Surnames in population genetics: pros and cons

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7124/FEEO.v32.1554
Keywords: Ukrainian populations, markers, surnames

Abstract

The article presents arguments regarding the perspective of studying the population using surnames as a tool of population genetic research. The model of a virtual polyallelic locus linked to the Y chromosome in peoples with patrilineal inheritance and linked to mtDNA in peoples with matrilineal inheritance is presented, which allows analyzing the distribution of surnames by means of population genetics. It is proved that the change of surnames at the time of marriage, false paternity and spelling errors do not affect the overall result of the calculations. Attention is drawn to the selective neutrality of surnames in relation to the natural environment and selectivity to the social environment. Examples of the advantages of surnames as population markers are given: quick obtaining of results, low financial cost of works compared to effectiveness, absence of statistical and ethical problems. The expediency of using surnames for the study of Ukrainian populations is proven by their compliance with the conditions put forward for markers. In conditions that make it impossible to collect actual material in populations and laboratory analysis of biological samples, working with lists of surnames is best suited for undergraduates and graduate students conducting research in anthropogenetics.

References

Sykes B., Irven I. Surnames and the Y chromosome. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 2000. Vol. 66(4). P. 1417–1419.

Calderón R., Hernández C., Cuesta P., Jean M. Surnames and Y-Chromosomal Markers Reveal Low Relationships in Southern Spain. PLoS One. 2015. Vol. 10(4).

Dipierri J., Rodriguez-Larralde A., Alfaro E., Scapoli C., Mamolini E., Salvatorelli G., Caramori G., De Lorenzi S., Sandri M., Carrieri A., Barrai I. A study of the population of Paraguay through isonymy. Ann Hum Genet. 2011. Vol. 75(6). P. 678–687. doi: 10.1111/j.1469–1809.2011.00676.x.

Dipierri J., Rodríguez-Larralde A., Barrai I., López-Camelo J., Gutiérrez-Redomero E., Rodríguez A., Ramallo V., Bronberg R., Alfaro E. Random inbreeding, isonymy, and population isolates in Argentina. Journal of Community Genetics. 2014. Vol. 5(3). P. 241–248. doi: 10.1007/s12687–013–0181–x.

Herrera Paz E. F., Scapoli C., Mamolini E., Sandri M., Carrieri A., Rodriguez-Larralde A., Barrai I. Surnames in Honduras: A study of the population of Honduras through isonymy. Ann Hum Genet. 2014. Vol. 78(3). P. 165–177. doi: 10.1111/ahg.12057.

Kandt J., Cheshire J., Longley P. Regional surnames and genetic structure in Great Britain. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers. 2016. Vol. 41(4). P. 554–569. doi: 10.1111/tran.12131.

Liu Y., Chen L., Yuan Y., Chen J. A study of surnames in China through isonymy. American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 2012. Vol. 148(3). P. 341–350.

Martinez-Cadenas C., Blanco-Verea A., Hernando B., Busby G., Brion M., Carracedo A., Salas A., Capelli C. The relationship between surname frequency and Y chromosome variation in Spain. European Journal of Human Genetics. 2016. Vol. 24(1). P. 120–128. doi: 10.1038/ejhg.2015.75.

Mikerezi I., Xhina E., Scapoli C., Barbujani G., Mamolini E., Sandri M., Carrieri A., Rodriguez-Larralde A., Barrai I. Surnames in Albania: a study of the population of Albania through isonymy. Ann Hum Genet. 2013. Vol. 77(3). P. 232–243. doi: 10.1111/ahg.12015.

Monasterio L. Surnames and ancestry in Brazil. PLoS One. 2017. Vol. 12(5). e0176890. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176890.

Pomeroy E., Wells J., Stanojevic S., Miranda J. J., Moore L. G., Cole T. J., Stock J. T. Surname-Inferred andean ancestry is associated with child stature and limb lengths at high altitude in Peru, but not at sea level. American Journal of Human Biology. 2015. Vol. 27(6). P. 798–806.

Rodriguez-Larralde A., Dipierri J., Gomez E. A., Scapoli C., Mamolini E., Salvatorelli G., De Lorenzi S. Carrieri A., Barrai I. Surnames in Bolivia: a study of the population of Bolivia through isonymy. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2011. Vol. 144(2). P. 177–84. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.21379.

Scapoli C., Goebl H., Sobota S., Mamolini E., Rodriguez-Larralde A., Barrai I. Surnames and dialects in France: population structure and cultural evolution. J Theor Biol. 2005. Vol. 237(1). P. 75–86.

Solé-Morata N., Bertranpetit J., Comas D., Francesc C. Y-chromosome diversity in Catalan surname samples: insights into sur-name origin and frequency. European Journal of Human Genetics. 2015. Vol. 23(11). P. 1549–1557. doi: 10.1038/ejhg.2015.14.

Tarskaia L., El’Chinova G. I., Scapoli C., Mamolini E., Carrieri A., Rodriguez‐Larralde A., Barrai I. Surnames in Siberia: a study of the population of Yakutia through isonymy. American journal of physical anthropology. 2009. Vol. 138(2). P. 190–198.