How to Participate
These instructions are directed to males with the last name Keep. Others who may be interested in being tested should contact Bob or John, email links below, for information.
If you have questions about the Project, be sure to read
the pages on the bar to the left. In addition, questions can be answered by using the email links to Bob Warner or John Keep
on the bottom of this page.
Here are the steps: (You may want to print this page.)
1. Complete your family information
according to the questionnaire below.
a. After clicking the link below and arriving at the site, click the Reqest to Join on the upper left.
b. This will take you to the Keep Project page where you can follow the links and fill in the order form.
c. Complete your order. Before ordering, please read below about what test to consider taking.
Clink this familytreedna.com link where you will place your order.
The following family information must be sent to either Bob for United States Keeps or John for the rest of the world.
You may want to copy and
paste the following questions to your email message for ease in providing this required information:
1. Full Name
2. Mailing Address
3. Email Address
4. John Keep descendants: Please give your Keep genealogy number
found in "John Keep of
5. Other
If
you are not able to go back very far, please don't let this stop you from participating. The test results, with genealogy work,
may help you greatly.
6. Keeps around the world: Please try to establish your connection to British or American Keeps,
though finding such a link may be your reason for participating. In any event, list your ancestral line back as far as
possible, giving data as in #5 above.
7. It is not intended at this time to request permission from participants to
publish individual
Use these email links to send this information--Bob for Keeps in the
Y-chromosome analysis for genealogy research in the human male is still
in its infancy, but it is rapidly evolving as techniques develop and knowledge and understanding increases. The DNA Testing Explained
page provides an insight into the testing of "markers" in the non-recombinant or "junk" (what has been formerly considered useless)
DNA of the Y-chromosome.
The most basic test available is for 12 markers, which if the results are found to be identical to the other participants suggests a very likely indication that they share a common ancestry, and are related. The more markers you choose to have tested and the more identical the matches found, the degree of probability increases, ambiguous results are avoided, and meaningful data obtained.
Example of Four 12 Marker Test Results.
|
|
|
Locus |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
|
Participant |
Haplogroup |
DYS# |
393 |
390 |
19 |
391 |
385a |
385b |
426 |
388 |
439 |
389-1 |
392 |
389-2 |
|
One |
I1 |
Alleles |
14 |
22 |
15 |
10 |
13 |
14 |
11 |
14 |
11 |
12 |
11 |
28 |
|
Two |
I1 |
Alleles |
14 |
22 |
15 |
10 |
13 |
14 |
11 |
14 |
11 |
12 |
11 |
28 |
|
Three |
I1 |
Alleles |
14 |
22 |
15 |
10 |
13 |
13 |
11 |
14 |
11 |
12 |
11 |
28 |
|
Four |
I1 |
Alleles |
14 |
22 |
15 |
10 |
13 |
14 |
11 |
14 |
11 |
18 |
11 |
28 |
This example shows four participants in a 12 marker test. All four share the same surname, and are from the same Haplogroup*. Participants One and Two have identical matches in all 12
markers or Locus, which indicates that they share a common ancestry, and that they are related. Participant Three’s tests show
a difference of 1 at locus 6, which indicates that they share a common ancestry, but further back in time, i.e. one of the branches
of the family tree. Number Four has a difference at locus 10 of 6; therefore, they are not related.
*Haplogroups relate to deep ancestry, 10,000 years or more. I1 is found most frequently within Viking / Scandinavian populations in
northwest Europe and has since spread down into Central and
The degree of
identical matches in marker values in two individuals, i.e. 25 identical out of 25 within the same surname, indicates a common ancestor. Occasionally a mutation or small harmless change may occur at one of the markers as it is passed from father to son. The
difference in marker values if there is not a complete match, i.e. 24 out of 25, if the one marker is different by a value of 1, then
there most likely is a common ancestor, but further back in time. If the difference is by a value of 3, then the probability
is that there is no common ancestor. The rates at which different Y-chromosome markers change or mutate are still not yet clearly
understood or defined. An empiric average mutation rate figure is being quoted about 1 mutation in every 500 genetic exchanges;
however, different markers mutate at different rates and at different rates in different families.
The specific aim of this
project is to link specific individuals to John Keep of Longmeadow to establish his ancestry before arriving in America in 1666, but
it is also intended to build up a picture of the ancestry of people sharing the surname Keep, or a variation on the name, throughout
the world.
Our initial tests are encouraging, demonstrating a 64 out of 67 match between Marcus Keep and John Lister Keep. The
difference in values in respect to the 3 differences is 1 in each case. Up to the 37 marker tests the results were identical. So consider what test you want to undertake. Whilst a 67 test would be ideal, you can always opt for a lesser number and
then upgrade if you wish at a later date. Whatever you decide it is very much appreciated that you have decided to participate
in and take this project forward.