Submission Date

Summer 2024

Abstract

A 23andMe DNA ancestry composition test was taken to derive specific genetic information such as my maternal mitochondrial DNA (maternal haplogroup) and my ancestral DNA composition from different regions of the world based on similarities to other individuals in those regions with the same genotype patterns. Deep historical ancestry showed my maternal haplogroup as U5a1b. This indicated a maternal heritage line migrating north through Africa and up into Western Europe around 47,000 years ago. My ancestral DNA composition showed heritage from the following regions: French & German (Germany) 84.9%, Eastern European (Russia/Lithuania) 8.7%, and Southern European (Italy) 3.1%. The German and Italian results were expected however the Russian/Lithuiana heritage was originally hypothesized from my paternal grandfather due to a past ancestor's Germany to Russia immigration. However this has been dismissed as socially unacceptable/unexpected in that period, so the Eastern European heritage remains a mystery in origin. Verbal and document-supported accounts from ancestors and family members explain the various immigrations conducted through my maternal/Humer family and my paternal/Wirtz family. Specifically, my maternal grandparents and their separate immigrations in the 1950s to southern Ontario and my separate paternal great-grandparents immigration from Germany to Russia to Port Huron, Michigan.

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My 23andMe DNA ancestry composition test was taken to derive specific genetic information such as my ancestral DNA composition on where I’m from and maternal mitochondrial DNA (maternal haplogroup). Before working on this project I knew a majority of my ancestry was rooted in Germany from my paternal grandfather and maternal grandmother. Additionally with some Austrian from my maternal grandfather and a little Italian from my paternal grandmother. The results confirmed these theories. Specifically with heritage from the following regions: French & German (Germany) 84.9%, Eastern European (Russia/Lithuania) 8.7%, and Southern European (Italy) 3.1%. The German and Italian results were expected however the Russian/Lithuiana heritage was originally hypothesized from my paternal grandfather due to a past ancestor's Germany to Russia immigration. However after speaking to my first cousin once removed, Elizabeth Wirtz-Moll, she explained it would have been socially unacceptable/unexpected in that period, so the Eastern European heritage remains a mystery in origin. The 23andMe test also told me my maternal haplogroup is U5a1b. A path of my maternal ancestors who came from Africa and traveled north, up into Western Europe around 47,000 years ago.

What amazed me the most through my research of both verbal information and documents was how many immigrations were conducted through my maternal/Humer family and my paternal/Wirtz family but they still came from the same countries and found each other in new ones. Specifically, my maternal grandparents and their separate immigrations in the 1950s to southern Ontario from Germany and Austria. Then my paternal great-grandparents immigrations from Germany to Russia to Port Huron, Michigan. Furthermore, I’m still in the dark about rumors of a royal German bloodline through the Schmidt line in my family. I want to investigate this and where my 8.7% Russian/Lithuanian heritage comes from if not my German-Russian immigrant ancestors. My maternal side's more recent immigration and the war have caused information regarding their history to not be recovered. I hope to research this topic more and collect as many sources as possible from my maternal grandparents and their relatives before it is too late.

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