Surnames and the Y Chromosomes

TLDR: Application of Y chromosome analyses in the family genealogy studies will be a most important part of historical anthropology researches because of its strong power in resolving many doubtful cases existing for hundreds of years.

Abstract: Most people get their surnames from their fathers. The surnames therefore well exhibit patrilineal heredity. Strict patrilineal heredity is also obeyed by parts of our genome, the Y chromosome non-recombinating portion. Therefore, men sharing a surname are expected to have similar Y chromosomes. However, association between surnames and Y chromosomes is always weak or absent due to the complicated social behaviors of surnames, e.g., various founders for a surname, surname changing, and non-paternity events. To set up better association, the family genealogies in combination with Y chromosomes should be used in historical anthropology studies. Two kinds of markers on Y chromosomes, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and short tandem repeat (STR), are widely used in setting up the Y chromosome genealogy and estimate the time. Y chromosome studies show strong power in resolving many doubtful cases existing for hundreds of years. Application of Y chromosome analyses in the family genealogy studies will be a most important part of historical anthropology researches.