Many Questions About DNA Testing

[anto97]

Some days ago, I read the following article and I found it interesting.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-kanalley/dna-testing-family-tree_b_1588028.html

That made me want to have a DNA testing. So, I would like to ask those who did that kind of tests, which one should I try in order to get results for my Family History Research?

Also, I would like to ask the following questions.

1. Which test should I try in order to track my father's origin?
2. Which test should I try in order to track my mother's origin?
3. What is a haplogroup and how can I track where it belongs?

Thank you and sorry for the long post! 

[davidft]

These questions have been answered many many times on these boards and a quick search would bring up the answers.

However briefly, there are three main types of tests

a) yDNA this test can be taken by males only and gives your direct male line ie father, grandfather, great grandfather etc.
b) mtDNA this test can be taken by males and females and gives your direct female line ie mother, grandmother, great grandmother etc.
c) autosomal DNA sometimes called family finder. This test looks across all your lines and is what is used to find relatives anywhere from your direct male to direct female lines and also to determine your ethnic origins however a word of warning the ethnic origins given in some cases amount to nothing more than badly researched guesses and so should not be taken to heart when they don't say what you want. This test is really only meaningful for about five generations back

Haplogroups are a way of classifying people by looking at mutations to see when one group of people diverged from another. These can be used to track the movements of people across the word

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haplogroup

There are a number of companies that do tests and prices and competence vary. Most companies do sales every so often. ftDNA.com have a sale at the moment but it closes 11.59pm (CST, Central Standard Time America) 31 August 2016

If you search the web (or wikipedia) you will find details of the companies and some comparison charts as to what tests they do)

[anto97]

These questions have been answered many many times on these boards and a quick search would bring up the answers.

However briefly, there are three main types of tests

a) yDNA this test can be taken by males only and gives your direct male line ie father, grandfather, great grandfather etc.
b) mtDNA this test can be taken by males and females and gives your direct female line ie mother, grandmother, great grandmother etc.
c) autosomal DNA sometimes called family finder. This test looks across all your lines and is what is used to find relatives anywhere from your direct male to direct female lines and also to determine your ethnic origins however a word of warning the ethnic origins given in some cases amount to nothing more than badly researched guesses and so should not be taken to heart when they don't say what you want. This test is really only meaningful for about five generations back

Haplogroups are a way of classifying people by looking at mutations to see when one group of people diverged from another. These can be used to track the movements of people across the word

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haplogroup

There are a number of companies that do tests and prices and competence vary. Most companies do sales every so often. ftDNA.com have a sale at the moment but it closes 11.59pm (CST, Central Standard Time America) 31 August 2016

If you search the web (or wikipedia) you will find details of the companies and some comparison charts as to what tests they do)

Thanks for the reply. But what if I want to track my maternal grandfather's line? Or my paternal grandmother's line?

[davidft]

Thanks for the reply. But what if I want to track my maternal grandfather's line? Or my paternal grandmother's line?

The test that would help with that is the autosomal (familyfinder) test described above

Just one word of caution it is not as easy as just taking the test you are also reliant on others having taken similar tests and being members of sites that share information and members can contact each other

[anto97]

Thanks for the reply. But what if I want to track my maternal grandfather's line? Or my paternal grandmother's line?

The test that would help with that is the autosomal (familyfinder) test described above

Just one word of caution it is not as easy as just taking the test you are also reliant on others having taken similar tests and being members of sites that share information and members can contact each other

FTDNA sales an Autosomal DNA Testing for only $69 (I think this price is until today, from tomorrow it'll be $99).

One last question: Y-DNA testing mentions something about "markers" (37, 67, 111). What exactly are markers and which one is the better? What more does a Y-DNA or mt-DNA has more than the "FamilyFinder"?

[davidft]

FTDNA sales an Autosomal DNA Testing for only $69 (I think this price is until today, from tomorrow it'll be $99).

One last question: Y-DNA testing mentions something about "markers" (37, 67, 111). What exactly are markers and which one is the better? What more does a Y-DNA or mt-DNA has more than the "FamilyFinder"?

The yDNA test is what gives your male haplogroup. The difference in the 37, 67 and 111 markers is how much of your data they test. The more that is tested the easier and more accurate it is to make matches with other people. Some people say the lowest level of use is 37 markers. I myself tested at 37 markers but then upgraded it to 67 markers (and three years later still have no near matches on my male line which was the reason I first tested).

The mtDNA gives you your maternal haplogroup.

If you are not interested in  finding out what your haplogroups are you could just take the autosomal test

[Deer243]

The business of 12,37,67 or 111 markers is a bit like resolution on a digital camera, i.e. 12 markers will tell you whether you are related to someone within the past 1000 years or so but 37 markers will start to give useful estimates of when the common ancestor was and these estimates become more accurate as you increase the number of markers.

I would start with 37 markers and then increase to 67 or 111 if you want to once you have your results.

I tested to 111 markers first of all but later wished I had started off with just 37 markers

[anto97]

Thank you for your replies. I decided to begin testing with my maternal grandfather. We decided that the best tests are the ones that FamilyTreeDNA.com offers. BUT... should he do all the tests (autosomal, Y-DNA and mtDNA) or he would find the same information with one of them, or two? (He wants to track his paternal and maternal line)

[Erato]

"But what if I want to track my maternal grandfather's line?"
If your maternal grandfather had a son who had a son, use his DNA for the test.


Or my paternal grandmother's line?
If your paternal grandmother had a daughter, use the DNA of one of her children.