DNA testing

[RosemaryJoan]

Hello folks.  My husband and I (!!!!) are contemplating having DNA tests done to establish our roots.  Can anyone give us a contact and/or details of the services available?  Rosemary

[GaryOB]

Hi Rosemary

Try this site you can read about the different tests and click on dedicated surname studies.

http://www.familytreedna.com/

I actually called my mother to get her to do the same today!  You have to be careful, if I do the male test then I will go up through the paternal line but if I do the femail test I would go stright up the maternal line.  My mothers family study is dividing into two main origins.

If you do it I am sure there are many here who would like to hear your story and conclusions.

Gary

[GaryOB]

Hello again Rosemary

Here are a few more links to DNA articles that might help.  You will also see some erly results form Milliken DNA studies which are immediately showing two seperate origins of this family name.
The more "markers" you have tested, the more chance of establishing a common ancestor.  Although this depends on having others contribute their DNA results to your family test.

http://www.millican.com.au/DNA.htm

I remember a couple of years ago there was a mass test of a family name up in Yorkshire which revealed some interesting results as well as identifying that a number of family members found they did not have the family DNA.  Either there had been anadoption at some stage or a birth as a result of an affair!!

Gary

[RosemaryJoan]

I have just read this article on
http://isteve.blogspot.com/2005/01/ancestrybydna.html
Now we are not so sure that it would be worthwhile trying this test. We are trying to prove that my husband's line in mostly Irish. Any views?  Rosemary

[GaryOB]

Hi Rosemary

I presume you know your husbands surname and probable origins (ie he wasn't adopted for example), if so, then a paternal DNA test linking into a surname study could "prove" a link to other researchers of the same name.  In which case, it would be well worth doing.
As a bonus you could check your information with any matches.

Gary

[PaulineJ]

I remember a couple of years ago there was a mass test of a family name up in Yorkshire which revealed some interesting results as well as identifying that a number of family members found they did not have the family DNA.  Either there had been anadoption at some stage or a birth as a result of an affair!!

Was it this one? I recall an article in "New Scientist" too.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/06/10/ndna10.xml

Pauline

[GaryOB]

Hi Pauline

I actually think the study I was thinking of was Prof Sykes own family name.  When I wrote my message I couldn't think of the name but there was something about an old english comedy actor that kept going through my mind.  I realise now it was Eric Sykes I was trying to remember.

Gary

[dapike]

Hi Rosemary and everybody else too.

The article you refer to at http://isteve.blogspot.com/2005/01/ancestrybydna.html tests autosomal DNA and purports to report on ethnic origins.  This type of test is not the one that you would want to do for genealogy, so there's no wonder that the article raised some doubt in your mind!

What you really want to explore are tests for (1) your mitochondrial DNA (or mtDNA for short), and (2) your husband's Y-DNA (that is, his Y chromosome).

mtDNA is inherited from one's direct female line of ancestry and will therefore reveal information about that line.  Similarly, men inherit their Y-chromosome from their father, and so it can reveal information about their direct paternal lineage.  For more details about this, a while ago I wrote "A Gentle Introduction to Genetic Genealogy" to try to explain some of this but without getting too technical.  It's online at http://www.math.mun.ca/~dapike/GIGG/gigg.pdf

I would also recommend that people check out the resources that are available from the website of the International Society of Genetic Genealogy at http://www.isogg.org

ISOGG membership is *free*.  Also of interest is that ISOGG sponsors a "DNA-NEWBIE" forum at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DNA-NEWBIE/ where newcomers can ask questions about DNA and genealogy.

ISOGG also has two webpages that compare the services of a number of DNA companies.
For mtDNA:  http://www.isogg.org/mtdnachart.htm
For Y-DNA:  http://www.isogg.org/ydnachart.htm

Oxford Ancestors in the UK is one of these companies, but in my opinion, you are better off by doing your testing through the National Geographic Society's Genographic Project at https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/
The DNA analysis that they do is much the same as that of Oxford, but at a much lower price.  You also get a spiffy DVD from National Geographic.  And when your results come out, you then have on your personal webpage with National Geographic an option to upload (for free) your DNA results into the database of FamilyTreeDNA (http://www.familytreedna.com) which enables you to find out about living people with whom you might have a genetic match [this upload option is a bit obscure though, but be sure to look for it near the bottom of the page that shows your test results].  You can also upgrade your DNA tests (that is, ask for more refined testing), which is a good thing since the tests that National Geographic is having done reveal more about anthropological origins than recent family ties.  FamilyTreeDNA will keep your DNA sample from National Geographic in storage so that there is usually no need to send in another DNA sample for any additional tests.

In fairness, I should disclose that I am very much in favour of using DNA to assist with genealogy.  I have been voluntarily coordinating the Pike DNA Project since 2004, and am an advisor to ISOGG.  As for National Geographic and FamilyTreeDNA, I'm a satisfied customer of both (and to be clear, I do not receive any incentive for recommending their services).

I hope that you find this information helpful. 

- David.

[RosemaryJoan]

Dear David,  Many thanks for clearing up some of our questions.  I shall study your message in detail and probably go further with the tests.  Thanks for your time.  Rosemary