A Roper Y-Chromosome Testing Project

L. David Roper (roperld@vt.edu)
(www.roperld.com)

Go to the current results near the bottom of this page.
FTDNA Newsletter features Roper Genetics Project (Vol.1, Issue 4)
Click here to join the Roper Y-chromosome project.
(Only males with Surname Roper, Rooper, Rousper, Rupierre, Ruyper or Musard & Raper (a separate project))
There are 3 choices for Y-chromosome tests:
  1. 12 markers for $101 (including $2 handling; $4 outside USA).
  2. 25 markers for $150 (including $2 handling; $4 outside USA).
  3. 37 markers for $191 (including $2 for handling; $4 outside USA).
  4. 67 markers for $271 (including $2 for handling; $4 outside USA).
    12 are usually enough to separate different branches of a Roper family.
    The higher markers help to distinguish different branches of a family.
Also, send data showing your Roper ancestry to roperld@vt.edu
Click here to contribute to paying for more Roper tests.

Roper Union V Meeting in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England on 21 October 2006
This web pages changes regularly. If you have not viewed it for a while, be sure to reload it to override its old version in your computer's cache.
This Roper Y-chromosome project was among the first surnames to establish projects with Family Tree DNA.
Information about the Y-chromosome

Contents:

I have initiated a project for testing the genetic connections of males with the surname Roper by analyzing the DNA in Y chromosomes. I would also like to test Roper female lines by analyzing mitochrondia DNA.

Testing for the Male Roper line using Y chromosomes

Introduction

Elementary genetics teaches that a human egg becomes a female embryo when a sperm gives it an X chromosome (mostly DNA) and a male embryo when the sperm gives it a Y chromosome (mostly DNA). Thus the Y chromosome is passed down generations only through the male line. You might want to read some articles about the Y chromosome. The only change from one generation to the next is by mutations, which are rare. So one can determine male paternal lineage by comparing the DNA coding of Y-chromosomes.

There are "junk" regions on the Y-chromosome that contain repeated base-pair sets (microsatellites or Short Tandem Repeats or STR). Over time the number of repeats changes due to mutations. The number of repeats at these locations, called “markers” can be used to distinguish different male-line families. Thus, the detailed structure in terms of base-pair coding is not required; only information about certain aspects of a small part of the Y-chromosome is needed. This does not identify the individual, but only the family to which the individual belongs; determining the 12 or 25 markers (see below) is much less information than that obtained by totally sequencing the Y-chromosome. There are several labs that do such work, at a cost of about $100 per person.

So one can determine male paternal lineage by comparing the DNA coding of Y chromosomes. This was recently done for descendants of a slave woman, Sally Hemings, of Thomas Jefferson, with the result that one of her sons had a Jefferson Y chromosome, either from Thomas or one of his near relatives.

See Alan Savin's short article Introduction to Genetic Genealogy. Mr. Savin has also written an excellent booklet entitled DNA For Family Historians. You can purchase it from him: USA: US $ 5.99 (plus US $1.00 for airmail posting), UK: £3.99 (includes 2nd class post). Other countries: e-mail (alan@savin.org) for the actual price, but it will be similar to the USA price in local currency. Personal cheques in any currency should be made payable to "Alan Savin" and sent to: Genetic Genealogy Guides, 9 Bannard Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire, England SL6 4NG. Remember to enclose a note with your address.

A very complete web site on DNA & the Family Historian is available.

The Roper Male-Line Y-Chromosome Project

I have initiated a Y-chromosome DNA testing project for the male Roper line. Each male Roper participant commits himself to provide a mouth-swab sample to be analyzed by a competent DNA laboratory, with the understanding that it may be found that he is not actually in a male Roper line. (Several with the surname Roper come from a woman ancestor with surname Roper.) The participant must also provide me with his Roper family tree as far back into the past as possible.

We will need to have a sizeable group from several currently unconnected Roper lines to make this project feasible. If you are a male with surname Roper and wish to participate in this project, send me e-mail: roperld@vt.edu. I will need as complete a set of family data as possible, to correlate the test results with genealogical data.

I have arranged for a company http://www.familytreedna.com/ to do the Y-chromosomes tests for the Roper family. If you wish to participate in the Roper genetics project, send me e-mail: roperld@vt.edu or go to http://www.familytreedna.com/surname_det.asp?count=35&group=Roper, and you will be sent the details to be followed and one of the test kits. The 12-marker test costs $99, the 25-marker test costs $169 and the 37-marker test cost $229. (There is a shipping fee of $2 for the USA and $4 outside the USA.) Usually the 12-marker test will indicate in which major family a Roper male resides. (I know of a Buchanan and a Roper with 12 marker matches, but the pair has 7 relative mutations for the last 13 markers.) 12 markers work well when starting testing males of a given surname; but 25 markers are needed after a surname project is well underway to determine the branches of the family by one or two relative mutations. For a study about the efficacy of only doing 12 marker tests, see http://newsarch.rootsweb.com/th/read/GENEALOGY-DNA/2002-08/1030558442.

