# Population Genetics > mtDNA Haplogroups > X >  X2c

## Laurelei

Hi! I recently got the results from 23 and Me that indicate my maternal haplogroup is X2c. I'm a little confused to see that 3 other cousins on this maternal line are X2c2, but I have a lot to learn! If someone would like to explain this, I'd be grateful  :Smiling: 

I live in Canada, and my maternal ancestors come from the Eastern side of Ireland. My great grandmother came to Canada at the end of the Great War. I can only trace back six generations on this line at this point, but I'm hoping I will find some more cousins who can share clues. 

I'm currently waiting for results from Ancestry and I hope that will expand my related researcher base  :Smiling: 

Nice to have found you all! I look forward to learning more about the X group!

Laurelei

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## Laurelei

[QUOTE=Laurelei;557863] I'm a little confused to see that 3 other cousins on this maternal line are X2c2, but I have a lot to learn! If someone would like to explain this, I'd be grateful  :Smiling: 

*Slight edit - the cousins are X2c1* (not X2c2).

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## Strudel

> I'm a little confused to see that 3 other cousins on this maternal line are X2c2, but I have a lot to learn! If someone would like to explain this, I'd be grateful 
> 
> *Slight edit - the cousins are X2c1* (not X2c2).


Hi Laurelei, 

It means your cousins are still on the same haplogroup line but part of a branched off further mutation of it. It helps to look at a diagram to understand it.

https://www.eupedia.com/europe/europ...requency.shtml

Th diagram above shows the progression, but it hasn't been updated to include further new sprouts. You can see your x2c on the far left in grey. Your maternal line cousins would simply have new offshoot mutations of this Haplogroup.

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## gidai

Your cousins did test with another company?

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## Laurelei

No gidai, we all tested at 23 and me. I had wondered about that as well.

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## Laurelei

That was my initial assumption, Strudel. Our common ancestor is 4 generations back for me, 2 and 3 generations for them. I can understand that they may have further mutations on their branch, but there must be other people in the X2c1 group. Would they be more closely related to those cousins than my branch? I haven't found any new X2c or X2c1 cousins to compare notes with yet.
Love your profile picture! Lots of black bears around my neighbourhood  :Smiling:

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## gidai

> No gidai, we all tested at 23 and me. I had wondered about that as well.


I think mutations occur very rarely at mtDNA. 

Give them a mail and ask about it.

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## Strudel

> That was my initial assumption, Strudel. Our common ancestor is 4 generations back for me, 2 and 3 generations for them. I can understand that they may have further mutations on their branch, but there must be other people in the X2c1 group. Would they be more closely related to those cousins than my branch? I haven't found any new X2c or X2c1 cousins to compare notes with yet.
> Love your profile picture! Lots of black bears around my neighbourhood


Oh, I see. 

I am new to this, but as for your question asking if any X2c1s are more closely related to each other than you as a X2c, my answer would be No, not necessarily. There is more that goes into it than just your mitochondrial DNA. It has more to do with stretches of snp being the same. 

For instance, my closest match I have found so far on 23andme is a 2nd cousin to me and he has completely different mtdna. He is related by way of my dad's mom. Even if I found a 2nd cousin on my mom's mom side, and therefore with the same mtdna as me, it doesn't mean that she or he would necessarily be more closely related as in genetically similar. 

But then, I am not sure if that is what you are asking. If you are just trying to figure out distance like second or third cousin, that is more of an accounting thing. 

We have black bears in my neighbourhood, too. :Biggrin:

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