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Find my ancestors- Where’s my Native American DNA?

09 May Find my ancestors- Where’s my Native American DNA?

Posted at 06:49h in Ancestry Explained by

Good morning fellow descendants,

Many of my clients have grown up with stories of their Native American ancestry, only to be disappointed when it doesn’t show up in their DNA.

Here’s why that may happen. Do you have a sibling? Do they look more like your mom or dad than you do? That’s because unless your identical twins you have differing percentages of your parents DNA in your blood.

Here’s an example of how your Native American DNA could persevere or disappear through just 5 generations and 150 years:

  • Great-Great-Great Grandpa was 100% Native American.
  • He has two boys (gender doesn’t matter, just trying to keep the story simpler). One son got 70% of his DNA from his father and 30% from his white mother, while another son got the reverse, 30% dad, 70% mom.
  • Great-Great Grandpa the 70% brother has a kid with 70%, so he now has 49% Native American DNA. Meanwhile, his brother Great-Great Grandpa 30%, has a kid with 30%, so now he has 21% Native American DNA.
  • Now Great-Grandpa 49% has a kid with 70%, who now has 35%. Meanwhile, his cousin Great-Grandpa 21%, has a kid with 30%, so he now has 6.2%
  • Grandfather 35%, has a kid with 70%, so he’s 25%. His 2nd cousin Grandfather with 6.2%, has a kid with 30%, so now that’s 1.9%.
  • So now your father’s generation with 25%, has a kid with 70%, he’s about 17% Native American. Meanwhile, his 3rd cousin gets 30%, so now has .6% Native American DNA.

So your 4th cousin who grew up hearing the same story about Native American ancestry confirms the story with his 17% DNA result. Meanwhile, you think that you were misled to by your ancestors as you only have a trace amount (less than 1%) that is basically unidentifiable DNA.

At 25 years per generation, that means your Great-Great Grandpa would have been born in 1869, and by your generation, the DNA evidence of your Native American ancestry is gone. Of course if your story was that your Native American ancestor was Pocahontas or scouted for George Washington or Daniel Boone, that’s many more generations and even more likely the DNA evidence has diluted away.

I hope this article provides more clarity than confusion. Below is a link to an article by another researcher that provides some additional insight.

Let me know if I can help you find your story, or capture your families’ story as a beautiful heirloom gift!

Dan

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Call/Text Dan: 214-914-3598