Japanese Ancestor In My Dna Test ; Question

[Jan Duncan Hardison]

I had another DNA test, done by different company. I got the results last night. Apparently, I have ancestor that was born between 1690 and 1780, and was 100% Japanese. Well, that was unexpected!

I'm trying to figure out what happened here. Weren't Europeans first in Japan in the late 1500's, and later kept out until the 1860's? Does anyone know if the Japanese traveled to Europe in that time period? What I'm thinking happened: an European male went to Japan, and had a child with a Japanese woman. However, I suppose a Japanese female could've gone to Europe, perhaps with her family as a child, was raised in Europe, and married an European.

I know very little about Japanese history, so could someone fill me in? Thanks.

 

[margecat]

Hi, Jan. Did you mean to post a reply? I do not see it, and I would love to see it! Thanks.

 

[NormSF]

I wrote a long post 4 months ago. Since then, wife and I got Family Tree's autosomal tests. Mine came out "100% East Asian", no indication of where the red hair on my maternal grandfather (inherited by me and my 3 siblings) came from. Only surprise so far: we are 5th cousins. Discovered 14 months ago my wife's grandfather's grandfather married someone with my maternal grandmother's surname so there's the obvious link. (Families are from opposite ends of Kumamoto Pref in Kyushu.) My brother's about to get his done by a different company so we'll see what falls out.
Meanwhile, our two adopted kittens, now 30 months old, are starting to look like Maine Coons. But with thumbs.
Happy Rooting, everyone!

 

[arouetta]

Could the red hair have come from an Ainu ancestor? Or is that the wrong geographical area?

 

[margecat]

NormSF,

That's fascinating. Red hair, though rare (only about 1-2% of the world's population) occurs in some unexpected places. There is an African tribe who have natural red hair, and there was a race of warriors in China circa 200 B.C. that had red hair. My friend from India was taken aback when she met me; her best friend back in India was also a redhead with green eyes, like me, but supposedly 100% Indian. She told me that this happens sometimes in the Indian population.

Can you search your raw DNA at that site, like you can with 23&Me? If so, have a look at your 16th chromosome for the MC1R gene. I think both parents have to give you a copy in order for you to have red hair, as my chromosome 16 shows.

Here's a Wikipedia article that explains geographic and ethnic distribution of red hair:Red hair - Wikipedia

Ahhhh...Maine Coons! I love 'em! The mittens are often found in the Maine Coon population, though I can't give you stats on the occurrence of red hair in their population...

 

[margecat]

I've gotten pretty far back on Mom's family tree, or at least, just the direct line of men and their wives, and the wives' parentage. I can go back and do siblings later. I ordered a copy of her birth record from England, and the box for "Father" had a line drawn through it, as I suspected it would. Also, her second middle name is the surname of the supposed father. Now, why would a supposed rape victim name her child after the rapist? I'm thinking that may have been her story to her family to cover up a consenting relationship. Or, perhaps it was to lay claim to his money at a later late, in those days before DNA and paternity testing? If he's the guy I suspect (the former semi-famous soccer player), I can't find a photo of him. I found a book on Amazon about British soccer in her hometown, hoping to find one, but most of the other players have photos...and his is a caricature of him in later life, albeit, a well-done one, and in profile! I can't win! His nephew was famous for another sport, and I can find photos of him, so the cartoon does resemble this chap, which does help. And his photo reminds me of one of Mom, aged about four.

On Dad's side, I think that's where the Japanese DNA is, via Germans settling in Canada. I tested at both Ancestry and 23&Me, and this is why I greatly prefer 23&Me. For the same price, you can find out so much more. Ancestry makes you subscribe, about $20-36 a month, to delve into your DNA matches. 23 gives you this ability at no extra cost. Anyway, I have found several matches with Japanese DNA there. I'm also finding some Cuban and Hispanic matches, and some African-American matches, all of which I didn't know about. I found a third cousin in England on Mom's side, and he filled in a lot of information. He's from Mom's area.

On Dad's side, I can't seem to get past my Great-Grandfather, and possibly his Father, who may have had the same first name. I think his Father was also a sea captain.