DNA : descendants of Salim Mubarak Sabah the First
In addition to the historical record, DNA tests are an excellent way of providing scientific proof of the lineage of families – who descends from who. Widely used today by people researching family history, recent advances in our understanding of DNA allow us to resolve questions about heritage or simply misunderstandings.
In order to put to rest any lingering questions about their membership of the Al Sabah ruling family, the family has undertaken multiple DNA tests, including with Family TreeDNA. In September 2017, DNA testing led to the discovery of the Big Y and 111 marker and a specific DNA marker for the Al Sabah family. The tests have been analysed by Denise Syndercombe Court, Professor of Forensic Genetics at King’s College, London. The results provide conclusive proof that the descendants of Salim Muibarak Sabah the First are indeed members of the Al Sabah family.
By comparing their DNA to members of the Al Khalifa and Al Fahdil families, the descendants of Salim Mubarak Sabah the First have proved scientifically that they belong to the Al Sabah family.
In order to put to rest any lingering questions about their membership of the Al Sabah ruling family, the family has undertaken multiple DNA tests, including with Family TreeDNA. In September 2017, DNA testing led to the discovery of the Big Y and 111 marker and a specific DNA marker for the Al Sabah family. The tests have been analysed by Denise Syndercombe Court, Professor of Forensic Genetics at King’s College, London. The results provide conclusive proof that the descendants of Salim Muibarak Sabah the First are indeed members of the Al Sabah family.
By comparing their DNA to members of the Al Khalifa and Al Fahdil families, the descendants of Salim Mubarak Sabah the First have proved scientifically that they belong to the Al Sabah family.
Context
The historical documents, going back over 175 years, show that the descendants of Salim Mubarak Sabah the First descend from the first Emir of Kuwait, Sabah the First. His Highness the former Emir Mubarak Al Sabah the Great, notably, was in no doubt that they were part of the Al Sabah ruling family.
Numerous documentation in the 1850s, 1900s and 1930s by British Political Agents confirmed this lineage.
The tests have been analyzed by multiple tests centres including Family tree DNA and Professor Syndercombe Court.
The tests have been analyzed by multiple tests centres including Family tree DNA and Professor Syndercombe Court.
- The genetic results identified related members of Al Sabah, consistent with the family tree and supporting a single common paternal ancestor – Sabah the First – and defined by the Y34542 SNP.
- This family group is distinct from two other family groups (Al Khalifa and Al Fadhel) defined by the BY28249 SNP.
- The Al Sabah and Al Khalifa/Al Fadhel families are also differentiated by three Y-STR loci, DYS 447, DYS 504 and DYS 552.
DNA tests
DNA includes a pair of ‘sex’ chromosomes – the X and Y chromosome. Females have two X chromosomes, whereas males have an X chromosome and a Y chromosome. The single male Y chromosome is of particular importance in family trees, as the Y chromosome is inherited by all the male descendants of the father, who in their turn will pass on the same Y chromosome to all of their sons. Thus, all male members of the family who share the same Y chromosome can be said to descend from the same male ancestor.
The descendants of Salim Mubarak the First undertook a wide number of DNA tests, in 2004 (Sorenson), 2005 (GeneTree), 2012 (University of Colombia), 2017 (FamilyTreeDNA) and 2019 (FamilyTreeDNA). These tests were analysed by Professor Syndercombe Court in 2014, 2017 and 2018.
The tests carried out in 2017 included four members of the descendants of Salim Mubarak Sabah the First and three descendants of His Highness the former Emir Shaikh Mubarak Al Sabah the Great and one descendant of his brother His Highness the former Emir Shaikh Mohammad Al Sabah. Two additional descendants of Salim Mubarak Al Sabah, Shaikh Khaled Duaij Al Sabah and Shaikh Salman Duaij Al Sabah, further participated in DNA testing on the 30 January 2019.
The results provided conclusive scientific proof that the descendants of Salim Mubarak Sabah the First are indeed part of the Al Sabah, as they all share the same Y chromosome, Y34542 SNP. By contrast, members of the Al Fadhil and Al Khalifa families, who were also tested, do not share this Y chromosome, but rather BY28249 SNP. The Al Sabah, Al Khalifa and Al Fadhel families are also distinguished by three Y-STR loci, DYS447, DYS504 and DYS552.
The descendants of Salim Mubarak the First undertook a wide number of DNA tests, in 2004 (Sorenson), 2005 (GeneTree), 2012 (University of Colombia), 2017 (FamilyTreeDNA) and 2019 (FamilyTreeDNA). These tests were analysed by Professor Syndercombe Court in 2014, 2017 and 2018.
The tests carried out in 2017 included four members of the descendants of Salim Mubarak Sabah the First and three descendants of His Highness the former Emir Shaikh Mubarak Al Sabah the Great and one descendant of his brother His Highness the former Emir Shaikh Mohammad Al Sabah. Two additional descendants of Salim Mubarak Al Sabah, Shaikh Khaled Duaij Al Sabah and Shaikh Salman Duaij Al Sabah, further participated in DNA testing on the 30 January 2019.
The results provided conclusive scientific proof that the descendants of Salim Mubarak Sabah the First are indeed part of the Al Sabah, as they all share the same Y chromosome, Y34542 SNP. By contrast, members of the Al Fadhil and Al Khalifa families, who were also tested, do not share this Y chromosome, but rather BY28249 SNP. The Al Sabah, Al Khalifa and Al Fadhel families are also distinguished by three Y-STR loci, DYS447, DYS504 and DYS552.
Syndercombe Court is a Professor of Forensic Genetics at King’s College, London. She is a highly respected scientist, academic, statistician and published author, with more than thirty years’ experience in scientific research, forensic evidence examination and is a court-going accredited expert witness. Her expertise relates to human DNA analysis for identification, both analysis and interpretation. She is the UK representative on the European DNA Profiling Group and the International Society of Forensic Genetics representative on the Forensic Regulator’s DNA Working Group. She has an active interest in promoting science, and especially the use of DNA in justice to a wider audience via television, radio and external lectures.
Professor Syndercombe Court analysed the DNA of the descendants of Salim bin Mubarak bin Sabah the First in 2014, 2017 and 2018.
Professor Syndercombe Court analysed the DNA of the descendants of Salim bin Mubarak bin Sabah the First in 2014, 2017 and 2018.
