DNA gives us more clues to a single ancestor!

Another DNA test result has now been received for a male Swinfield. John Arnold Swinfield of Family 2, who was one of thepeople who attended the Swinfield Gathering inSeptember 2013, commissioned a test from Family Tree DNA. We have now have the answer!

	Family	393	390	19	391	385a	385b	426	388	439	389a	392	389b	458	459a	459b	455	454
Derrick Swinfield	5F	13	24	14	11	11	14	12	12	11	13	13	29	17	9	10	11	11
John Swinfield	2	13	24	14	11	11	14	12	12	11	13	13	29	17	9	10	11	11
Maxwell Swinfield	12	13	24	14	11	11	14	12	12	11	13	13	29	17	9	10	11	11
Paul Swinfield	3	13	24	14	10	11	14	12	12	11	13	13	29	17	9	10	11	11
Andrew Swinfield	3A	13	24	14	10	11	14	12	12	11	13	13	29	17	9	9	11	11

447	437	448	449	464a	464b	464c	464d	460	GATA-H4	YCAIIa	YCAIIb	456	607	576	570	CDYa	CDYb	442	438
24	14	19	30	15	16	17	17	11	11	19	23	15						12	12
24	14	19	30	15	16	17	17	11	11	19	23	15	14	18	17	35	36	12	12
24	14	19	30	15	16	17	17	11	11	19	23	15	14	19	17	35	36	12	12
24	14	19	30	15	16	17	17	11	11	19	23	15	14	19	17	35	36	12	12
24	14	19	30	15	16	16	17	11	11	19	23	15	14	19	17	35	37	12	12

John is an exact match to Derrick Swinfield of Family 5 at the 32 markers at which both have been tested (Derrick's test was done through DNA Worldwide). This must surely lead us to the conclusion that families 2 and 5 have a common origin. Of the other three men, who have also had a 37 marker test from FTDNA, Maxwell from Australia, a member of Family 12, differs at only one marker from John, giving him what is termed a "genetic distance" of only 1, having a different value at marker DYS 576. Paul Swinfield of Family 3, has a genetic distance of 2 from John, also having a different value at marker DYS 391. Surprisingly Andrew, Paul's cousin, has a “GD” of 5, having a different STR value at three other markers. However, they do share a common mutation at DYS 391 where, unlike the other three men, they have a value of 10.   

John, Derrick, Maxwell and Paul all seem to have a "typical" Swinfield Y-chromosome. It is now very likely that the four families which they represent (2, 3, 5 & 12) have a common origin. They must surely share a common ancestor, within the last seven centuries, since the surname of Swinfield came into existence! I wonder how the other main branch, Family 1, would match up?

All we have to do now is to find the “paper trail”, through genealogical research, to join them all together. Easier said than done!

John and his sister, Clare Woodward, can trace their ancestry back to Burbage via the parish of Quorn(don). Their great-grandparents are buried in the churchyard there. In the adjacent grave is their infant son, William Henry, who died at only 6 months. This parish has a fantastic website which provides access to most of its records.

How is their great-great-great-grandfather, the blacksmith of Burbage, who was born about 1773/4, related to the earliest known ancestor of each of the other main branches? The DNA results tell us that they were all “cousins”!