Genealogy, Genetic Testing, with 23andMe

My 23andMe results are in.... (drum roll)

East Asian = 51.2% European = 48.6%undefined = 0.2%

MATERNAL SIDE

East Asian breakdown: Japanese = 27%, Chinese = 7.3%, South East Asia 3%, broadly East Asian 13.5%

PATERNAL SIDE

Western European Breakdown: English/Scottish 36%, German/French 5%, Scandinavian 1% broadly Northwestern European 6%

I’ve always been interested in my genealogy. Now, that genetic testing is easily affordable, I was eager to verify/ discover my ethnic makeup. No major surprises. Based on surnames I knew my father's side was Western European of English heritage. I knew my mom was half Japanese and half Chinese. So the results of 51.2% East Asian was a bit surprising because it is more than half. Can anyone explain why my Asian/ European breakdown is 51.2% to 48.6% respectively? 

The second surprise was the 25% breakdown of my Chinese ethnicity.  According to my DNA, I'm only 7.3% "Chinese".  23andMe identifies Chinese as the Han ethnic group, which makes up 92% of the Chinese people. In addition, to Han Chinese, 23andMe identifies ethnic Taiwanese and ethnic people from Hong Kong.  China's 50+ ethnic groups have not been specifically identified at this time.  For now, those "ethnic" minorities are classified as broadly East Asian.

So my "Chinese" breakdown is (Han = 7.3%,  Southeast Asia = 3%, broadly East Asian =13.5%)

My maternal haplogroup is F1b1a1 which is quite rare among

23andMe customers (1 in 4,600). The F line is a part of the Hmong language group, which includes ethnic people like the Lahu, Hmong, Lao, and Mien who are found in Southern China, Northern Thailand, Northern Vietnam, and Northern Laos (countries that border Southeast China) Could explain how I have 3% Southeast Asian dna. For centuries, there have been "Chinese" immigrant groups like the Shan living in these areas.

Maternal side
(mom b. 1947, Japanese grandmother b. 1920, Chinese great grandmother b. 1900 circa)

Japanese great grandmother b. 1900 circa

Chinese grandfather b. 1906

Chinese great grandfather b. 1871

Japanese great grandfather b. 1900 circa

My paternal haplogroup is R-L2, which means all men with R-L2 comes from a single man about 8,000 years ago in the area of the UK. 320 generations later, it is estimated between 2 and 3 million men of English, Welsh, Scottish, and Irish heritage are direct descendants. My father's ancestors were a part of the early English colonists to settle North America. Today, nearly all of my dad's line reside in Alabama going back to 1850s.

father b. 1947

grandfather b. 1924

great grandfather b. 1895

great great grandfather b. 1857

grandmother b. 1924

great grandmother b. 1892

great great grandmother b. 1861

great great grandmother b. 1858

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