Y-chromosome DNA (Y-DNA)

Y-chromosome DNA is inherited only from father to son in its entirety. In theory, father and son have identical Y chromosomes, but since nothing in nature is so ideal, errors also occur during genetic transmission. An error means that at a specific location on the Y chromosome, an amino acid (A, T, C, G) is replaced.

And these very genetic errors are the basis for genealogical research. Because errors occur, men have a different number of sequences with errors. And because some of us share some of these errors, it was decided to name them with a so-called haplogroup. As soon as at least two individuals who have been tested have the same genetic error, a geneticist reviews such samples, and if it is actually confirmed that the error is the same, a new haplogroup is named, carrying a prefix according to major lineages (letters C, G, I, R...), followed by the lab code and a number - this number represents the sequential position in the DNA chain where the error occurred (e.g., R-Y1382).

Here on the Y-DNA haplogroup tree, you can see where I am placed (or rather, my oldest ancestor on the paternal line Jakov / Jakob Renka, b.1764).

The first haplogroup was determined as R-Y1392 with my atDNA test at MyHeritage and the common ancestor is estimated to be from around 314 BC.

The second haplogroup R-Y35453 is much more recent (estimated to be 721 AD) and was the result of a Big-Y 700 test at FamilyTreeDNA.

What path did my Proto-Slav take (even before that river)?

A very interesting thing that Y-DNA enables is that for individual genetic errors and haplogroups, we can estimate the probable migration path from early humans, or from the so-called Y-Adam, to the last confirmed haplogroup (R-Y35453 in my case). This allows us to genetically research the remains from archaeological excavations worldwide.

In this video, you can see all the migrations my ancestors had to undertake to even reach that Proto-Slav who "swam across that river and settled in my genes" as Zoran Predin sings.

My closest paternal line relative

Similar to atDNA tests, here too, individuals are sought with whom we match in individual genetic errors.

So far, I have found one relative whose relatives originate from Slovenia (Predmeja near Ajdovščina), but live in the USA (although they did not enter their origin in FTDNA, so there is no proper flag).

With this person, we share a common ancestor from 721 AD (R-Y35453), so sometime after the arrival of the Slavs in this area. This person has a different surname (Velikonja) than I do (Renko), as surnames for the general population only began to be used in the early 17th century.

On haplogroup R-BY32501, we have a common ancestor from 569 AD with three other individuals, one of whom is from Slovenia, another from Italy, and the third has not entered their origin.

Private variants (errors)

Another interesting thing you get from a Y-DNA test is information on how many private variants (errors) you have. Private variants are genetic errors that are currently confirmed only in you.

So, I have 8 more private variants - these are all genetic errors that are still waiting to be confirmed in another test subject.

Further research

I would certainly like to test the most distant male relative from the Renko/Renka line. Here, I expect that this could reveal some of my private haplogroups (these are the genetic errors currently found only in me) and that in this way I will bring the common haplogroup in time a little closer to our times (say, between 1000-1500). This would already allow me to connect the DNA tree with my genealogical tree, where I have the oldest ancestors all the way back to the first books from 1600 onwards.

I would also very much like to test other male lines in my family tree (at least Rakar, Jekovec, Pezdirc). First, I need to identify a male descendant on the paternal line, and then persuade him to take a DNA test. I will probably start by only testing the Family Finder test at FamilyTreeDNA, just to confirm that we match in the main haplogroup, and then later, if necessary, pay extra for the Big-Y 700 test.