Click here to join the Roper Y-chromosome project.
(Only males with Surname Roper, Rooper, Rupierre or Musard)
Also, send data showing your Roper ancestry to roperld@vt.edu

The result of a test will be twelve or twenty-five numbers ("markers") that give the number of repeat units for twelve different parts of the Y-chromosome. All Roper male lines from a common ancestor will have almost the same result from the test back several hundred years, with the possibility of a random mutation or two. Differences in the test results will indicate how far back the common ancestor is beyond several hundred years. See: http://www.familytreedna.com/techfaq.html

What Can be Achieved by the Project

There are many Roper male lines in the United States and England that cannot be connected by data from documents. The twice burning of the court house records in New Kent County, Virginia destroyed all of the Roper records up to 1864, so many Southern Roper lines that emanated from that county cannot be connected. We probably will never know exactly how the early Ropers in Virginia fit together, because the St. Peter's parish records and other meager data are not sufficient. Probably the best we can do is find out which families from there are related by Y-chromosome testing of at least one male-line Roper in each family that connects back to early Virginia.

This project should allow some judgments to be made about how closely related these several Roper male lines are.

Return to top of page.

Project Results

The results (called "markers" or "alleles") so far for the first twelve Y-chromosome locations are (All are southern Ropers unless indicated by a northern state or country.) (DYS=DNA Y-chromosome Short Tamden Repeat ):

Roper Genetics Project (ID=place lnumber in my Roper file) Y-chromosome markers (prefix DYS)
(Markers in red differ from the majority of the marker sets.)
Participant (ID)
Birth place		 Code Possible Roper Line (b ID) Sure Roper Line (b ID) 393 390 19(394)) 391 385a 385b 426 388 439 389-1 392 389-2
458 459a 459b 455 454 447 437 448 449 464a 464b 464c 464d
460 GATAH4 YCAIIa YCAIIB 456 607 576 570 CDYa CDYb 442 438 Haplogroup (RY family)
Leon David Roper LDR(1)USA
Shattuck OK
Search Y database.		 R1(1245) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) James Roper (b c1766 401) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
11 11 19 23 15 15 17 16 36 38 12 12
11 9 15 16 8 10 10 8 11 10 12 23 23 16 11 12 12 15 8 12 22 20 13 12 11 13 11 11 13 12
R1b1b2g (RY1)

Richard Samuel Roper RSR(8749)USA
Atchison KS
Search Y database.

