DNA - our unique fingerprint

It is now well known that we all have a chemical "fingerprint" in the pattern of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that is present in every cell of our bodies. The pattern is unique to every individual except for identical twins. The method of genetic fingerprinting was developed in the 1980s by Professor Sir Alec Jeffries at Leicester University, England. DNA testing is now well established method of determining paternity in the field of family law and for identifying criminals and victims of crimes and other accidents from small quantities of body material.

Of the 23 chromosomes in every human cell one, the Y chromosome, is unique to males. While each person's DNA pattern is inherited randomly, in equal proportions from their mother and father, most of the Y chromosome are passed on unchanged, from father to son, for generation after generation. The Y-chromosome has about 60 million DNA base pairs. Changes in those base pairs happen infrequently but they occur often enough to establish patterns that can be used to determine whether indivdual males are descended from a common male ancestor, and if so to provide an estimate of how long ago that ancestor lived. (Further information on this subject is available on the Wikipedia web site in the article on Genetic genealogy.)

The Cree Y-DNA project

Gary Maher, who has been active in Cree surname research for many years, has initiated and is the Administrator of this project in conjunction with the organisation Family Tree DNA. The aim is to determine whether there is a relationship between the various Cree lines. All males bearing the surname Cree are urged to consider taking part*.

To take part in the Cree Surname DNA Project you need to purchase a kit through the Project, which enables you to submit a sample of mucus from the inside of your cheek. The kit includes full instructions on how to do this. You send the to the Project in the envelope provided for the purpose. The DNA in your sample is then analysed for a number of DNA markers. These are then compared with those of other participant to determine a possible relationship. It is recommended that you purchase the 37-marker kit at a cost of US$189 (to Cree group members) although cheaper versions are available (using 12 or 25 markers) which give a less precise result. You can join the project and buy the kit online at the Cree Surname Y-DNA Project Website.

Testing so far

A number of interesting results have now been obtained. In brief, Cree males descended from the following lines have so far taken part:

1. Cree line of Elizabeth, New Jersey descended from Joseph Cree

2. Cree line of Huntingdon Co., PA, descended from John Cree

3. Cree line of Huntingdon Co., PA, descended from David Cree

4. Cree line of Muddy Creek, Greene Co., Pennsylvania, descended from William Cree and Jane Marshall

5. Cree line of Cork, Ireland, descended from Edward Cree and Rebecca Ireland

6. Cree line of Aberdalgie, Perthshire.

Joseph Cree of Line 1 in this list is thought to have been born in New York City in about 1765-69. Family tradition states that the family originated in Scotland but the name Joseph Cree is unknown there at the relevant period.

Prior to DNA testing, it was thought from family legend (which we always consider seriously) and historical evidence that lines 2 and 3 were closely related. There was a strong presumption that John and David Cree were in fact brothers. Robert H Cree has written, "It has been a long standing family tradition that they immigrated to America from County Down in Northern Ireland."

Line 4 is known to have originated in County Down, with a some evidence suggesting the location of Ballycastle as their place of origin. There is strong anecdotal evidence that Line 5 of the above list also originated from Ballycastle, County Down.

Line 6 takes us right back to one of the earliest genealogies in Perthshire, Scotland

Results: American Cree lines

We need to be careful in interpreting results especially negative matches. Matches may show negative results for several reasons. Firstly it may show a genuine lack of common genetic inheritance. Secondly it may be that one or both of the lines being compared may include a "non-paternal event." This can occur when an adopted child is given the surname of the adoptive father. There are clearly other circumstances in which a supposed father is not the true father of a child. A "non-paternal event" can also occur where a family makes a change of surname. Thirdly, it is possible for genes to mutate resulting in test results suggesting a more distant relationship than is actually the case.

Positive Y-DNA test matches on the other hand are a reliable indication of a relationship between the male lines concerned. The closeness of the match gives a prediction of how long ago the common ancestor lived. Genetic genealogy experts are now more cautious than they were about the level of accuracy of such predictions.

With these caveats in mind, we can tentatively draw the following conclusions from the results of Y-DNA testing so far:

Lines 1 and 2 show a perfect match (25/25), indicating that John and Joseph Cree were brothers, first or second cousins or some other close relationship (e.g., uncle/nephew).

