Brian Swann obtained a PhD in organic chemistry in 1971 from the University of East Anglia and then worked in and around the pharmaceutical industry until his retirement in 2011. He first became involved in family history in 1967 and in the use of DNA in family history in 2000. From 2007 he has been regional co-ordinator for the International Society of Genetic Genealogy and in 2008/9 helped introduce the DNA Area into Who Do You Think You Are. He still enjoys research using paper documentation as well as trying to understand and explain the latest advances in the DNA field.
Wales, DNA & Surnames
The surnames of Wales and Welsh family history in general still remain under-appreciated by many family historians. Like Ireland, Wales has a unique culture and bardic history which has no real equivalent in England. This talk will discuss where DNA fits in today to the study of Welsh ancestry and its unique set of problems. The new book by John and Sheila Rowlands on The Surnames of Wales is a new and major contribution to this area. Other types of records that could go online to further the cause of family history research in Wales will be considered, with a particular emphasis on resources before 1800. Finally a short summary of key advances in DNA sequencing will be given with a particular emphasis on the Y-chromosome. This has the potential to revolutionise (yet again) the way that DNA can be utilised in family history research, as whole genome sequencing of the Y-chromosome moves into commercial reality.
These lectures were presented at Who Do You Think You Are? Live 2014 between Thurs 20th Feb and Sat 22nd Feb 2014. Please note that these videos are copyrighted to the presenter and should only be used for personal study. They are not to be used for any other purpose without the presenters express permission. Also, please note that because this is a rapidly advancing field, the content may quickly become outdated.
The lectures were sponsored by FamilyTreeDNA (at www.ftdna.com) and organised by ISOGG (International Society of Genetic Genealogy at www.isogg.org).
