RootsChat.Com
General => Ancestral Family Tree DNA Testing => Topic started by: Romilly on Thursday 08 December 05 08:42 GMT (UK)
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Hello there,
I was recently sent an email by Ancestry.com about DNA testing in Genealogy...discover your genetic roots, etc...
I wondered if anyone on here had tried it?
Romilly:-)
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Can't say that I have and not sure I would want to.
I'll stick with finding out who I am by the actions, professions and life stories I find through research and my family history.
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Hello,
I would also be interested in your findings from this post. A friend of mine would love to trace what her "real" surname was by DNA testing.
Her grandfather was a foundling and she has no way of tracing the family from him backwards, but although he was given the name Pierce would love to know what his real surname was.
I have heared that from DNA testing you can decifer a surname......
Lemon
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Most offers of DNA testing seem to come from the US.
Going on recent events, I'd be extrememly wary of letting any US body or corporation even get a whiff of my DNA.
I would however be interested in the results if carried out under guaranteed confidentiality.
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You have to be quite careful, apparently companies can appropriate YOUR DNA sequence :o, which means it's not yours to do with as you liek any more ??? Quite what us mere mortals can actually do with it is beyond me :-\ I mean I'm not about to clone myself ;D...I wouldn't even if I could...but do I want someone else with the copyright to my DNA...I think not :P
That said I would love to have it done...remember a few years back that teacher in the Cheddar area who was related to that 30,000 year old skeleton they found...how cool is that 8)
And they can tell how your maternal ancestors migrated...so am I a Celt, a Roman, Anglo-Saxon?? I would love to know...I know it's not the whole me, but...fascinating. ;D ;D
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That said I would love to have it done...remember a few years back that teacher in the Cheddar area who was related to that 30,000 year old skeleton they found...how cool is that 8)
And they can tell how your maternal ancestors migrated...so am I a Celt, a Roman, Anglo-Saxon?? I would love to know...I know it's not the whole me, but...fascinating. ;D ;D
Hi there,
Yes, that's my feeling too...I'd love to know.
Of course you can only be tested for the maternal line if you're female/paternal line if you're male...so I suppose you'd have to persuade a father or brother to get tested too...if you wanted the whole picture:-)))
Best Wishes, Romilly.
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Hi Romilly,
There is a British organization at Oxford University called Oxford Ancestors. It is interesting to take a look at their Web site. (Also try Googling DNA+Oxford)
What they offer is your connection to a number of maternal/paternal Ancestral "clan" "mothers" or "fathers" way back in the dim and distant past!!
However as we are all descended from these small number of basic ancestors, it is possible to contact others with a similar DNA sequence!! But it looks fearfully complicated and very expensive . Seemingly some people have proved connections from the Middle ages.and a common ancestor (I read that in a National newspaper and the BBC have an article about them.)
Personally I wouldn't want to go to those lengths ,but it is interesting .
Springbok
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Hi Springbok,
Thanks for the info...I'll take a look at that site.
Cheers, Romilly.
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Hi Romilly,
If you are a reader you might find "The Seven Daughters of Eve" by Brian Sykes of interest.
I found it a very readable book and was fascinated by the information.
Beth
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Hi Romilly,
What have you started - this arrived in my mail box today!!
FamilyTree DNA recently made available two $30 "gift certificates" applicable for two new Bateman Y-DNA tests, either 25 or 37 markers, provided that the tests are paid for by Dec. 31, 2005. One of these certificates is still available as of this writing, and I will see that it is applied on behalf of the first person who contacts me by email wanting to order a DNA test kit.
If you have been considering participating in this project, now is a good time to get started. After applying the gift certificate, the net testing cost will be $139 for a 25-marker test or $189 for a 37 marker test (plus about $2 postage to return the test kit).
If there is no response from someone in this group within a few days, I will offer the rermaining gift certificate in other forums.
Hoping to hear from someone .....
Interesting - rather expensive - and I wonder how accurate your results would be - a bit like genesunited - lots of questions and no answers!!
Cheers
Keith
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Hello Keith,
It does sound a bit pricey...I wonder if anyone on here has tried it?
Best Wishes, Romilly:-)
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I had my mtDNA tested a few years ago by Oxford Ancestors. By law they do not keep your sample, although I believe the US testing companies do. It is another interesting way to approach genealogy, but also totally fascinating as regards man's journey out of Africa and around the world.
I do recommend Brian Sykes book, as mentioned above. He is Professor of Human Genetics at Oxford University, and started Oxford Ancestors. Have a look at OA's website and read the FAQs, recommended reading list, etc.
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I had my mtDNA tested a few years ago by Oxford Ancestors. By law they do not keep your sample, although I believe the US testing companies do. It is another interesting way to approach genealogy, but also totally fascinating as regards man's journey out of Africa and around the world.
I do recommend Brian Sykes book, as mentioned above. He is Professor of Human Genetics at Oxford University, and started Oxford Ancestors. Have a look at OA's website and read the FAQs, recommended reading list, etc.
Hello there,
Many thanks for all the info above, - much appreciated!
Btw...did your test tell you anything radically different to what your research had led you to believe?
Best Wishes, Romilly.
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The DNA Surname Projects are very interesting, in the Morrison Project for example we have 107 families represented of which 63 of 102 participants with results available (or 62%) have at least one match.
These matches have in some cases helped to overcome 'brickwalls' and although Americans in particular have really benefited by being able to trace back to their Scottish roots, I am sure that in time as the project grows it will be of benefit to those of us this side of the pond who are also stuck i.e. Me :)
Have a look at the results on
http://home.mindspring.com/~efholcombe/index_files/Page1667.htm
even if you are not called Morrison it will still give you an idea, most Projects operate in the same way. If you are called Morrison, why not think about it?
