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Christman / Christmann / Chrisman / Cressman
and Similar Spelled or Sounding Surnames
Genetic Genealogy Y-DNA Surname Project

(Primarily Soundex Codes C623, C625, and K623)


Filename:   christmandna.htm

Internet:   http://www.kerchner.com/christman/christmandna.htm

Key Dates:  Project Started:             22 Nov 2006
            Webpage Created:             14 Jan 2008
            Last Updated:                15 Jan 2008

By:         Charles F. Kerchner, Jr.
            3765 Chris Drive
            Emmaus PA 18049-1544 USA

Notice:     Copyright 2006-2008 Charles F. Kerchner, Jr. All Rights Reserved.
            Establishing links to this page is encouraged and permitted.
            But, reuse or reprinting it in it's entirety or in part in other
            websites, or in any other media or publication, without my
            permission, is not permitted. Printing a hard copy of this
            report for your own personal, non-commercial use is permitted.

Subj:       A project to determine the unique Y-DNA chromosome markers for
            various unlinked Christman and similar named family groups in
            the USA and to determine if these various descendants of various
            immigrants have one or more common male ancestors in Europe
            in the last 400-600 years and if possible to find their
            ancestral home villages or regions in Europe.

Keywords:   GENETICS GENEALOGY DNA Y CHROMOSOME ANCESTOR CHRISTMAN SURNAME PROJECT

Some early Christman progenitors in America:

Christman Genealogy Page


Some spelling variations found in ancestry records of known descendants:
Christman, Christmann, Chrisman, Crisman, Crissman, Crismon, Cressman

Learn more about using DNA to aide genealogical research.
Download My "Genetics & Genealogy - An Introduction" Report


The Beginning and Project Evolution

The Christman Y-DNA surname project was started by me in Nov 2006 in an effort to use the latest in Genetic Genealogy tools to investigate the relationship, if any, between the early Christman immigrants and to provide Y-DNA reference marker sets for each Christman clan to aide in placing various descendants into the proper Frantz immigrant descendant clan. Since many of these early immigrants had the same or similar names and also went by what we would now consider their middle names, researchers unfamiliar with early PA German research should read this report on 18th Century PA German Naming Customs. You must be a Christman surnamed male or if female be sponsoring a Christman surnamed male such as as brother, father, or uncle in order to join this project since only males carry the Y chromosome.


Initial Test Results and Analysis

Christman YDNA Project Test Results

For more on Haplotype vs. Haplogroup, read this report I wrote:
Haplotype vs. Haplogroup.


It was never known for certain that all or certain of the early Christman immigrant lines were related. This unified theory of some lines was suggested and implied by some early research work because some lines were studied and reported about in the same Christman research reports. These errors probably came about because the lines studied had the same surname, used many of the same given names for their children, and lived near each other in PA. Also intermarriage between descendants of two or more immigrant lines further served to confuse the lineage relationships. Also sometimes lines can be legally related but the Y chromosome markers prove the lines are not biologically related. Also some lines thought by paper trail researchers to not be related may be related. For more about how male lines which historically may have been suggested to be legally related could end up with such different haplotypes, and/or being in a completely different haplogroup, other than because the very early historical genealogical research being completely wrong, see my Introduction to Genetics & Genealogy report ... especially the section titled, Risks and Rewards of DNA Testing.

At this point however, I am leaning towards the belief that prior genealogical research suggesting that one or more of these separate YDNA test results groups are related via the male line is suspect and that the early historical genealogies could have become intertwined due to the names being the same and they just happened to be living near each other and thus some surmised genalogical relationships could be in error. The YDNA tests certainly show several biologically separate and distinct Christman line groups, per these tests. More DYS markers and also a 3rd, 4th, or 5th Christman cousin should be tested for participants kit number 97567 and N58131 to "validate" their haplotypes and gain more data. For more on the validating process when groups with the same name don't match up as expected, see my Kerchner Surname Success Story. The haplotype pattern for the largest group of Christman haplogroup R1b males tested has been validated already based on the very near matching haplotype data set for them and more importantly to the deduced ancestral haplotype for that group. Kits 77721, 86250, 91853, 93844, and 101087 closely matched which validates the haplotype pattern for this line. And we are also able to triangulate the Deduced Ancestral Haplotype (DAH) for the immigrant Jacob Christman, born c1711, descendants group. We need now to validate the other haplotypes by testing a known distant cousin to each and getting a close match for those cousins to the current participants. That "validated" data for each haplotype pattern will help us come to conclusions with higher confidence in order to eliminate the other possible causal events for non-matching haplotype patterns of this major difference that we have observed, i.e., completely different haplogroups and no biological recent common male ancestor for over 10,000 years between some of these lines.

I strongly encourage additional Christman surnamed males to volunteer to join this project. Particularly for the Christman family decendants of those which settled in Montgomery and Berks Co PA. Your contribution of a sample to this project for haplotyping will be very helpful to all present Christman genealogists and for future generations of Christman family researchers. This is a unique way that you can help the Christman genealogical efforts and leave a genealogical legacy to the future. While Christman females biologically cannot provide a Y-DNA sample they can sponsor and encourage their grandfather, great-uncle, father, uncle, brother, or a cousin to do so.


Christman YDNA Project Test Results


Christman Project Test Result Data Displayed on FamilyTreeDNA Hosted Webpage


Any male Christman, Christmann, Chrisman, Crisman, Crissman, Crismon, Cressman or other phonetic spelling variations of this germanic surname(s) wishing to learn more about this project and/or possibly participating in this project, please feel free to Contact Me.

