DNA testing - genetic genealogy

[DevonCruwys]

For those of you who have been following this thread I thought you might like to know that Family Tree DNA currently have a special offer for the Family Finder test when ordered in combination either with a basic mtDNA or Y-DNA test. I've put details on my blog with the equivalent sterling prices:

http://cruwys.blogspot.com/2010/10/family-finder-offer-from-family-tree.html

Debbie Kennett

[helvissa]

Thanks for this - my friend's been reading this thread and he wants to go for a Y-DNA test, but I think he's going for the 37-marker test.

A question: if someone is a female adoptee, is it worth them doing the test? I assume they could only do the mitochondrial test? There's no way necessarily of doing the Y-test or find their father, other than doing a Family Finder test? (but maybe for 37-markers?).

[DevonCruwys]

A female adoptee can take both the Family Finder test and the mitochondrial DNA test. It's more difficult finding matches with the mtDNA test. If you have a common haplogroup such as haplogroup H people can often have literally thousands of matches. Upgrading to the HRV1+HVR2 can help to refine the matches. The gold standard is the full sequence mtDNA test which refines matches within a genealogical timeframe but this is still fairly new, and is of course much more expensive.

[DevonCruwys]

Sorry I forgot to say that your friend's best bet initially is probably to go for the 37-marker Y-DNA test. If he goes with the current offer he would have to order the upgrade from 12 markers to 37 markers. There is usually a sale on the Y-DNA tests in November or December.

[helvissa]

Yes, he's going to look out for those (well... I'll look out for them and let him know!).

Thanks!

[Redroger]

American namebearers of my surname have suggested a 65 marker test. Does this confer any real advantage other than to the profitability of the company concerned?

[DevonCruwys]

A 37-marker test should usually suffice for matches with people with the same surname.

A 67-marker test can sometimes be useful, especially if you want to eliminate matches with other surnames or you are interested in deep ancestry. If you have a particularly common haplotype then you can sometimes have quite a few matches with different surnames at 37 markers. You can always upgrade to 67 markers at a later date if necessary.

Debbie

[Annie65115]

I think I'll be going back to basics with my question below. It may be that it's been answered above somewhere, in which case I apologise, but I've tried to read the thread and got bogged down in other peoples' names etc!

Anyway - I'm female, my father is dead and my brother would not agree to testing. So that would rule out y-DNA testing.

I can trace my maternal line back confidently some 8 generations (excluding me) in the Midlands- back to a Nottinghamshire lass born in the 1760s. This number of generations is more than is mentioned in some of the testing companies' promo literature.

I know that I have a tissue type which is common in Lapland, but I also have olive skin and a family history (on my father's side) of illness common along the silk route! So I would love to know where my distant ancestors came from (ie before Nottinghamshire, haha!) - but I think that was almost certainly handed down in my father's line so I don't suppose I can go anywhere with that.

Now, bearing in mind those comments, if I were to get DNA testing, "what's in it for me"? What extra information would it give me, beyond what I've mentioned above?

[NJK]

Hi, Annie,

I noticed that no one has tried to answer your question, so I will give it a go.  I am an American and I manage several DNA projects.

Although you cannot take a Y-DNA test because you do not have a Y chromosome, you can take an MT-DNA test, which is a test of your mitochondrial DNA.  This is DNA you inherited from your mother and it traces your direct maternal line.  This test will tell you about your deep maternal roots pre-Nottinghamshire.

You can also take an AT-DNA test which is a test of your autosomal DNA.  One of the reasons people take AT-DNA tests is to discover how their DNA compares to populations from around the world.  The AT-DNA test offered by Family Tree DNA shows the amount of ancestry you share with four different major population groups from around the world.

As Debbie Kennett mentioned in an earlier message, Family Tree DNA is currently offering a sale on a combination MT-DNA and AT-DNA test.  Please note that Family Tree DNA calls their autosomal test the Family Finder test.  Here is a link to their website where you can read more about it:   http://www.familytreedna.com/Default.aspx?c=1

Sincerely,
Nancy Kiser