Swedish Saami Haplogroup V Also Among My Family

In earlier posts (for example, Saami Major Lineage One Mitochondrial Cluster) I've discussed that my mtDNA ancestral genetic motherline haplogroup U5b1b1 is the foundational lineage (within U5/U5b) of Scandinavian Saami (alternatively, Sami) major motherline 1.

U5b is the dominant mtDNA haplogroup among the Saami, while mtDNA haplgroup V (another rare European haplogroup) comprises Saami major motherline 2. On the population genetics of the Saami, it is known:

Classification of the Sami mtDNA lineages revealed that the majority are clustered in a subset of the European mtDNA pool. The two haplogroups V and U5b dominate, between them accounting for about 89% of the total. This gives the Sami regions the highest level of Haplogroups V and U5b thus far found. Haplogroups H, D5 and Z represent most of the remaining averaged total. Overall 98% of the Sami mtDNA pool is encompassed within haplogroups V, U5b, H, Z, and D5.

Although a small proportion of the Haplogroup U (mtDNA) among the Sami falls into U4, the great majority is U5b. The percentage of total Sami mtDNA samples tested by Tambets and her colleagues which were U5b ranged from 56.8% in Norwegian Sami to 26.5% in Swedish Sami. Sami U5b falls into subclade U5b1b1. Haplogroup V is by far the most frequent haplogroup in the Swedish Sami and is present at significantly lower frequencies in Norwegian and Finnish subpopulations.

While my own ancestral genetic motherline is U5b1b1 (placing the origins of my ancestral maternal lineage among the Saami), mtDNA haplogroup V (another Saami maternal lineage) is also found among my family members on my maternal side - through my relative Benjamin Franklin who belongs to mtDNA haplogroup V.

I am the 6th great grandniece of American founding father and statesman Benjamin Franklin through my mother's father's mother's line. This is the line of my relationship to Benjamin Franklin:

Cheryl Collins (my mother)
Sydney Oscar Collins (my mother's father, my grandfather)
Agnes Yoda Franklin (Sydney's mother, my great grandmother through Sydney)
Johnathan Freeland Franklin (Agnes' father, my great great grandfather)
Charles D. Franklin (Johnathan's father, my gggreat grandfr)
David Franklin (Charles' father, my ggggreat grandfather)
Jonathan Franklin (David's father, my gggggreat grandfr)
John Franklin (Jonathan's father, my ggggggreat grandfr)
Josiah Franklin¹ (John's father [Benjamin Franklin's brother], my gggggggreat grandfr)
Thomas Franklin (Josiah's father, my ggggggggreat grandfr)²
Henry Franklin (Thomas' father, my gggggggggreat grandfr)³

Benjamin and John Franklin were brothers, both sons of Josiah. My maternal line relationship to Benjamin Franklin comes down through Benjamin's brother John. My sixth greatfather was the brother of Benjamin Franklin.

Now, even though males do not pass on their mtDNA to their children, I think it's interesting that the maternal lineages in my maternal family line that I've discovered so far all carry Saami-linked mtDNA. Moreover, my own autosomal deep ancestral root has been localized to Sweden where

haplogroup V is by far the most frequent haplogroup in the Swedish Sami.

Taken together, the presence of both U5b1b1 and V in members of my family from my mother's side, coupled with the fact that my deep autosomal ancestry (from both parents) localizes to Sweden, makes it even clearer that my "clan" comes from Scandinavia generally, and Sweden more specifically.

Footnotes:

¹ B 23 Dec 1657, M 25 Nov 1689, D 16 Jan 1744/1745
Born: in Ecton, Hamps, England
Spouse: Abiah Foulger in Boston, Suffolk, Mass.
Children (2):
John Franklin, B 7 Dec 1690, Boston, Mass; D 30 Jan 1756, Boston, Mass
Benjamin Franklin, B 6 Jan 1706/1706, Boston, Mass

² B 8 Oct 1598 D 24 Mar 1681/1682; Ecton, Northhamptonshire, England (B); Banbury, Oxford, England (D)

³ B 23 May 1573 D 23 Oct 1631; Ecton, Northhamptonshire, England (B & D)