DNA, Surnames & Secrets: Tracing the Sotomayor Line from 1573

How far back can DNA and genealogy take you? In this episode of Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, we explore the fascinating history of the Sotomayor family in Puerto Rico, tracing ancestral connections back to the late 1500s through the combination of genetic genealogy, archival research, and historical records.

Professor Antonio Sotomayor explains how Y-DNA testing, TMRCA (Time to Most Recent Common Ancestor), agnatic lineages, surname variations, and maternal ancestry can help genealogists uncover connections hidden within incomplete Caribbean records. The conversation examines the variations between Sotomayor and Soto, as well as maternal family connections including González de la Cruz and Colón de Santiago.

We also explore the challenges researchers face when parish registers and other historical records have gaps, been lost, or provide limited information. Learn how DNA genealogy can help fill historical silences, complement traditional archival research, and provide new clues for tracing Caribbean ancestors across centuries.

Professor Sotomayor also shares practical advice for researching Puerto Rican and Caribbean genealogy, including which DNA tests may be useful, how to understand historical context, why surname research requires flexibility, and the importance of collaborating with other family historians and researchers. Whether you're researching Puerto Rican ancestry, Caribbean genealogy, Spanish colonial history, DNA matches, or family history, this episode offers valuable strategies for breaking through genealogical brick walls and discovering connections across generations. 🎙️ Subscribe to Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast for conversations about Caribbean history, genealogy, DNA, archives, migration, and the stories hidden within our family trees.

BIO: Dr. Antonio Sotomayor, Ph.D. is an associate professor, historian, and librarian specializing in Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the University of Illinois.

He serves as the Librarian for Latin American and Caribbean Studies and holds faculty appointments in History and Spanish and Portuguese, with affiliated appointments in the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, the Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies, and the Center for Global Studies. His research interests include Caribbean and Latin American history, identity, nationalism, international relations, religion, genealogy, family history, and the politics of culture.

Dr. Sotomayor is also an accomplished author whose scholarship explores Puerto Rico and its connections to broader histories of colonialism, identity, politics, and culture.

His book, The Sovereign Colony: Olympic Sport, National Identity, and International Politics in Puerto Rico, received the 2017 José Toribio Medina Book Award. He co-edited Olimpismo: The Olympic Movement in the Making of Latin America and the Caribbean and is currently working on Religious Games: The YMCA, Sport, and Imperial Statecraft in Cuba and Puerto Rico, 1898–1940s.

Genealogy is also a significant part of Dr. Sotomayo Links: #PuertoRicoGenealogy #PuertoRicoHistory #CaribbeanGenealogy #GeneticGenealogy #DNAGenealogy #FamilyHistory #GenealogyResearch #YDNA #DNAAncestry #Sotomayor #PuertoRicanAncestry #CaribbeanHistory #Genealogy #AncestryResearch #SpanishColonialHistory #FamilyTree #GenealogyDNA #GenealogyPodcast #HistoryPodcast #DisAFiMiHistory