Line 3 shows an near-perfect match (24/25) to lines 1 and 2. This is a surprise. It suggests that David Cree was less closely related to his supposed brother John Cree than John is to Joseph Cree. However another possible interpretation is that a mutation has occurred in David Cree's line at some point between David Cree and the person tested. Testing of further volunteers from David's line would help to decide this issue.

Test results for Lines 4 and 5 show no matching at all either with the other lines or with each other. This is a surprising result bearing in mind the conclusions based on our genealogical researches before the DNA testing. It was thought at the very least that both William Cree of Muddy Creek PA and Edward Cree of Cork, Ireland, had firm roots in County Down. There was good reason to believe, in fact, that they both originated from the same Cree line (from the townland of Ballycastle) in that county. A revision of our conclusions however might be premature in view of the uncertainties of negative results discussed above.

Results: Ireland

Early in 2012 came the test result from the descendant of Line 6. This was dramatic - a near-perfect (36/37) match to Line 5, the Cree line of Cork, Ireland. This gives rise to an interesting situation:

Firstly the documented descent of the Scottish line testee (who lives in Sothern England) is confirmed. His test result also gives us a baseline against which to check the results of future tests. Secondly the hypothesis that the Cork line originates in Scotland is confirmed. This hypothesis consisted of two parts; first that the Cork line descended from County Down and, second, that the County Down line(s) originated in Scotland. It would appear that these two parts are now separately confirmed. However an alternative scenario is that the Cork line descends directly from Scotland - not through County Down. The genealogical evidence is incomplete but it strongly points to descent through County Down. The DNA evidence however points the other way. This is because of the lack of matches between the American lines (1 to 4) and the Scottish and Irish lines (5 and 6).

The lack of match is total. Such a situation can often occur as a result of a "non-paternal event." But when would such an even have occurred? The genealogy tells us that the American lines (which have good matches betweeen each other) resulted from three separate migrations from Ireland. The DNA result tells us that the Cork line must have branched off from the County Down line before the Irish lines did. But the proposed genealogy of the Cork line does not branch off earlier - it links to these very closely in County Down - within the two generations during which the the migrations to America branched off. This suggests that the hypothesis of the Cork line descending from Scotland through County Down is flawed. However the genealogies involved are all somewhat shaky. Further work needs to be done to clarify the situation. It would help if more Cree males would volunteer for DNA testing.

Full details of the test results, how to take part in the project and how it is funded, can be found at the Home page of the Cree Surname Y-DNA Project Website.

Further research

I am increasingly excited by the possibilities of Y-DNA testing to answer a number of long-standing questions relating to Cree ancestry. There is a need for more Cree male line descendants to volunteer for testing. The price of a test is probably the main barrier to achieving this, although as the price reduces under pressures of increased competition and developing technology this should be less so in future. It is already down to US$49 (about GBP 25 or AUD 62).

To alleviate some of the uncertainties in interpreting test results, it is important that we establish a baseline or genetic fingerprint for each known, separate, Cree line. Two test results that give a close match are enough to establish this baseline data for any such group, provided the two individuals concerned are not closley related (not brothers or first cousins, say). This would enable Other individuals to be assigned to a relevant line if their Y-DNA profile matches the two baseline profiles.

Anyone wishing to take part in the project should contact Gary Maher through the Home page of the Cree Surname Y-DNA Project Website or myself through the Contacts page of this web site.

Questions that might be answered using these techniques would include:

Are the various Scottish Cree lines, most of which can be traced back to Perthshire, Scotland, really related as we suspect? And if so, how far back are their various common ancestors?

Is the Cree line of Yorkshire, England, (from Sprotbrough) related to a Scottish Cree line as seems likely?

Is the Cree line of Derbshire truly separate from Scottish Cree line?

Are the various County Down Cree lines descended from a single ancestor and at what date did he live? If so, was he a migrant from Scotland, and which Scottish Cree line did he come from?

This list is not exhaustive and readers will no doubt wish to comment on, or add to the questions which might be answered by DNA testing.

MS
29 November 2006