I have a question that maybe someone with more knowledge regarding DNA can answer. The Windham Family DNA Project has eight participants with an 11, 17 match at 385a and 385b. The Nolan DNA Surname Project has two participants with an 11, 17 match at 385a and 385b. That particular result appears to be uncommon in R1b males as stated by Bennett Greenspan, President of Family Tree DNA of Houston on 29 June 2006. My 385a and 385b markers are also 11 and 17, respectively. And I match 33 of 37 markers with at least one participant out of the eight listed, in the Windham Family DNA Project, who have an 11, 17 match at 385a and 385b. These matches at 385a and 385b are uncommon, but what is the signifiicance to relatedness? Can 385a and 385b be trusted as some experts believe they cannot?
Windham Family DNA Project
On 29 June 2006 in regard to a question about the relatedness of kit #s 18393, 54549, 56134, 57644, and 60381, Bennett Greenspan, President of Family Tree DNA of Houston, Texas, wrote the folowing:
"It does appear that 56134 and 57644 are more closely related to each other then they are to the other 3 men, however I think all 5 are related...the 11,17 at 385a/b is not common for R1b males and is distinctive enough that it acts to tie them together."
"For example only 105 men in our entire database share an 11,17, which 882 share an 11,16 and 5445 share an 11,15, and 22704 has an 11,14 so you can see how rare it is?"
Best Regards
Bennett Greenspan
President
Family Tree DNA of Houston, Texas
Glenn Allen Nolen
ganolen@gmail.com
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