Frequently Asked Questions

Is this only for people named Skene or Skeen?
What is the purpose of the Skeen DNA study? What does it hope to prove?
How does this DNA testing work?
Why a Y-chromosome study?
Please explain more about the 12 and 25 marker tests?
What about privacy?
I'm interested in participating. What do I do now?

What's In It For You?

Q. Is this only for people named Skene or Skeen?

A. No, we definitely want participation from Skeens, Skains, Skeane, Skeene, Schene,  and other variations of the surname. It's just too long to list them all in the project title.  In fact, there are Irish McSkeane familiy members that we would love to have join us..

Q. What is the purpose of the Skene/Skeen DNA study? What does it hope to prove?

A. There are many family lines with the same or similar surnames  who appear to be unconnected based on documentation and the work of dozens of genealogists over the past decades. For some, a connection between lines is suspected but unproven. There are also many people who hit their "brick wall" just a few generations back and do not know to how-- or if-- their family line connects to other lines. The Skene/Skeen DNA project is helping to bridge those gaps, particularly so for the Pennsylvania Skeen families.  By analyzing the DNA of male descendants of the various lines, we can determine which lines are connected.  As a result of this project, it apprears that the Montgomery, Chester, and Lancaster County Skeen families in Pennsylvania in the early 1700s did have a common ancestor.  We are hoping that over time, this project will yield many other beneficial results for those interested in searching their ancestry. DNA testing is not a substitute for traditional research, but a supplement to it. By showing relatedness between lines-- or the lack of it-- a researcher may have a better idea where to continue searching.

Q. How does this DNA testing work?

A. If you join the project,  you will be mailed a sampling kit with two plastic swabs. The swabs are rubbed against the cheek inside your mouth to collect cells, and is then to be shipped back to the lab at Family Tree DNA. Markers on the Y-chromosome are analyzed.  Numeric values are assigned to each marker and these numbers are then compared with the results of others in the project. The higher the number of matching values, the more likely that both subjects have a common ancestor. In a 12-marker test for individuals with the same surname, a 12 of 12 match is considered a very strong indicator of common ancestry.  A 23 of 25 marker or better match in the more sophisticated 25 marker test is an extremely strong indicator of sharing a common ancestor.

A participant in another Y-chromosome project has created a website showing how simple the sample collection process is. 

Q. Why a Y-chromosome study?

A. In humans the 23rd chromosome is the "sex" chromosome-- females have two "X" chromosomes and males have an "X" and a "Y". The Y-chromosome is passed from father to son, from one generation to the next, almost always letter-perfect . Mutations, or changes to these chromosomes are gradual and occur when tiny chemical markers in a part of the Y-chromosome change.  Again this change or mutation takes place slowly over a number of generations.  The DNA testing determines numeric values which are collectively called a haplotype. This haplotype is compared to haplotypes of other individuals to determine if they share a common ancestor.

Because this method uses the Y-chromosome, the project is only open to male subjects. Since most European societies trace surnames through the male line, it also means that men need to have some variation of the Skene/Skeen surname to participate. The exception would be a man whose natural father was a Skene or Skeen but who has a different surname because of adoption or other circumstances.


Q. Please explain more about the 12-marker and 25-marker tests?

A. The lab handling the Skene/Skeen DNA project, FamilyTree DNA, will test 12 markers on the Y-chromosome for a group rate of $99, or 25 markers for $169. If someone starts with a 12-marker test and later wants to upgrade to the 25-marker test, the upgrade costs $90.

The 25-marker test can screen out "false matches" or subjects who appeared to be related because they matched on all 12 markers on the first test, but matched on fewer than 23 markers on the 25 marker test. The 25-marker test also can "bring in" the time span to the most recent common ancestor between matched subjects; with a 12 of 12 match in the first test, there's a 50 percent probability the most recent common ancestor lived within 14.5 generations (approximately 350 years) while a 25 of 25 marker match has a 50 percent probability the common ancestor was within 7 generations (approximately 175 years).

Since our initial testing has shown that there are  distinct unrelated lines, we're not insisting that anyone start with the 25-marker test. The important thing is to get the various lines tested, at least at the basic 12 marker level. From there, you can have the 12 marker test upgraded to the 25-marker test to see if any matches held up under the more stringent 25 marker test.  If you feel you might connect with one or more lines already tested, you should strongly consider starting with the 25 marker test and save the 20 bucks over starting simple and then upgrading.

Q. What about privacy?

A. Names of the subjects will be kept confidential; the results page will list the participants by number and provide a brief lineage. FamilyTreeDNA has their own privacy policy. It should be noted that these tests look at only "junk" DNA in the chromosome; they are not being tested for genetic diseases or other inherited disorders and the DNA is not shared with insurance companies or anyone else period. 

Q. I'm interested in participating. What do I do now?

Email Doug Skeen or visit the Skene/Skeen DNA Project web page at Family Tree DNA and register yourself online  

Q. What's In It For You?

A. As administrator, I don't receive any payment, commission, discount, etc. from FamilyTreeDNA or any other party. Testing fees go directly to FTDNA, not to me.  I'm only in this for the thrill of the chase.  Since I was a youngster in junior high school some 30 years ago, I have always enjoyed pursuing my family history. I guess I'm still a kid at heart.



Registration can be accomplished online by visiting our project web page at Family Tree DNA by clicking here.