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General => Ancestral Family Tree DNA Testing => Topic started by: mandymast on Friday 07 October 16 10:02 BST (UK)
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Hi,
My husband is wanting to find out his ethic make up, as he doesn't know who his father is, I am hoping to get some advise on what company would be the best to go for. thank you
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The Y-DNA test from FTDNA is reasonably highly regarded:
https://www.familytreedna.com/products.aspx
This tests the male "surname" line only.
The higher markers give better results, so take the 67 or 111 marker test if you can afford it. Do not expect to necessarily find his father from taking this test. You may have some surname matches, or no close matches at all. It can be a gamble.
You may get more matches with Americans as they take more DNA tests than others.
The company has "sales" throught the year so you may wish to wait to take advantage of a reduced price - someone may know when the next "sale" is expected.
Good luck.
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If he wants to know what his ethnic makeup is the test to take is the autosomal test also referred to as the familyfinder test. This test reads across all his ethnic inheritance from his direct male line through all lines to the direct female line. The results you get are really only guesstimates that the companies get by comparing the test results with very small reference populations they use. Also as the genes we inherit from our parents is at random the results can end up putting undue emphasis on certain ethnicity's which do not really tell the true story.
In short testing for ethnic makeup is really not very precise or reliable and is more just for fun and undue reliance should not be put on it. The two biggest companies are ftdna.com and ancestry.com. They both have information sections on their websites and it would be worth reading them.
As to the yDNA test that has been mentioned. This only looks at the direct male line and does not predict ethnicity so is not what you are looking for, unless I have misunderstood your post
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I have not long got my DNA results back..[ I'm female ] went with FTDNAIt was the Autosomal test..I match very close to a chap who's Grandfather was adopted..between the two of us we are working in finding which of my 3 families are from the area his Grandfather was born, all but worked out it may be one family.
I find FTDNA very easy to follow and very happy with it. At the moment it cost $79 USA..for the Autosomal......https://www.familytreedna.com/
Yonks
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To identify a father it's best to use a combination of Y-DNA and autosomal DNA. Ideally he should test with all three autosomal DNA companies (Family Tree DNA, AncestryDNA and 23andMe) because you don't know where the breakthrough match will come from. AncestryDNA currently has the largest database and is probably now the first choice, but the Family Finder test is also a good choice. I would leave 23andMe until last.
The tests aren't much use for "ethnicity" beyond the continental level.
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Regarding testing with Ancestry DNA ...I would find out first if you "have to be" a paid subscriber, are you able to keep your results if you intend subscribing just for your results? and if not.
Yonks
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Thanks for your help everyone, might have a look at FTdna
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On Ancestry you do have to maintain a subscription to access all the features. This article explains the differences:
https://support.ancestry.com/s/article/AncestryDNA-with-an-Ancestry-Subscription-US-1460090085520-3160
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I have not long got my DNA results back..[ I'm female ] went with FTDNAIt was the Autosomal test..I match very close to a chap who's Grandfather was adopted..between the two of us we are working in finding which of my 3 families are from the area his Grandfather was born, all but worked out it may be one family.
I find FTDNA very easy to follow and very happy with it. At the moment it cost $79 USA..for the Autosomal......https://www.familytreedna.com/
Yonks
How long did the kit take to arrive? I have been waiting 12 days and the ''tracker'' says its in Dubai, after going back and forth between Chicago and ports in between.
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DavidG02,
If you went with FTDNA..and of course where in the world you are [ I'm in Australia ] mine took about 6 weeks..and the same for the results put up in my FTDNA log in site. Just sent for more for my children to do..so I'm more than happy with the FTDNA..
About to put our results over to Gedmatch..next week.
All the best
Yonks
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DavidG02,
If you went with FTDNA..and of course where in the world you are [ I'm in Australia ] mine took about 6 weeks..and the same for the results put up in my FTDNA log in site. Just sent for more for my children to do..so I'm more than happy with the FTDNA..
About to put our results over to Gedmatch..next week.
All the best
Yonks
Thank you. Yes Australia as well. So 6 weeks to receive the kit? And then 6 weeks to get results?
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DavidG02,
It may even take longer..depending I guess on how many are sending for the kits, as you know you did 2 swabs my husbands first swab didn't work, they let us know and said they were working on the second one, if that failed they would send another kit.
Yonks
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Do you have to pay to send the test back?
I assume you get the results on line and I know there are other sites you can post the result to once you have them so a wider audience can see if they have a match.
Does the price vary from one country to another?
Or is it just the exchange rate on the dollar that varies?
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Does anyone have experience of the Find my past offer with Family tree DNA?
I think you have to pay £10 a month for a twelve month membership to qualify?
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The society for one name studies also have a discounted rate for DNA tests.
The only trouble is you have to be a member in the first place to find out what latest prices are.
Does anyone on here know the latest prices?
Bit chicken and egg, could be a good deal if you might want to join but you don't know until you join.
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Yes you do have to pay to ship tests back...and no you don't have to pay subs at all to FTDNA
I have not ever paid subs to FTDNA
https://www.familytreedna.com/learn/ftdna/ordering/
cheers
Yonks
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Yes,you do have to pay to return the test - I also paid extra for "tracking"
The prices for the tests are set by FTDNA and include shipping out but the price we actually pay is influenced by the exchange rate {not good for us in the UK at present :( }
Your results are posted on FTDNA under your account details and you will get a seperate e-mail telling you they are ready
Once you have an account {by ordering a test} you can log in to FTDNA and take part in the Forums/ask questions etc at no additional cost
Kim
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Thank you. Yes Australia as well. So 6 weeks to receive the kit? And then 6 weeks to get results?
I'm across the ditch from you. One kit I ordered was in my letterbox less than a week from when I ordered it. Another took longer - it arrived in the country on Christmas Eve and sat at a sorting centre over Christmas before being sent down country. But you'd expect delays in December.
I've never paid to track them back. They've usually taken less than two weeks, but one took over three and I was getting nervous about that one.
The fastest result from the time of batching for Family Finder that I've had is 22 days but they're usually a month or so.
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Thanks. Its been 22 days. I see it has been ''processed through their facility'' in Sydney last week so I expect it this week ( but it is Wednesday)
I don't do much online ordering so don't have a time frame to go by. :)
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Came home after posting the previous post and found a kit in the letterbox. Sent it off Friday 28/10. Cost me $2.55 postage from Australia ( .017gms) filled out a declaration. Now to await the email.
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David,
..now the wait...all the best for your results..
Good Luck
Yonks
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Thanks Yonks
I am excited but also concerned. With some rumoured NPEs I worry if all my research is for nought. Not that I will get instant answers but will be interesting.
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One still needs to do some digging, I have just put my results onto GenMatch but!! still trying to find my way around all that..just printed out 20 odd pages...for quite time reading.
Just received 2 more kits which I sent for for my children to do..seems that may be a bit of a waste..as should get cousin's or aunties/uncles but done now.
Cheers
Yonks
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Received my results today. So all up 6 weeks from initial order and 1 month from test/post.