DNA Testing - Why Not

[Jackiemh]

Knowing my luck, I would do my DNA and get no 'matches' on it!
From what I understand, the numbers of people who have done the test can only give a general outline of a possible connection. So, I will wait and see what develops.
Jackie

[heywood]

Jackie,
I don't understand the various technical arguments put forward here. I also can see that people have various reasons for thinking about being tested and some of these reasons are quite emotional and personal.
In my case I just wanted to see what was revealed about my origins, not to particularly connect with people. The Ancestry test provided that - mainly what I knew or deduced in terms of places.
What I find interesting and even a bit magical about the test is, that in the matches given, my best match is a 2nd cousin - already known to me but others in the list originate from my family's particular place in Ireland, from what I can see, and from which there was much emigration to USA. It also shows a connection to someone I had corresponded with years ago when we couldn't prove anything and there are no records available.
One match shows as 3rd or 4th cousin in Australia and I realised that I knew some of her relatives when I was a child.  I can now see what the connection was. I have to say that I had already established that by records now published so I know that would give weight to the premise that you don't need a test!
I was advised on here to upload my results to Gedmatch and I only did that a few days ago. Someone contacted me - same area origins and we explored a closer match and that has proven to be a second cousin once removed.
So, there is my story - not a bit technical just enjoyable. I am perhaps fortunate because of the pattern of emigration. I know others have written that they have had no matches or not found the missing link. I wouldn't dismiss it though.

heywood

[DevonCruwys]

Jackie

If you take an autosomal DNA test at AncestryDNA, Family Tree DNA (the Family Finder test) or 23andMe you are guaranteed to have lots of matches. At a rough estimate I would say that the average person with English ancestry is getting about 1200 matches at FTDNA, about 8000 matches at Ancestry and about 800 matches at 23andMe. If you have Irish or Scottish ancestry you're likely to get many more matches. Each company has different thresholds for what constitutes a match so the numbers aren't directly comparable.

The vast majority of your matches will be in the fifth to distant cousin range where it's difficult if not impossible to determine the genealogical connection. However, most people are now getting at least a handful of closer matches where they can work out how they are related. A second cousin of mine in New Zealand that I hadn't been in contact with for a long time recently tested at AncestryDNA. I've also got a few other third and fourth cousins where I've established a connection.  It's very satisfying when you can make the genetic connection to confirm the genealogical relationship.

[Jackiemh]

Thank you Heywood and DevonCruwys for your comments.
It makes me think that if I do the DNA test, it should not be for a specific outcome more as a tool for my family history research and out of curiosity.
Time to get my thinking cap on.
Jackie

[DevonCruwys]

Jackie

DNA testing works best if you have a particular hypothesis in mind, eg, do two men share the same surname or do two people share the same great-grandparents? For these scenarios you'd need to find the appropriate candidates for testing.

However, you can just test out of curiosity to see what matches you get. 

[Pejic]

Given the following descent over 6 generations, and given that only JAH, RLC, GPC, HOC and PMC are available for testing (all of whom are reluctant!)
AEM (m) = LMH (f)
   ICEM (f) = Unknown 1 (m)
      LIM (f)= PEH (m)
         JAH (f) = PC (m)
            RLC (f)
            GPC (m) = SA (f)
               HOC (m)
               PMC (f)

Can you suggest a test to confirm that Unknown 1 is or is not AEM

Given that AEM is NOT Unknown 1, what would be the best tests to get into which databases in case a relative of Unknown 1 ever gets tested as well? (other than all in each)

[RobertCasey]

Your project fits atDNA testing since you have only three generations from JAH to AEM. However, you need different testers than just direct descendants as you show. You really need more descendants of AEM (other than ICEM) and more descedants of ICEM (other than LIM).

Even if you use YDNA, you also need a different set of testers for optimum results. It would be very helpful to two male descendants of AEM, ICEM and LIM. If you test YDNA of all one male line, it will only imply / confirm that they descend from the same male. With you limited list of testers, YDNA would not provide any useful information. Your need to test male decendants of different sons of your oldest proven male ancestor and different grandsons of your oldest proven male ancestor.

[Pejic]

Thank you Robert.

I have now added some more known, which is the complete descent from ICEM, which of males is a great grandson (GPC) and 2 GG grand sons (HOC and MAM), these 3 are also the only male offspring (I generation later of LIM.

ICEM had 3 siblings who married and had children, but I have not tried to track them or their descendants down.

The expanded 6 generation tree is now:
AEM (m) = LMH (f)
   ICEM (f) = Unknown 1 (m)
      LIM (f)= PEH (m)
----------------------------------------------------------dead above, alive below
         JAH (f) = PC (m)
            RLC (f)
            GPC (m) = SA (f)
               HOC (m)
               PMC (f)
         AMH (f) = HB (m)
            CB (f) = LGM (m)
               MAM (m)
               OGM (f)

What test(s) of the living people would confirm that Unknown is or is not AEM?

If AEM is not 'Unknown' which tests of the living people would potentially reveal descendants of Unknown's parents

If AEM is not 'Unknown', what could any DNA tests on any of the living people reveal about 'Unknown'?

I need details of the tests because, although I do not understand how they work, I want to leave instructions for any of my grandchildren who might be interested in taking the baton over from me, and I am keen to make sure that any useful sample contributors do not cross my dotted line before they can be persuaded to part with a scraping.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

I am working on discovering living descendants of ICEM's siblings

[RobertCasey]

Pejic -

I am afraid that neither YDNA testing or atDNA testing will be able to answer your question with only the living descendants found in your list. DNA is a matching system of sorts. You need other living descendants of AEM or ICEM to see if you match other living individuals.

For YDNA, I am assuming that ICEM is the daughter of AEM, so this breaks the all male line that is required for YDNA testing. So for the list that you provided, YDNA can not determine AEM is the ancestor of the people on your list. Unless you can locate a male descendant of AEM to test, YDNA testing will not work for your list of testing candidates.

For atDNA testing, you need proven descendants of two children of AEM (male or female) to determine who is related to AEM. You only have one - so somebody else who is a descendant of AEM would have to test to determine a common ancestor.

With so few generations, atDNA testing would probably be the best. You could test and passively wait for descendants of AEM to test to see if any of your living relatives match. With the list of living testers, you can not use YDNA since there is no direct all male descendants of AEM in your list.