 R3(1247) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) Samuel Roper (b c1756 7758) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
11 11 19 23 15 15 17 16 36 38 12 12
11 9 15 16 8 10 10 8 10 10 12 23 23 16 11 12 12 15 8 12 22 20 13 12 11 13 11 11 13 12
Jeffrey Howard Roper JHR(4885)USA
Norman OK
Search Y database.		 R4(1248) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) William Roper (b c1766 2890) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 16
Carl Stern Roper CSR(171187)(NS Canada)
Ingonish NS		 R8(1295) Henry Roper (b c1750 158139) James Roper (b 1850 170576) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
16 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
11 11 19 23 15 15 17 16 36 38 11 12
Robert Alfred Roper RAR(172768)USA
Canton GA		 R14(1605) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) Aaron Timothy Roper (b c1784 2614) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 31 15 16 16 17
Robert Preston Dye RPD(91782)UK-USA
Reading, Berkshire
Can you help him find his Roper ancestors?		 R6(1250) ? ? 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 11 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
11 11 19 23 15 15 17 16 35 38 12 12
William Alexander Roper, Jr. WAR(48101)USA
Houston TX		 R19(2155) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) David Roper (b 1744 2609) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
18 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
11 11 19 23 15 15 17 16 36 38 12 12
Gary Lee Roper GLR(8034)USA
Lake Co. TN		 R31(5091) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) Samuel Roper (b c1756 7758) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
18 9 11 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
Steven Glenn Roper SGR(183934)USA
Greenville NC		 R17(1701) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) Richard Roper (b c1700 23695) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 17 17
11 11 19 23 15 15 17 16 36 38 12 12
Nicolas James Roper NJR(209468)(USA MA)
Barranquilla, Columbia
Search Y database.		 R21(2157) Robert Roper (b c1525Eng 243010) John Roper (b1587 37207) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
11 11 19 23 15 15 17 16 36 38 12 12
11 9 15 16 8 10 10 8 10 10 12 23 23 16 11 12 12 15 8 12 22 20 13 12 11 13 11 11 13 12
David Lee Roper DLR(91243)USA
Goodwell OK		 R5(1249) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) John Roper (b 1799 62760) 13 23 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
Roderick John Roper RJR(246632)USA
Ponca City OK		 R45(8449) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) John Roper (b 1799 62760) 13 23 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
Roger Wyatt Roper RWR(243859)USA
Royston GA		 R34(5541) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) John Roper (b 1799 62760) 13 23 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
Gary Trenton Roper, Jr. GTR(243894)USA
Portsmouth VA
Search Y database.		 R35(5647) Charles Roper (b c1720 4836) Gideon Roper (b 1809 3070) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
11 11 19 23 15 15 17 16 36 38 12 12
Robert Lamb Roper RLR(6688)USA
Gainesville GA		 R7(1294) Charles Roper (b c1720 4836) Charles Roper (b c1720 4836) 12 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
11 11 19 23 15 15 18 16 36 38 12 12
Paul Spotswood Roper III PSR(10482)USA
Petersburg VA		 R20(2156) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) Leroy Roper (b1808 9115) 13 24 14 10 11 15 12 12 12 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
Vernon Knox Roper VKR(13644)USA
Mangum OK		 R37(6084) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) John Henry Roper (b 1788 NC 3563) 13 24 14 10 11 15 12 12 12 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
Clyde F. E. Roper CFER(114889)(USA MA)
Ipswich MA		 R12(1299) Robert Roper (b c1525Eng 243010) John Roper (b 1611 37198) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 14 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
11 11 19 23 15 15 16 16 36 38 12 12
James Everett Roper, Jr. JER(244308)USA
Marshall TX		 R36(5940) George Washington Roper (c1792 VA 100676) George Roper (c1827 TN 244296) 13 25 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
16 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
Sidney Graham Roper SGR2(244313)USA
Kaufman Co. TX		 R54(12313) George Washington Roper (c1792 VA 100676) George Roper (c1827 TN 244296) 13 25 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
16 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
Donald Keith Roper DKR(3254)USA
McCune KS		 R16(1700) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) David Roper (b 1744 2609) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 11 13 13 30
18 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
John William Roper JWR(124470)USA
West Point MS		 R29(4868) John Charles Roper (b 1763 124395) John Charles Roper (b 1763 124395) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 14 13 31
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
(Note that this appears to have two relative mutations with MUR, but actually has only one: See RoperYMarkers.htm.)
Randal Glen Roper RGR(243328)USA
Gadsden AL		 R32(5133) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) David Roper (b 1799 14463) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 31
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
11 11 19 23 15 15 17 16 36 38 12 12
