA testing in the immediate family yet.

I also can assume, I think, her more northern looks came from a paternal ancestral line in her family, since that does not pass on the MtDNA. Who knows how far back the MtDNA goes from mother-mother through the centuries.

The furthest back I can go on that line with documentation is my 3GG (1870's), who I only have a married name for (Topani) & no maiden name (as yet). And all thus far hail from the same town in Lazio.

[darkerhorse]

I forget, do you know your Y haplogroup?

That might give you some clues as to place of origin.

Mine (Sicilian for generations) is apparently traced back to Scotland, of all places.

[MarcuccioV]

My Y haplogroup is R-Z19 (which originates out of Finland). But that's my non-Italian side. It is predominately English/Scottish/Welsh, with some French/Irish/German/Dutch thrown in. Oddly, in looking over my chromosome report, one of the paternal chromosomes shows Italian heritage -- I have not found that in my family tree (as yet; I'm still cleaning up "hints"). Despite my surname being Dutch, I have found that it was 'adopted' after a migration west and the paternal line was actually German, but aside from that, 80% or more of the paternal branches are UK-related...

[MarcuccioV]

I just checked my chromosome paint report. What I found blew my mind..!

Chromosome 2 has one side (maternal) as 100% Italian; but the paternal side of #2 is about 25% Italian.

Chromosome 15 is 100% Italian for BOTH maternal & paternal sides.

Chromosome 22 is 100% Italian (maternal) & about 10-20% Italian (paternal).

For giggles & grins 33% of my maternal side of #7 is Anatolian. The rest Italian.

I had NO IDEA that there was ANY Italian on my father’s side..!

[afecad]

I forget, do you know your Y haplogroup?

That might give you some clues as to place of origin.

Mine (Sicilian for generations) is apparently traced back to Scotland, of all places.

Did you do SNP or Big Y-700 testing to determine this? Unless you did, it's just a predicted haplogroup, 23andme just gives predicted and not confirmed. After I did Big Y-700, I got my confirmed paternal haplogroup which goes right back to Scotland and matches other's with the same surnames on FTDNA groups, which I already knew since my surname is of Scottish origin and my family tree is documented back to the 1700's, but still all the DNA testing shows me more German on my paternal side and only a small % of British Isles + Scotland, because my Father's family married mostly German and Dutch females, so surnames carry on, your DNA becomes watered down and often does not reflect a higher % of your surname.

So while I have a Scottish surname, I'm more Italian on my mother's side than I am Scottish on my father's, much of this also holds true to the time of immigration, my father's side came over in the 1600's, earliest known and documented ancestor was from Holland who settled in New York. My Mother's side both came over to the US around the turn of the century or shortly thereafter.

Confirmed Haplogroup testing shows the branches and subclades from the the initial haplogroup, mine starts at R-M207 or R and from there it branches down to my confirmed quite far, with this I could see matching markers to others with the same surname.

[darkerhorse]

Actually, I'm referencing my paternal 2nd cousin's (same surname) DNA test. My Y haplogroup should be the same. I've never had a DNA test myself.

[afecad]

Actually, I'm referencing my paternal 2nd cousin's (same surname) DNA test. My Y haplogroup should be the same. I've never had a DNA test myself.

I would get tested yourself to validate, only way to know confirmed haplogroup is FTNDA.

[afecad]

Actually, I'm referencing my paternal 2nd cousin's (same surname) DNA test. My Y haplogroup should be the same. I've never had a DNA test myself.

I would get tested yourself to validate, only way to know confirmed haplogroup is FTDNA.

FTDNA corrected

[MarcuccioV]

Researching (or should I say scratching the surface) of U3b indicates that albeit rare (roughly 1%) in Italy, it is most common in the former Etruscan areas of Northern Italy. This makes more sense to me as my maternal grandmother seems to favor fairer, more northern features. Some of the surnames in her tree also seem to have been more common in the north, as well...

[afecad]

Researching (or should I say scratching the surface) of U3b indicates that albeit rare (roughly 1%) in Italy, it is most common in the former Etruscan areas of Northern Italy. This makes more sense to me as my maternal grandmother seems to favor fairer, more northern features. Some of the surnames in her tree also seem to have been more common in the north, as well...

Don't expect much on individual ancestry from haplogroups. Confirmed paternal haplogroup is great for surname connections and matching others and is more powerful at placing heritage markers with FTDNA you can see what countries others tested live and surnames associated in their trees, beyond that I have not found much use and less so for maternal haplogroups. Sure FTDNA say's I share the same haplogroup as Queen Victoria 1837-1901, but this applies to 50% of Europe as well.

[MarcuccioV]

Researching (or should I say scratching the surface) of U3b indicates that albeit rare (roughly 1%) in Italy, it is most common in the former Etruscan areas of Northern Italy. This makes more sense to me as my maternal grandmother seems to favor fairer, more northern features. Some of the surnames in her tree also seem to have been more common in the north, as well...

Don't expect much on individual ancestry from haplogroups. Confirmed paternal haplogroup is great for surname connections and matching others and is more powerful at placing heritage markers with FTDNA you can see what countries others tested live and surnames associated in their trees, beyond that I have not found much use and less so for maternal haplogroups. Sure FTDNA say's I share the same haplogroup as Queen Victoria 1837-1901, but this applies to 50% of Europe as well.

No argument, but it's a rare haplogroup to start with. Not trying to solve the mysteries of the world, just maybe get a little more insight into the Italian heritage, of which I only have minimal information...