Ben Daku Y-DNA

With so many Ben Dakus in my family, I should probably specify that I'm referring to all of them, as well as my other uncles, Fred and Barry, since they all share a near identical Y-chromosome.

My Uncle Ben Daku recently completed a DNA test. While the results are not yet completely in, we have learned his Y-DNA haplogroup: R1b1b2a1a2d or R1b-U152. 

Grandpa Ben and Eileen Daku

The Y-chromosome is passed down from father to son, virtually unchanged. The very small changes that do happen as a result of random mutation is very useful in tracing the history of the Y-chromosome over thousands of years. 

U152 refers to a specific, relatively recent, variation that occurred in the Y chromosome of a man about 2000 years ago, possibly among the Alpine Celts of central Europe (around Switzerland). The male decedents of this man, Ben's ancestor,  spread outward into northern Italy and southern Germany, where the variation is still common today. 

U152 is found in Hungary but is fairly rare. I was hoping that the Dakus might have some ancient Mongolian or even Ottoman Y-DNA but its more likely that our ancient great grandfather might have been from the Austrian Empire, perhaps a German or Italian. Since my Mom has almost 10% northern European autosomal DNA, German seems more likely but she is also 0.6% Italian so that might explain why she made us spaghetti so often while we were growing up

Ben, Barry, and Fred Daku

Older variations in the Daku Y-DNA have been used to trace our ancestors further back in time, all the way back to Africa. Our ancestors were among a later wave of humans to leave Africa about 45,000 years ago, settling on the central Asian steppes where they hunted mammoths. It's likely that half of all Europeans today claim the same hunter on these steppes as a common ancestor. 

Over time, our forefathers migrated south into the middle east and then, as the last ice age ended, north up through the Balkans and across all of Europe, including to the Alps, where our 400th great grandfather may have been born.