Bittick DNA Project Results

DNA Project Page

Contribute to the Bittick DNA Project

In the table below, each participant is identified by a letter, indicating his Bittick line of descent, and a number.  [Additional Information on each participant's lineage]

• J = John Bittick/Biddix, born about 1748, and Hannah Blunt/Blount
• F = Francis Bittick, born 1759, and  Mary Stanfield
• S =Samuel Bittick, born between 1755-1771, and Nancy Williams
• JR = John R. Bittick, born about 1781 and an unknown wife and Cynthia Rakestraw
• R = Robert Bittick, born about 1788, and wives, Sarah Henthorn and Cynthia A.
• SF = Samuel F. Bittick, born 1790, and Elizabeth Frasier Goodrum
• JA = Jonathan Bittick, born 1796, and Jinsy Butler
• WH = Willis Henry Bittick, born about 1817, and wives, Lucinda Jane Smith and Sarah Jane Whitworth 
• C = Biddick families in Cornwall, England

DYS 19 is also known as DYS 394.

Comments:

In the table above, differences between individual results (mutations) are highlighted in bold numbers.  Red markers (DYS#s) have a faster mutation rate than black markers (see note below).

Family Tree DNA has changed the format for reporting results, and now reports only 4 results for marker 464 (464a, 464b, 464c, 464d) rather than 5.  Marker 464 is a multi-copy marker--there is more than one copy of this marker on the chromosome.  Other multi-copy markers are 385 a & b and 459 a & b.  According to Family Tree DNA, "464 is a 'close family' lineage splitter, and unlike all the other markers we use, it follows the infinite allele model (for more on that see this page: http://nitro.biosci.arizona.edu/ftdna/TMRCA.html  then look for the link to mutation models).  464 has actually done what we like it to do...show difference... We see 1-4 step changes in this marker with 1 step happening the most, but 2-4 happening about half the time."  

• J-2, F-2, R-1, SF-1, JA-1, JA-2 and WH-1 show the typical pattern of results or "Ancestral Signature" for the American Bittick/Biddix lines.

• J-1 has a one-step mutation (one marker off by one number) on marker 449.  That's a red one that mutates at a faster rate.  A mutation in one of the red markers is not as significant as a mutation in the black markers.

• J-2 matches the ancestral signature.  This means that John (1748) had the same pattern of results.  The mutation in J-1 occurred after John's son, Francis (1790), or it is an error in the results.  

• F-1 has a 3-step mutation in 464.  This is a multi-copy marker.  It has a high mutation rate and can be used as a close family lineage splitter.  Reading the results for marker 464 can be confusing, since the results for each copy are reported in ascending order.  In the table above, it appears that F-1 has 3 different mutations.  However, there is only one mutation, highlighted in black.   Individuals showing this pattern of results will be more closely related to each other than to the other lines.  For more information on multi-copy markers, see "Understanding Your Results:  The Value of Multi-Copy Markers" in Family Tree DNA's newsletter, "Facts & Genes," March 3, 2004 Volume 3, Issue 2 http://www.familytreedna.com/facts_genes.asp?act=show&nk=3.2.

• F-2 matches the ancestral signature.  This means that Francis (1759) had the same pattern of results.  The mutation in F-1 occurred sometime in the Thomas Stanfield Bittick line, or it is an error in the results,  and is not typical of the Francis (1759) line. 

• JR-1 has a one-step mutation in 464.  

• SF-1 results originally showed a two-step mutation (one marker off by 2 numbers) on marker 388.  Family Tree DNA ran the test again, and found it matches the other participants. 

• SF-2 has a one-step mutation on allele #389-2.  It probably is not genealogically significant.

• C-1 & C-2 (Biddick from Cornwall, England) only match 5/12 markers and are not closely related to the American Bittick lines tested.  C-1 is known to be a distant cousin of C-2, and the test results indicate that they are closely related to each other, but not to the other lines.

• C-3, a different Biddick family from Cornwall, England, only match 4/12 markers and are not closely related to the American Bittick lines.  C-3 is not closely related to C1 & C2 since they only match on 8/12 markers.  
  

Summary of Results:

• The DNA results indicate that the American Bittick lines tested (John, Francis, John R., Robert, Samuel F., Jonathan, and Willis Henry) descend from a common ancestor.  However, the Biddick families from Cornwall are not closely related to the American Bittick lines tested.
• Of the Cornwall Biddick families tested C1 & C2 are closely related to each other but not to C-3.
• The John R. line appears to have a mutation.  However, with only one result in this line, we cannot confirm this.  We need results from at least one more descendant to verify the DNA pattern. 
• The Francis and John lines have the same pattern of results as Robert, Samuel F., Jonathan and Willis Henry.  The mutation in J-1 and F-1 may be an error in the results.
• No one from the Samuel, born 1755-1774, line has been tested.
• Based on the results currently available, all the American Bittick/Biddix lines tested (except possibly John R.) have the same ancestral signature pattern.

From Family Tree DNA:

"It is obvious from our (Family Tree DNA) observation of 1000's of samples that some markers change or mutate at a faster rate than others. While that actual 'faster rate' has not yet been definitively calculated, not all markers should be treated the same for evaluation purposes.

The markers in red have shown a faster mutation rate then the average, and therefore these markers are very helpful at splitting lineages into sub sets, or branches, within your family tree.

Explained another way, if you match exactly on all of the markers except for one or a few of the markers we have determined mutate more quickly, then despite the mutation this mismatch only slightly decreases the probability of two people in your surname group who match 11/12 or even 23/25 of not sharing a recent common ancestor."