11 9 15 16 8 10 10 8 10 10 12 23 24 16 11 12 12 15 8 12 22 20 13 12 11 13 11 11 13 12
James Jackson Roper, Jr. JJRj(2763)USA
Asheville NC		 R28(4867) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) John Roper (b 1797 1621) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 13 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
Terrell Robert Roper TRR(11653)USA
Burningtown NC
Search Y database.		 R30(5080) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) James Roper, Jr (b 1802 1434) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
Daniel Calhoun Roper III DCR(63088)USA
Annapolis MD		 R46(8460) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) Richard Roper (b c1700 23695) 3 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 26 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
11 11 19 23 15 15 17 16 36 38 12 12
John Wesley Roper II JWR2(57277)USA
Poughkeepsie NY		 R47(8624) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) Richard Roper (b c1700 23695) 3 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 26 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
John Denman Roper JDR(136088)USA
Harris Co. TX		 R56(13431) Charles Roper (b c1720 4836) Benjamin Roper (b c1760 4850) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
11 11 19 23 15 15 18 16 36 38 12 12
11 9 15 16 8 10 10 8 10 10 12 23 23 16 11 12 12 15 8 12 22 20 13 12 11 13 11 11 13 12
Paul Michael Roper PMR(252895)USA
? AR		 R53(11416) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) Samuel Roper (b c1756 7758) 3 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 31 15 16 16 17
Jack Wilburn Roper JWR3(13391)USA
Wilsonville AL		 F65(15705) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) Aaron Timothy Roper (b c1784 2614) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
Jack Wilburn Roper, Jr. JWR4(88387)USA
Birmingham AL		 F66(15707) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) Aaron Timothy Roper (b c1784 2614) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
Robert Cleveland Roper RCR(13392)USA
Childersburg AL		 F64(15670) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) Aaron Timothy Roper (b c1784 2614) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
11 11 19 23 15 15 19 16 36 38 12 12
Marion Lee Roper MLR(260023)USA
? NC?		 R71(19470) Pinckney Henderson Roper (b c1835 NC 176713) Pinckney Henderson Roper (b c1835 NC 176713) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
11 11 19 23 15 15 17 16 37 38 12 12
11 9 15 16 8 10 10 8 10 10 12 23 24 16 11 12 12 15 8 12 22 20 13 12 11 13 11 11 13 12
David Roper DR(244351)(USA MA)
? MA?		 R72(21528) Robert Roper (b c1525 Eng 243010) John Roper (b1587 37207) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
11 11 19 23 15 15 17 16 36 38 11 12
Peter James Roper PJR(167821)UK
London, England		 F74(31099) Robert Roper (b c1400 Hoxne, Sufffolk 274075) Robert Roper (b c1802 Eng)
Thornham Magna, Suffolk, Eng		 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
11 11 19 23 15 15 16 16 36 37 12 12
11 9 15 16 8 10 10 8 10 10 12 23 23 16 11 12 12 15 8 13 22 20 13 12 11 13 11 11 13 12
Anthony Gerald Gordon Roper AGGR(270030)UK
Stowupland, Suffolk, England		 F77(30924) Robert Roper (b c1400 Hoxne, Sufffolk 274075) William Roper (b c1849 Eye, Suffolk, Eng) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 32 15 16 16 16
11 11 19 23 15 15 17 16 36 38 12 12
11 9 15 16 8 10 10 8 10 10 12 21 23 16 11 12 12 14 8 13 22 20 13 12 11 13 11 11 13 12
Alan Peter Roper APR(269847)UK
Winfarthing, Norfolk, England		 F79(33202) Robert Roper (b c1400 Hoxne, Sufffolk 274075) Edward Roper (b 1806 Bressingham, Norfolk 270062) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
11 11 19 23 16 15 17 16 36 38 12 12
11 8 15 16 8 10 10 8 10 10 12 23 23 16 11 12 12 14 8 12 22 20 13 12 11 13 11 11 13 12
Ralph David Roper RDR(123550)USA
Fort Smith AR		 F84(39202) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) Charles David Roper (b 1787NC 3539) 12 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 11 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
Douglas Gerald Roper DGR(24477)USA
Plainview TX		 R88(44558) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) Richard Frederick Roper (b c1735 4366) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
11 11 19 23 15 15 17 16 37 38 12 12
Michael Roper MR2(284196)USA&UK
?		 R97(74292) Robert Charles Roper (b 1835KY 110566) Robert Charles Roper (b 1835KY 110566) 12 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 11 13 13 30
Roy George Roper, Jr. RGR3(272510)USA
Atlanta GA		 R99(77542) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) Aaron Timothy Roper (b c 1784 2614) 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
10 11 19 23 15 15 18 16 36 38 12 12
11 9 15 16 8 10 10 8 10 10 12 23 23 16 11 12 12 15 8 12 22 20 13 12 11 13 11 11 13 12
Brian Neal Roper BNR(287220))USA
Fort Worth TX		 R100(91984) Burton A. Roper (b 1828GA 71640) Burton A. Roper (b 1828GA 71640) 12 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
James Jackson Roper JJR(171210)(NS Canada)
Ingonish NS		 R9(1296) Percy Roper (b 1878 171207) Percy Roper (b 1878 171207) 13 23 14 10 11 14 12 12 12 13 13 30
18 9 10 11 11 24 15 19 30 15 15 17 17
11 11 19 24 15 15 17 17 37 37 11 12
R1b1
Lancelot William Roper LWR(153613)Australia/England
Summer Hill, NSW, Austrialia		 R10(1297) Clement Roper (b c1600 Dorset Eng 154035) Edward Roper (b 1695 153350) 13 24 14 10 11 14 12 12 12 13 13 29
17 9 10 11 11 25 14 19 28 15 15 17 17
