u/rsocha

A maternal uncle did the big-Y test through Family Tree DNA and was identified as belonging to the R-BY164688 haplogroup. In the ‘notable connections’ section of the report, it listed Ernest Hemingway as a close connection (“1 in 250,000, only 3 customers are this closely related”) and estimated a shared ancestor circa 1700. This seems awfully close - and since we have no connection to the last name, suggests an NPE somewhere along the line (his or ours?)

Of the four matches we do have at Y-111, the last paternal ancestor claimed for each is:

1. ⁠Ebenezer Smith (c. 1750, US)
2. ⁠Stephen Smith (1805, Ontario)
3. ⁠Allen Smith (1781, Cape Cod)
4. ⁠Ralph Hemenway (1603, England)

Looking through records, there appears to have been an unknown father disrupting the direct line between Ralph and Ernest (with the last name passed down direct from the mother). However for match 4 - I wasn’t able to tie that match directly back to Ernest Hemingway or Ralph Hemenway. Seems like a gap in the paper trail.

Does anyone know how they identify these notable connections? Did Family Tree assume this match’s information was solid or might there be more rigour behind it?

A maternal uncle did the big-Y test through Family Tree DNA and was identified as belonging to the R-BY164688 haplogroup. In the ‘notable connections’ section of the report, it listed Ernest Hemingway as a close connection (“1 in 250,000, only 3 customers are this closely related”) and estimated a shared ancestor circa 1700. This seems awfully close - and since we have no connection to the last name, suggests an NPE somewhere along the line (his or ours?)

Of the four matches we do have at Y-111, the last paternal ancestor claimed for each is:

1. Ebenezer Smith (c. 1750, US)
2. Stephen Smith (1805, Ontario)
3. Allen Smith (1781, Cape Cod)
4. Ralph Hemenway (1603, England)

Looking through records, there appears to have been an unknown father disrupting the direct line between Ralph and Ernest (with the last name passed down direct from the mother). However for match 4 - I wasn’t able to tie that match directly back to Ernest Hemingway or Ralph Hemenway. Seems like a gap in the paper trail.

Does anyone know how they identify these notable connections? Did Family Tree assume this match’s information was solid or might there be more rigour behind it?