DNA studies

[GaryOB]

Anyone out there joined any DNA study groups?
What is your experience?

I am about to join a Milliken family DNA group (but it only has 13 members so far) and will back report with the results in a month or so (I guess).  I believe this sort of thing could be a very useful tool in "absolutely" linking oneself into a particular branch of a family rather than wasting time chasing links to families which eventually prove to be unsubstantiated

Of course it may also show that my origins may not be "pure" Milliken after all my mother or someone in the past may have been a naughty boy or girl!

Gary

[stevenson]

Gary

I say you go for it.............but beware what they might find .........it could lead to more brickwalls than you had before............

But what every happens ...YOU BE PROUD OF YOUR ROOTS ......you might not ever get to find the truth ..............but you will have so much fun on the long road .........and find new relatives.. ..........and make new Friends.......and thats the best bits

You are who you are ,from the past........but what you do with it ..........is  in the future................far more important.

YES...I have had my DNA done ...........so to speak........it cost more to post it back..than to do....but worth every penny.

Found that my family lore about African links were correct and now.....well hopefully in my life time will be able to find the link.

I wish you well on your travels to you past......and if anyone wants my DNA.........just ask

Steve

[GaryOB]

Dear all

Just to report back, I did get a DNA sample tested and now have the results back.  Very interesting reading but I need to study further to really understand what they mean.  Two things stand out immediately;

(a) Another Milliken researcher and I had extended our family trees using informed guesswork and circumstantial evidence (as you do) and came to the conclusion that we had a common ancestor in mid 1700's.  Then two brothers in the Belfast area about 1800 prior to the divergence.  These parts of our research are not verified by paper evidence thus we realise they can not be relied on 
When my results were added to the Milliken surname project I found that I had a very close genetic match with this researcher to the extent that we would be considered close DNA cousins!! (One mutation in 43 markers).  Unfortunately it is not possible to accurately date when that mutation occured 

(b) Another Milliken researcher I have corresponded with for several years was researching a related cousin family but we assumed there was no direct link.  The origins were a group of brothers that crossed from Scotland in the religeous wars of the 17th Century.
Lo and behold we had an exact match on the DNA so here is another DNA cousin sometime within the last couple of hundred years, perhaps much more recent divergence than the 17th Century.  I need to learn more.

So no absolute answers from the test but it gives me a reason to focus on researching into these two families to find the common links 

Gary

[Stu Pike]

I'm the co-admin for the PIKE DNA surname project. Here is an update I just posted on ancestry.com.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

http://www.math.mun.ca/~dapike/family_history/pike/DNA/

At midyear, the PIKE/PYKE DNA Surname project is growing rapidly. We now have 74 individual members and the number of genetically different Pike family lines found so far is at least 28. Since last year, the number of clans in the British Isles is expanding so much we have displayed the results on a map.

http://www.math.mun.ca/~dapike/family_history/pike/DNA/index.php?content=results.html

Also, we have our first PIKE with a paper trail back to Germany! It will be fascinating to see where this leads to as more results come in.

Others have opined that DNA can be the most powerful tool in unblocking your family tree. It has revolutionized genealogy. Still, surveys show that a number of people don’t understand it, or believe it can’t help them. We have a number of links that explain the science, but here are three sources that give a good, easy to understand, layman’s overview.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11279426 Audio
http://www.dailynews.com/health/ci_6052468
http://www.familytreedna.com/videoaudio.html video

 Stu Pike

[geniecolgan]

Oh you lucky people. Y am I not a man, then I could get some answers.

[maryderry]

hello gary, more importantly, how much does it cost. (break it to me gently) lol.

                                   regards mary.

[Stu Pike]

There are several companies that do the testing. One of the largest is FamilyTreeDNA http://www.ftdna.com/ and they charge $99 US for the very, very basic 12 marker test. Due to international exchange rates, that means about 50 pounds for those of you on that side of the pond. The test is mail order and very easy.

Some surname projects provide sponsorships for new members who are short on cash, so try and locate a web page for your surname and ask them (if money is tight for you)
Stu Pike

[GaryOB]

Hi Mary

I did my test with DNA Heritage and it cost about £94 for a 43 marker test.  From my limited knowledge I would pay to get the extra markers as the 12 marker test doesn't really narrow things down enough.  It only really tells you that you are Scots Irish or something similar and you already probably know that.
With the 43 marker test I had only two very close matches (0 and 1 differences) which means I am relatively closely related to those researchers although we don't yet know the actual common ancestor at this time.  With the 12 marker test you could have a dozen differences with some in the database and not realise it.
I did my test through a one name study group which has the benefit of linking you to others most likely to have a match, and there is also a couple of much more experienced Name Study Leaders who help to interpret the results and put things into some context.

Hi geniecolgan

You can get the benefit of comparison to a Family Name Group is you get a brother or father to complete the test for you.  I am researching my mothers family line and got my Uncle to complete the test for me.

Gary

[maryderry]

gary, thanks for that, it is my husbands grandfather that we are interested in, would my husband be  close enough for a match.


                                         regards mary.