10 11 19 23 15 15 18 19 36 38 12 12
11 9 15 16 8 10 10 8 9 10 12 23 23 16 10 12 12 14 8 12 22 19 14 12 11 13 11 11 12 12
R1b1 (RY2)
George William Roper GWR(271824)UK
Denham, Suffolk, England
(brother of AHR)		 R59(13577) William (b c1870 Eng 257764) William (b c1870 Eng 257764) 13 24 14 10 11 14 12 12 11 13 13 28
17 9 10 11 11 25 14 19 29 15 15 17 18
Arthur Henry Roper AHR(270042)UK
Denham, Suffolk, England
(brother of GWR)		 F77(30924) William (b c1870 Eng 257764) William (b c1870 Eng 257764) 13 24 14 10 11 14 12 12 11 13 13 28
17 9 10 11 11 25 14 19 29 15 15 17 18
Granville Barry Roper GBR(252784)UK
Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottingham, England		 R52(11329)25 Henry Roper (b c1703Eng 108216) Henry Roper (b c1703Eng 108216) 14 24 14 10 11 14 12 12 12 13 13 29
17 9 9 11 11 24 15 19 29 14 15 17 17
R1b1
Charles Murray Roper CMR(8626)USA
Atlanta GA		 R15(1606) Beverly Roper (b 1824 3129) Beverly Roper (b 1824 3129) 13 24 14 11 11 14 12 12 11 13 13 29
18 8 10 11 11 25 15 19 29 14 15 17 17
11 11 19 23 16 15 19 18 37 37 12 12
R1b1c (RY3)
Derek Stuart Roper DSR(269982)UK
Barking, Essex, England		 R67(15727) James Roper (b c1795 Eng 56827) Richard Roper (b 1829 Eng 56825) 13 24 14 11 11 14 12 12 11 13 12 29
16 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 29 15 15 17 17
11 11 19 23 16 15 19 18 37 38 12 12
Roger John Roper RJR2(278463)UK
Isle of Wight, England		 R90(55920) Richard Roper (b c1795Eng 273385) Richard Roper (b c1795Eng 273385) 13 24 14 11 11 14 12 12 11 13 13 29
Peter Digby Lewington Roper PDLR(280149
Montreal, Canada		 R94(69692) Robert Roper (b c1500Eng 282268) John Roper (b 1594Eng 282265) 13 24 13 11 11 14 12 12 12 13 13 29
17 9 10 11 11 24 15 19 29 15 15 16 17
John Francis Hodgess RoperJFHR(162863)UK
Norwich, Norfolk, England		 R2(1246) John Roper (b c1745 162846) John Roper (b c1745 162846) 13 23 14 11 11 15 12 12 12 13 14 29
17 9 10 11 11 24 15 19 30 15 15 17 17
10 11 19 19 16 15 17 17 37 40 12 12
R1b1
David Wayne Roper DWR(38008)USA
Salt Lake City UT		 R49(9361) John Roper (b c1679Eng 38721) Noah Roper (b 1720Eng 38719) 13 24 14 11 11 15 12 12 13 13 13 29
17 9 10 11 11 24 15 19 29 15 15 16 18
R1b1 (RY12)
Bruce Roland Roper BRR(287271)
Bridgewater, Somerset, England		 R102(92656) William Thomas Roper (b c1770Eng 101491) William Thomas Roper (b c1770Eng 101491) 13 24 14 11 11 15 12 12 12 13 13 29
18 9 10 11 11 24 15 19 28 15 15 16 17
10 11 19 23 16 15 18 18 35 36 12 12
John Roper, Jr JR(53721)UK
Kaduna, Nigeria		 R18(1702) James Roper (b c1824 53725) James Roper (b c1824 53725) 14 23 14 11 11 14 12 12 12 12 13 28
R1b1
John Randy Roper JRR(6459)USA
Hiawatha KS		 R25(4146) George Washington Roper (b 1777NC 4345) George Washington Roper (b 1777NC 4345) 13 24 14 11 11 13 12 13 12 14 13 30
17 9 9 11 11 25 15 19 29 15 15 15 17
R1b1 (RY6)
Richard Cole Roper RCR2(10782)USA
Olympia WA		 F67(15727) George Washington Roper (b 1777NC 4345) George Washington Roper (b 1777NC 4345) 13 24 14 11 11 13 12 13 12 14 13 30
17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
Gary Kendall Roper GKR(241713)USA
Asheville NC		 R24(2160) John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) James Roper (b 1802 1434) 13 24 14 10 11 14 12 12 11 14 13 33
18 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 29 15 15 16 17
11 11 19 23 16 15 18 17 38 38 12 12
R1b1
Simon Roper SR(258982)UK
Kent Co. England		 F68(14690) Wiliam Roper (b c1448Eng 250141) John Roper (b c1670Eng 34464) 13 24 14 11 11 16 12 12 11 13 13 29
18 9 9 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 17 17 17
11 10 19 22 16 15 18 17 36 38 12 12
R1b1 (RY11)
Thomas Michael Roper TMR(286091)UK
Kent Co. England		 R98(69923) Wiliam Roper (b c1448Eng 250141) John Roper (b c1670Eng 34464) 13 24 14 11 11 16 12 12 11 13 13 29
Martin Roper MR(269981)USA/UK
? ? England		 F69(16255) William Rousper (b,1175 22649) John Roper (bc1405 22665) 13 24 14 11 11 14 12 12 13 14 13 30
16 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 17 17
R1b1
David Thomas Charles Roper DTCR(114889)UK
Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales		 R11(1298) John Roper (b c1495 171691) Richard Roper(b c1535 146740) 13 23 14 10 14 15 11 14 11 12 11 28
16 8 9 8 11 23 16 19 28 12 15 16 16
10 10 19 21 14 14 17 20 34 36 12 10
I (RY4)
George Allan Roper GAR(154833)UK
Blakemere, Hereford, England		 R33(5380) Henry Roper (b 1547 154818) Henry Roper (b 1547 154818) 13 23 14 10 14 15 11 12 11 12 11 28
17 8 9 8 11 23 16 19 28 12 14 15 16
I1b
William Gordon Roper Diver WGRD(131560)USA
Montreal, Canada		 RD1(42300) William Gordon Roper Diver (b ????Eng) William Gordon Roper Diver (b ????Eng) 13 23 14 10 14 15 11 14 11 12 11 29
15 8 9 8 11 23 16 20 28 12 14 15 16
10 10 19 21 14 14 17 20 34 37 12 10
11 8 15 15 8 11 10 8 10 11 12 23 24 15 10 12 12 16 8 12 27 20 14 13 10 12 11 11 12 11
I
Charles Edwin Roper CER(247657)UK
Wainfleet St. Marys, Lincoln, England		 R50(9743) William Roper (b c1820Eng 249508) William Roper (b c1820Eng 249508) 13 23 14 10 14 14 11 14 11 12 11 28
15 8 9 8 11 23 16 19 29 11 14 14 16
I (RY8)
Richard Evan Roper RER(244733))
USA 		R91(55348) John Roper (b c1679Eng 38721) Noah Roper (b 1720Eng 38719) 13 23 14 10 14 14 11 14 11 12 11 28
15 8 9 8 11 23 16 19 29 11 14 14 16
10 10 19 19 14 14 17 19 36 37 12 10
Chris Roper CR3(287733)
USA/UK		 R107(109601) Thomas William Roper (b c1885Eng 287731) Thomas William Roper (b c1885Eng 287731) 13 23 14 10 14 14 11 14 11 12 11 28
17 8 9 8 11 23 16 20 28 12 14 16 16
10 10 19 21 14 14 17 21 36 36 12 10