How and Where Do You Order a Y-DNA Sample Collection Kit

You must be a Christman surnamed male or be sponsoring a Christman surnamed male in order to join this project since only males carry the Y chromosome. I selected FamilyTreeDNA as the company to provide the testing services since they were the first company to my knowledge to specialize in DNA testing for genealogical purposes and also because they provided testing of the most markers for the least cost and other early project leaders spoke highly of their results. But as more testing companies entered this new industry, and since I am an engineer by education and experience I decided to also do my own quality control check by having my Y-DNA tested by another independent genetics testing company, Ancestry.com, which entered this field about a year after my project started. The allele value test results from Ancestry.com for the DYS markers which are used in common by FamilyTreeDNA's lab and Ancestry.com's lab matched exactly. This confirmed to my satisfaction that the quality and reliability of the STR allele values being obtained and reported by FamilyTreeDNA's lab were accuate and reliable. In addition to FamilyTreeDNA's lab results being completely accurate and reliable, the company personnel are very user friendly and easy to work with and communicate with, both by email and by telephone with a real live, knowledgeable person to answer your questions. You get an email notice of your results as soon as they are done as well as getting a written report and certificate with the results sent by postal mail. You also get email notices of other individuals in their database which you may have matched initially as well as in the future as more people are tested. FamilyTreeDNA also has an outstanding website which clearly displays your results and provides extensive information to be used in the interpretation of the results. FamilyTreeDNA also stores your DNA sample for 25 years at no additional charge at their lab for convenient use in future desired tests. Therefore, FamilyTreeDNA is my preferred and recommended organization for managing a Y-DNA surname project. And based on my experiences with both organizations, I also recommend FamilyTreeDNA as the best organization to choose for anyone considering starting a similar Y-DNA project of their own.

DNA samples are collected by yourself in your home using a simple inner cheek swab. It sort of works just like a tooth brush. No blood sample is required. Click here to see a sample test kit. Here is a photo journal of the sampling process demonstrated by Mr. Bob Dorsey who is part of another unrelated surname project. But it very nicely and humorously shows the process so I included the link here. Check it out. Also, to learn more about the DNA collection and lab processing procedures view this animated presentation provided by FamilyTreeDNA. You may also wish to review the various type tests which are available from the test laboratory, FamilyTreeDNA.com. The "25 Marker Y-DNA" kit is the recommended kit you need to order for participation in this project. The mininum kit for participation is the "12 Marker Y-DNA" kit, but it is not recommended, due to the much lower resolution as compared to using 25 markers. Review the various product kits and list prices. Discounts are available to participants in this project when the test kit is ordered through me as the project coordinator.

Contact Me And Join The Project


Benefits of Participation

Some benefits of participation are:
1. You identify the genetic genealogy profile of your male family line.
2. You may identify your roots when traditional documentary genealogical research methods have failed.
3. Your results may identify information offering clues of where to focus and pursue additional traditional documentary genealogical research.
4. You may be able to verify once and for all that your traditional documentary genealogical work is accurate and scientifically verified.
5. You may get clues or help others get clues as to the village of origin in Europe of their immigrant ancestor.
6. If you live in Europe with a similar surname to one of our current participants you may find descendants and cousins living in the USA you did not know you had.
7. Your DNA will be preserved for the future at no additional cost. Thus, you leave something for posterity for use by future members of your family. This is especially important for older members of a family, particularly if that older person is the last surviving male member of the family. Note: if that elderly person cannot afford the test another family member can sponsor and pay for the test.
8. You may identify new genetic cousins you did not know you had.
9. You will be joining the ranks of the select few early Genetics and Genealogy Pioneers and will have the satisfaction of knowing that you are an early participant in a state-of-the-art project which is contributing to the world knowledge base for this new and exciting field, genealogy by genetics.
10. By donating a DNA sample now for posterity, your descendants won't have to dig you up later. :-)

Click Here to See A Sample Y-DNA Test Results Certificate

To get your sample collection kit at substantially reduced cost, place your order through me as the Christman Group Coordinator and you will get the substantially discounted group rate price. When you are ready to order your kit, email me and let me know your complete name and postal mail address, and telephone number, and that you want to submit a sample and order a kit and I will place your order and get you the discounted price. You will receive your invoice directly from FamilyTreeDNA.com with your sample collection kit. As of Jan 2008 the Christman Group discounted net prices are: $189 for the 37 Marker Y-DNA Kit and $99 for the 12 Marker Y-DNA Kit. The higher resolution 37 marker test is the recommended test for new participants. As you can see the prices within the group are substantially better than ordering directly from the testing company individually. For participants previously tested who wish to upgrade their results from the 12 marker test to the new 37 marker high resolution test, the cost for Christman Group members is about $90. Any questions, please contact me and I will be happy to try and answer your questions.

Contact Me And Join The Project

Genetic Genealogy Information Website Links

Kerchner's Genetic Genealogy and DNA Testing Information and Resources Page

Recommended Books

PA German Genealogy Research Help Pages

PA German Naming Customs
PA German Nicknames
PA Dutch Are Of German Heritage, Not Dutch
PA German Name Spelling Idiosyncrasies
Genealogy Research Tips
1812 Project
Kerchner Genealogy
Laudenslager Genealogy

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Charles F. Kerchner, Jr.
3765 Chris Drive
Emmaus PA 18049-1544 USA
Email: Contact Me

Copyright © 2006-2010
Charles F. Kerchner, Jr.
All Rights Reserved
Project Started: 22 Nov 2006
Webpage Created: 14 Jan 2008
Last Revision: 07 Mar 2010