The Germanna Thomas Haplotype is E3b1c1 which is sometimes given as E3b3a . Regardless of the nomenclature, the distinguishing features are the M123 and M34 markers. These two markers define the final two mutations. From Adam, the first man, there are six mutations in the Y chromosome before we get to the male chromosome of the Germanna Thomases.
The first mutation led to the family of E haplotypes. The second mutation led to the family of E3 haplotypes. A third mutation led to the family of E3b haplotypes. A fourth mutation led to the family of E3b1 haplotypes. Two more mutations lead to the Germanna Thomas family. Let us now look at the distribution of this particular set of mutations.
The M123 mutation without the M34 mutation is very rare. (Almost immediately after the M123 mutation, the M34 mutation must have occurred.) With the M34 marker, there is a much wider distribution. The most frequent location is East Africa, especially Ethiopia, including some of the Jewish population there. Smaller numbers are found in Northern Africa in the Egyptians and in the Berbers. In the Mediterranean area, 6.6% of the men in Sicily have the M34 mutation. In decreasing order of appearances, there are traces in Sardinia, Southern Italy, Northern Italy, and Corsica, where 1.4% of the men have the M34 mutation.
There is good representation in the Near East, the best representation outside Africa. The best representation of this broad region is Turkey. Close behind them are the Bedouins and the men from Oman, where 7.7% of the men have the M34 mutation.
It appears that the E Haplogroup originated in sub-Saharan Africa. The M34 marker may have originated in Ethiopia, from where it spread to Northern Egypt. From there it spread west along the African coast, and then across the Mediterranean, leaving traces in the islands before the mutation came to Italy. From Italy there may have been a small diffusion across the Alps.
The other path for distribution went from Egypt, along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean, with one minor branch into Turkey, and another minor branch to the east and the area of the Persian Gulf. There are two routes that the Germanna Thomases may have taken. The first is from the south of the Alps and the second is from the east.
Remember that we talking only about the male line. There were millions of ancestors from outside the exclusively male line. Thus, the distribution is much more general than what this Note might imply. An important point is the Germanna Thomas family did NOT originate in England or Wales, which is sometimes given as their origin.
(20 Apr 06)
We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.