11 8 15 15 8 11 10 8 9 10 12 23 25 15 10 12 12 15 8 13 27 20 14 13 11 12 11 11 12 11
Lee James Roper LJR(121645)UK
? ?		 R22(2158) James Roper (b c1824 53725) James Roper (b c1824 53725) 13 23 14 11 12 13 12 12 11 14 14 30
N
Howard Stephen Roper HSR(111890)USA
? WV?		 R23(2159) Nicholas Roper (b 1740 7633) Nicholas Roper (b 1740 7633) 14 22 15 10 14 14 11 13 11 12 11 31
16 9 9 11 11 23 16 21 34 12 13 13 14
G (RY5)
Anthony Wayne Roper AWR(125712)USA
? WV?		 R26(4592) Nicholas Roper (b 1740 7633) Nicholas Roper (b 1740 7633) 14 22 15 10 14 14 11 13 11 12 11 31
Ian Thomas Roper ITR(244687)UK
Harrow, Middlesex, England		 R39(6505) Thomas Theophilus Roper (b c1845 108939) Thomas Theophilus Roper (b c1845 108939) 14 22 15 10 14 14 11 13 11 12 11 30
16 9 9 11 11 23 16 21 34 12 13 13 14
Clifford Roper CR2(270056)UK
? ?		 F81(30926) ? ? 14 22 15 10 14 14 11 13 11 12 11 30
Derek John Roper DJR(182325)UK
Plymouth, Devon, England		 F82(37106) John Roper (b 1790Eng 182362) John Roper (b 1790Eng 182362) 14 22 15 10 13 14 11 13 11 12 11 30
16 9 9 11 11 23 16 20 34 12 13 13 14
11 10 20 20 14 12 13 19 36 36 11 10
Eugene Judson Roper EJR2(227755)
NY		 R87(42519) Osborn J. Roper (b c1811 Eng 101723) Osborn J. Roper (b c1811 Eng 101723) 14 22 15 10 14 14 11 13 11 12 11 29
John Howard Roper JHR3(249894)
Somerset, England		 R92(67843) Samuel Roper (b 1780Eng 68870) Samuel Roper (b 1780Eng 68870) 14 22 15 10 14 14 11 13 11 12 11 30
John Arthur Roper JAR(254794)
England		 R96(73724) Stephen Roper (b c1811Eng 119949) Stephen Roper (b c1811Eng 119949) 14 22 15 10 14 14 11 13 11 12 11 30
Stephen John Andrew Roper SJAR(287194)
Christchurch, New Zealand		 R101(92286) William Roper (b c1745Eng 287576) John Roper (b c1769Eng 287575) 14 22 15 10 14 14 11 13 11 12 11 30
Stuart Richard Roper SRR(244706)UK
?, Norfolk, England		 R41(6507) Herbert Roper (b c1880 244701) Herbert Roper (b c1880 244701) 14 22 15 10 13 14 11 13 10 12 11 29
18 9 9 11 11 23 16 20 30
18 9 9 11 11 23 16 20 30 12 13 13 14
G
Lonsdale Joseph Roper III
(deceased)
LJR3(90621)USA
Portsmouth VA		 R43(6509) John Roper (b 1749Eng 51968) John Roper (b 1770Eng 51958) 13 25 15 11 12 15 12 12 10 13 11 30
15 9 10 11 11 24 14 20 33 12 15 15 16
R1a (RY7)
Maurice William Roper MWR(252745)UK
Wigton, Cumbria, England		 R51(11326)25 John Roper (b 1780Eng 109236) John Roper (b 1780Eng 109236) 13 25 15 10 12 15 12 12 10 13 11 31
14 9 10 11 11 24 14 20 34 12 15 15 16
John Herbert Roper JHR2(12453)USA
Greenville SC		 F86(41564) John Roper (b 1490Eng 171691) Richard Roper (b 1535Eng 146740) 13 25 15 11 12 16 12 12 10 13 11 31
William Sumner Rooper WSR(39867)USA
Antelope OR
(Ancestor was a female Roper/Rooper)		 R13(1604) Richard Fourneax (b c 1410 36083) Henry Rooper (b c1500 36081) 15 22 15 10 16 18 11 13 10 13 12 30
18 8 10 11 11 25 15 20 29 11 14 15 15
I (RY9)
Kevin Norman Roper KNR(269378)UK
Peterborough, Northampton, England		 F76(30928) William Roper (b c1813Eng 107497) William Roper (b c1813Eng 107497) 15 22 15 10 16 18 11 13 10 13 12 30
17 8 10 11 11 26 15 20 29 11 14 15 15
Stephen George Roper SGR3(82694)UK
Ixworth, Suffolk, England		 R93(69020) William Roper (b 1780Eng 139760) William Roper (b 1780Eng 139760) 15 22 15 10 16 18 11 13 10 13 12 30
17 8 10 11 11 26 15 20 29 11 14 15 15
11 11 19 21 15 14 18 19 32 36 12 10
Ernest John Roper EJR(125767)UK
?,Northamptonshire, England		 R63(15032) Andrew Roper (b c1550Eng 153666) Robert Roper (b c1585Eng 153672) 15 22 15 10 18 18 11 13 10 13 12 30
18 8 10 11 11 26 15 20 29 11 14 15 15
11 11 19 21 15 14 18 20 32 37 12 10
Joseph Earl Barton JEB()USA B1(83360)37 ? ? 15 22 15 10 16 18 11 13 10 13 12 30
17 8 10 11 11 26 15 20 29 11 14 15 15
11 11 19 21 15 14 18 19 32 37 12 10
Christopher Roper CR(not in database)UK
? ?		 R58(13437) ? ? 12 23 15 9 14 16 11 16 11 13 11 29
14 8 9 11 11 26 14 21 31 11 15 15 16
J2
Rodney Roper RR(270662)UK F80(33203) Arthur William Walter Roper (b ??????? 270660) Arthur William Walter Roper (b ??????? 270660) 14 25 14 10 12 14 12 12 14 13 13 30
R1b1
Caio Araujo-Roper CAR(9468)USA/Brazil
Leesburg VA
(grandson of LDR through his daughter)		 R73(29554) Egido José da Silva (b 1923 Brazil)
CAR is the son of a daughter of LDR, so he is the first in his newly-defined line of Ropers.		 Egido José da Silva (b 1923 Brazil) 13 24 13 10 16 17 11 12 12 13 11 30
15 9 9 11 11 26 14 20 34 14 16 16 16
9 11 19 21 16 12 17 22 32 32 11 10
10 8 15 15 8 11 10 9 12 10 0 23 24 18 11 12 12 17 7 12 22 18 12 13 12 14 11 11 11 11
E3b (RY10)
Ronald Gordon Roper RGR2(273517)UK
Sheperdswell, Kent, England		 F83(33201) Jonathan Roper (b c1770Eng 181718) Jonathan Roper (b c1770Eng 181718) 14 23 16 10 15 16 11 13 11 13 12 31
I
Roddy Lee Roper RLR2(40578)USA F85(39629) Jemima Roper (b 1829MS 5689) Lewis William Roper (b 1848IL 40591) 13 21 15 10 16 16 11 12 11 13 11 32
1 17 8 10 11 11 24 14 21 29 13 16 16 17
10 10 19 19 15 14 17 20 35 36 11 11
10 8 16 16 8 10 10 8 9 10 12 20 22 17 10 12 13 15 7 12 28 22 13 12 13 13 9 11 12 12
E3a
Richard Walter Roper RWR2 USA R89(N17375) ? ? 13 21 15 10 16 18 11 12 12 13 11 31
E3a
Alyn Nicholas Roper ANR(281524)UK R95(70574) Chum Roper (b c1890Eng (284886) Chum Roper (b c1890Eng 284886) 13 24 14 11 11 11 12 13 11 13 13 16
R1b1
Carl Robert Roper CRR(287762)NZ R105(104505) John Roper (b c1769Eng 287575) Percy Robert James Roper (b 1914 NZ 287752) 14 22 15 10 15 15 11 13 11 14 12 31
I1c
John Charles Roper JCR()USA R106(107543) ? ? 12 23 16 10 14 14 11 14 11 12 11 28
15 8 9 8 11 23 16 20 30 12 14 15 16

