Not only does Thomas Jefferson have African-American descendants- he also had African ancestors. People of African origin have lived in Britain for centuries, according to genetic evidence. A Leicester University study found that seven men with a rare Yorkshire surname carry a genetic signature previously found only in people of African origin. The men seem to have shared a common ancestor in the 18th Century, but the African DNA lineage they carry may have reached Britain centuries earlier. Details of the study appear in the European Journal of Human Genetics. The scientists declined to disclose the men's surname in order to protect their anonymity. The discovery came out of genetic work looking at the relationship between the male, or Y, chromosome and surnames. The Y chromosome is a package of genetic material normally found only in males. It is passed down from father to son, more or less unchanged, just like a surname. Rare lineage But over time, the Y chromosome accumulates s...
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