Surname and Y chromosome in Southern Europe: a case study with Colom/Colombo

摘要: According to most historians, Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy. However, based on some key facts the discoverer's biography, as well linguistic analysis of his texts, historians and linguists believe that could have been Catalan origin. A Ligurian would carried Colombo surname, whereas he called Colom if were Catalan. In order test whether it be possible discriminate between a or origin Columbus' Y-chromosome haplotype retrieved, we genotyped 17 STRs 238 Spanish (from Catalonia, Valencia, Balearic Islands) French men, 114 North Italian Liguria, Lombardy, Piedmont). The samples and, particular, Lombard Colombos genetically diverse general population, found little evidence clusters haplotypes indicate descent from single founder. is actually frequent surname where foundlings orphans used given Colombo. By contrast, diversity reduced Iberian Colom, men had Y chromosomes belonging few lineages. This implies positive identification more likely descent. this study, shown dynamics two surnames linked by their etymology, what is, best our knowledge, first genetic Southern Europe.