Jacob W. Roper JWR5()USA		 R108(N67404) ? ? 14 24 14 10 12 13 11 12 10 14 14 30

Different major families have coded background colors. The ones that are not colored are independent families with only one member measured so far.
One should be cautious about putting individuals with only 12 markers measured in a family; it is possible that the last 13 markers could be greatly different.

Note that the first 37 markers results are in. Here are the probability curves for 12, 25 and 37 markers:

Another view of the Roper markers.

Return to top of page.

Comparison with Oxford Ancestor and National Geographic Genographic Project Results

As a check, I had my Y-chromosome analyzed by a different laboratory (http://www.oxfordancestors.com) that uses a slightly different set of 10 markers. For the 9 markers that overlap between the two tests there is total agreement between the two laboratories.

Location (prefix DYS): 19
(394)		 385a 385b 388 390 391 392 393 389-1 389-2 389i 389ii-i 425 426 439
Family Tree DNA 14 11 16 12 24 10 13 13 13 30 12 12
Oxford Ancestors 14 12 24 10 13 13 10 17 12 12

This immediately shows that 7 of the markers are identical. The following relationship holds: (389i)=(389-1)-3; (389ii-i)=(389-2)-(389-1):
then numerically 10=13-3; 17=30-13. So the two independent 389 locations agree in value. Thus 9 markers are in agreement. (DYS425 is not measured by Family Tree DNA.)

I joined the National Geographic Society Genographic Project. The 12 markers determined by that project agree with those determined by Family Tree DNA.

Defining 12-marker Set for the Majority USA Roper Family

Note that several of the participants have identical markers and several differ by one digit in one marker (red) from the identical ones. The fact that the single-mutation cases usually have a single mutation in different Y-chromosome locations illustrates the random nature of mutations and the veracity of evolution by mutations. One of the identical sets of markers is from the northern-USA Roper family and one of the single-mutation sets of markers is from the northern-USA Roper family. (One of the identical sets of markers is from Nova Scotia, with known origin in Virginia USA; so I call this a USA family.) This indicates that there is a high probability that the 12 markers of the identical sets is the defining marker array for the common ancestor in England of both the southern-USA and northern-USA Ropers. That defining marker array for what I call the "Majority USA Roper Family" (MUR) and its common ancestor in England is:

Location
:
(prefix DYS):		 393 390 19
(394)		 391 385a 385b 426 388 439 389-1 392 389-2
Value: 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30

We do not know the name or location of this English Roper ancestor, but he was probably in Norfolk, Suffolk or Kent County. As of 20 April 2005 two English Roper (PJR & AGGR), with Suffolk County, England Roper ancestry, matches these 12 markers; so we should probably call this family the Suffolk/Norfolk,England-USA-Roper (EMUR) family.

If we add the extra marker (DYS425) of mine from the Oxford Ancestors test and assume it had no mutations since the common English ancestor in England, the defining 13-marker array could be:

Location:
(prefix DYS):		 393 390 19
(394)		 391 385a 385b 426 388 439 389-1 392 389-2 425
Value: 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30 12

Discussion of the Results

One that is very different than the others (WSR) is known from documents to descend from a female Roper (Isolda Roper and Richard Fourneaux). Another (DTCR) is a central English family. A third is from an eastern English family.

There is one, CMR, that differs considerably from the identical ones, but differs by only two markers from LWR. It appears that CMR is from a Western England family (see below).

HSR and AWR define a completely different Virginia/West Virginia Roper family than most Ropers who originate in the USA from Virginia. ITR in England is also a member of that family.

The ones that differ so much from the Majority USA Roper family, excluding WSR, possibly define different Roper families other than the Majority USA Roper family.

