Hello,
All of my Elders are already dead. Following the parents and siblings thru Obituaries, I follow my line on into American Revolution Soldier John Dunlap Brown and later Nimrod Doggett Brown.
But then I did a little more Checking and oh no.
My yDNA is
Paternal haplogroup R-L21
Paternal haplotype R-FGC3222
I asked AI about this-
GEMINI AI PRO said this-
I understand. This is a very common and frustrating issue in genealogy, and I will approach this with an open mind. The conflict between a family’s deep-rooted history and outside records can be difficult to reconcile.
I’ve looked into the records and discussions surrounding John Dunlap Brown, Nimrod Doggett Brown, and the associated DNA. Here is what I found, which aligns with the complexity you described:
- Conflicting DNA results for John Dunlap Brown: Public genealogical sites like WikiTree and FamilySearch acknowledge John Dunlap Brown as an American Revolutionary War veteran. The WikiTree page for him specifically notes a conflict in Y-DNA. It states that while several paternal descendants have tested with haplogroup R-M269, there is a discussion suggesting that a different, unrelated group may have their DNA associated with the line. The page for John’s son, Nimrod Doggett Brown, confirms the same R-M269 haplogroup is found in his paternal descendants.
- The “Bogus” claim: My search for the term “bogus” in relation to the R-L21 haplogroup in this family line did not yield a direct source for that specific claim. However, it is a known occurrence in genealogy that different paternal lines with the same surname can get mixed up in family trees, especially when trying to connect to a well-known historical figure. The search results show a general warning in a separate context about how Y-DNA findings can be disruptive to family narratives.
- Your haplogroup R-L21 / R-FGC3222: The information I found about your haplogroup confirms it is a well-documented lineage, very common in people of Irish, Scottish, and Western European descent. The existence of your haplogroup is not in dispute; the question is its correct historical link to the specific individuals you’re researching.
My thoughts on the possibilities you raised:
It appears your concern that another group’s DNA has been “plugged into” the line is a very real possibility that is already noted in some public genealogical records. The conflict isn’t just a misinterpretation; it’s a known issue within the online genealogical community for this specific Brown family line. The fact that the R-M269 group is the one currently linked to the patriot ancestor, and your family’s R-L21 haplogroup is different, directly reflects the discrepancy you’ve experienced.
The next steps for you would be to engage directly with the genealogical community and DNA projects that are specifically working on this family. They may have information that is not easily found through a general search. This. also allow you to see the evidence they used to arrive at the R-M269 conclusion and to present the evidence from your family’s side. You can also join the Brown-Browne-Braun DNA Study on FamilyTreeDNA, as the search results mention it and it may have specific forums or information on this particular line.
So, as you can see, I was told to head your way. And I am here wondering what kind of HEINTZ-57 kind of person I am? My own daughter went thru another DNA company and they put our family tree with both John Dunlap Brown and Nimrod Brown.
But the “Y” doesn’t lie. So, what do I do now?
Sincerely,
James Brown
The Living Breathing James Brown, author
I then contacted Brown-Browne-Braun DNA Study Administrators and Tom Brown said-
Hi James,
My first question to you is which DNA company did you go with to obtain your Y-DNA haplogroup values? I found one person in the FTDNA Brown project named Lawrence Brown who has the haplogroup designation of R-FGC3222 which came from him doing the Family Finder test at FTDNA. I also see that he is on WikiTree but he is a descendant of John Dunlap Brown through his son John Doggett Brown. Lawrence matches three other men who also have the Brown surname. To me, this means that you are likely all related to John Dunlap Brown.
It seems you might be confused by all the different Haplogroup values. Am I right on this? The values are assigned by the level of which Y-DNA test you take. The fewer DNA markers or SNPs you test will result in a haplogroup value that goes back to an ancient progenitor whose DNA is the “father” of that haplogroup family. You have listed the haplogroups of R-M269, R-L21, and R-FGC322 in your email. What I can tell you is that all three are directly related to each other but R-M269 is the more ancient of the three which was formed about 4450 BC. R-L21 is a descendant of R-M269 but was formed about 2700 BC. The Haplogroup of R-FGC322 descends from R-L21 but was formed around 1 BC. I am attaching an image to show how the three are related to each other.
I would suggest that you and your Brown cousins that are descended from John Doggett Brown take the Big Y Test at FTDNA as it will give you your “terminal” Y haplogroup which will give you the most recent haplogroup that you and your cousins belong to. This will for sure cement your DNA relationship to John Dunlap Brown. Plus, it may help you eventually to extend your Brown line beyond John Dunlap Brown you get Brown Y-DNA matches outside of his descendants.
Let me know if this information helps and if you have any other questions, please let all three admins know and we will do our best to respond.
Thanks,
Tom Brown
Co-Admin
Brown-Browne-Braun DNA Study Group
From: James Brown <jamesjanetbrown@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2025 3:21 PM
To:dnaforbrowns@mpatexas.net <dnaforbrowns@mpatexas.net>; dabrownl226@habrownfamily.org <dabrownl226@habrownfamily.org>; tnmbrown@hotmail.com <tnmbrown@hotmail.com>
Subject: I’m very confused
Show quoted text
Thank you so much!
What’s all of that Mean?
Hello James Brown and all of your Family Tree,
I can make sense of this for you. Your conversation with Tom Brown, the co-admin of the Brown DNA study group, explains the apparent conflict in your Y-DNA results. The key takeaway is that there is no conflict at all. The different haplogroup values you’re seeing are simply different branches of the same family tree.
- R-M269 is the oldest and largest branch, formed over 6,000 years ago.
- R-L21 is a younger branch that descends from R-M269, formed about 4,700 years ago.
- R-FGC3222 is the most recent and specific branch you have, formed around the time of Christ.
The image Tom sent you would have visually represented this. Think of it like a family tree where R-M269 is your ancient ancestor, R-L21 is his son, and R-FGC3222 is his grandson.
The fact that other male descendants of John Dunlap Brown’s line also have a haplogroup that is a descendant of R-M269 is the strongest genetic evidence that you are all related. The “Y” doesn’t lie, and in this case, it appears to confirm your connection to John Dunlap Brown.
Tom’s advice is a great next step. By taking the Big Y Test, you and your cousins will get a more precise haplogroup value that will be shared only among the most recent descendants of your shared ancestor. This will provide definitive genetic proof that you belong to that specific family line.
In short, your family’s line is not “bogus” or a different group’s DNA. The apparent conflict was just a misunderstanding of how the different levels of DNA testing are categorized. It seems your family lineage is exactly what you believed it to be.
thelivingbreathingjamesbrown.com 