Random mutations (probability of about 0.2% per generation for each Y-chromosome location) caused the differences. This indicates that many participants have a reasonably recent common ancestor according to the probability graph and table given below (taken from http://www.familytreedna.com/techfaq.html). The chart shows that the most probable number of generations for a common ancestor is about 15 for those that differ by one digit in one marker, but could be much lower or higher.

I have a case in my mother's Franklin family where two males that are known to be related through four generations differ by one digit in one marker. This illustrates that such a single mutation can occur within a small number of generations.

It is interesting that the northern Ropers (CFER & NJR), whose ancestors are known to come from County Norfolk in eastern England, and the southern Ropers are related. It appears that there are different Roper families in the east (Norfolk/Kent) and west (Dorset) and central (Stafford, Worcester, Warwick) parts of England that are not closely related, and that the Eastern one is most closely related to the southern USA Ropers, which agrees with much documentary evidence. However, HSR descends from Nicholas Roper, whose gravestone indicates that he came from County Suffolk, England, which is in eastern England, and his 12 markers are very different from the Majority USA Roper family's 12 markers.

Here are the Roper families, for which no documents show relationships, that have been shown to be related by the Y-chromosome tests:
John Roper, Jr. (b c1660 3517) VA
Henry Roper (b c1750 158139) VA/NS Canada
John Roper (b1587 37207) Norfolk England/MA
John Charles Roper (b 1763 124395) VA
George Roper (b c1827 244296) TN
The 12-marker set for 9 participants is:
Location:
(prefix DYS):		 393 390 19
(394)		 391 355a 385b 426 388 439 389-1 392 389-2
Value 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
We can take this as the defining marker set for the common Roper ancestor in eastern England of the northern-USA and southern-USA Ropers in the USA.
6 participants have one step mutations from the above set in 6 different locations. This illustrates the random nature of mutations.
See http://www.roperld.com/ybiallelichaplogroups.htm for information about haplogroups. The relative mutations with the haplogroups for the testees in this project are:
From the above information and from reading Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza's excellent book Genes, Peoples, and Languages, I have come to the following tentative conclusion:
The Roper ancestors of the 15 participants who have the same 11 or 12 markers descend from what I call "a Roper family in eastern England", whose progenitor is purported to have come from Brittany with William the Conqueror in 1066 to county Derby, then to Kent, then to Suffolk, then to Norfolk, then to Durham and elswhere in England and the USA. (We know that the Massachusetts Ropers came from county Norfolk and that two of the 12 matching participants belongs to that family.) Cavalli-Sforza shows that the Bretons are closely related to the Irish and Welsh Celts and the Basques farther south in the Pyrenees.
"The Breton language is a Celtic language closely related to Welsh, Cornish, Manx, and Irish and Scottish Gaelic. It is the everyday language of an estimated 250,000 people in Brittany, the far western peninsula of France." a sentence from http://www.breizh.net/ICDBL/saozg/index.htm. An interesting web site about the Bretagne Celtic people is: http://www.bretagne-celtic.com/an/accueil_an.htm.
Here is a relevant excerpt from http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~dgarvey/DNA/markers.htm:
The members of HG1 are thought to be the descendants of the Paleolithic hunter-gatherers who arrived in Europe before the last Ice Age about 40,000 years ago (Aurignacian culture). That pattern is most common in Western Europe, but is also found in all other parts of Europe. The members of HG2 are believed to be the descendants of two later waves of humans into Europe. The last of these waves arrived about 8,000 years ago and is credited with introducing agriculture into Europe. HG2 is most common in Southern and Central Europe, but that haplogroup is also often seen in those of Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian descent. The haplogroup HG3 is seen more frequently on the eastern side of Europe (9% of the population of Turkey is HG3). But HG3 is also common in Scandinavia, and is said by some to be indicative of "Viking blood" when seen in paternal lines originating in the British Isles. The forefather of all HG3's is thought to have been born in the Ukraine during the last Ice Age about 15,000 years ago. Keep in mind that haplogroup classification is fairly useless for locating the place of origin of your paternal line. While each haplogroup has general areas in which it is more common, there has been enough mixing of people on the European continent to prevent using these classifications to pinpoint any single place of origin.

Defining 37-marker Set for the Majority USA Roper Family

Note that CFER, NJR & DR are northern-USA Ropers and they have the same set of additional 13 markers as the two southern-USA Ropers LDR and RSR. Thus we can conclude that the additional 13 markers for these four participants define, with high probability, the additional 13-marker set for the common ancestor in England of both the southern-USA and northern-USA Ropers. Taking the defining original 12-marker set from above or what I call the "Majority USA Roper Family", we get the 37-marker defining set for the "Majority USA Roper Family" and its common ancestor in England to be:

Location:
(prefix DYS)		 393 390 19
(394)		 391 385a 385b 426 388 439 389-1 392 389-2
Value: 13 24 14 10 11 16 12 12 12 13 13 30
Location:
(prefix DYS)		 458 459a 459b 455 454 447 437 448 449 464a 464b 464c 464d
Value: 17 9 10 11 11 25 15 19 30 15 16 16 17
Location:
(prefix DYS)		 460 GATA H4 YCAIIa YCAIIb 456 607 576 570 CDYa CDYb 442 438
Value: 11 11 19 23 15 15 17 16 36 38 12 12