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Hi Romilly - I haven't tried it but I have come across a lot of people who have and I'm yet to understand it! My Grandma's surname was Stewart and it has become quite a hindrance, as whenever I try to look any Stewarts eg: message boards, mailing lists, I am completely bombarded by our Amercan cousins doing DNA tests to see if they have blue blood! From their DNA results it seems millions have! On a serious note - I would tread very carefully before giving any hard earned money.
At the end of the day the fun is trying to find out how and where we are all linked.
Fiona
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Hi Fiona,
Thanks for sharing your views on DNA testing.
I was actually considering it as a Christmas present for my husband. We discovered when his father died recently, that his father, (my husband's grandfather) had actually been killed in WW1, - 3yrs before my father-in-law was born!
It makes tracing his Ancestors very difficult...
All Best Wishes, Romilly.
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Romilly - aaah now I understand. Could there have been a mistake made with his date of death? I know a little but not much about deaths in WW1 as my G Grandad also died in battle. If mistakes were made - possibly try posting a question on the armed forces section on this site about the subject. If you pay for a DNA test will that only tell you who is father wasn't - rather than who is father was?
Just a thought and good luck with your search - please let me know how you get on as I would love to know.
Best wishes
Fiona
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Romilly - aaah now I understand. Could there have been a mistake made with his date of death? I know a little but not much about deaths in WW1 as my G Grandad also died in battle. If mistakes were made - possibly try posting a question on the armed forces section on this site about the subject. If you pay for a DNA test will that only tell you who is father wasn't - rather than who is father was?
Just a thought and good luck with your search - please let me know how you get on as I would love to know.
Best wishes
Fiona
Hello again,
No...no mistakes I'm afraid:-(
My father-in-law had kept the notification of the death...also his mother's diary; which is worthy of a novel by Sebastian Faulkes:-))
Sadly, it means that all of my research into the Holman's in Somerset is for nought...
We were amazed that his father had never mentioned it while he was alive!!
Best Wishes, Romilly.
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Wow what an amazing story. The diary must be a fascinating read, I wish my ancestors left diaries. I read somewhere that 1 in 10 people have a different father, than the person they believe is their biological father. It's probably one of those made up statistics as I have no idea how this could be measured. Gosh so their are a whole bunch of "new" rellies out there. Please keep me informed as this story sounds more interesting than a Catherine Cookson novel!
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There is an old saying, "It is a wise child that knows it's own Father"
How true, and I've often thought that the Mother's Surname should be taken
and not the Fathers.
Just think how our Name searches would be differant! Mind boggling to think of
the implications
Springbok
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I don't personally think I would give any of these companies one cent to have a sample of my DNA in their files. Maybe I am just a wee bit too suspicious, but I don't trust them. Period.
I'm in the states, and I too have heard that the US based companies keep your sample. I'm sorry, but that smacks of "Big Brother" to me. I plain flat don't trust ANY government source any more.
I have went into the various websites and have contacted many people who HAVE submitted their DNA in searching for their Quinn ancestry. Not one of them has had anything good to say about the results. They were all given very vague answers, such as "well, you possibly COULD be related to this line, but we don't have enough in our files, but it LOOKS LIKE you most possibly are related to XXX. However, we can't be sure of this."
For the amount of money they ask, that's a bit too vague for me!
And I have ALWAYS had THIS question: My family, of course, want to trace ourselves back to King Niall of Ireland. We know we are descended from him, history has recorded this fact. But wouldn't it be nice to prove it without question once and for all?
So, given this....would they not need DNA from King Niall? Or at the very least, from one of his sons or grandsons? There has to be some basis to test us against to make the connection, right?
So, where are these people buried? From what I have read, they don't KNOW the location of these burial places! So, if there is no body to draw DNA from, then there's no basis to test against.
That right there tells me that it's as much a money making scam as the one offering to "let you buy a star and name it after someone for eternity." Yeah, right. Stars are named by a government body, and they are not given names. They are given numbers. Period. You can't buy a star, period.
Patty
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I agree with you Patty
If they wanted a sample for free because they were doing research for a university project or something I would happily oblige but when they start charging silly money it begins to smell like a scam. I'm not usually suspicious but when they start to pressurise the only winner is their bank balance! >:(
In Scotland there were lots of septs affiliated to clans. You didn't have to have any blood links to be a part of it. Only to accept the head of the clan as leader and do whatever dirty work he wanted done :-\ How can they trace that ?
Like you I don't know how they can link back to someone whose very existence is almost mythical. Maybe that why churches used to keep relicts and bits of saints (they knew that DNA testing would come along one of these centuries!!)
Keep your bits intact and your cash in your wallet.
Russell
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The DNA Surname Projects and testing in general are a matter of choice - your choice and I think it is unfortunate that anybody gets bombarded with mails from groups or companies .... it seems to have left everybody with a lot of negativity about it.
I am in a surname project, just a member, have no connection with the administration of it and will not gain financially. Neither will our Adminstrator, who in this case is very good and our results and any connections are very clear and easy to understand.
I joined the project as I am at a complete standstill with my direct family line in 1800, which if you think about it is still quite early and well within the bounds of documentation. I hope to find somebody else with the same sequence which will give me some idea what happened to them and I look upon it as another 'source'.
I know that I have no blue blood, come from a line of Ag Lab's and do not expect to find any 'famous' genealogy, I don't care, just like all the rest of the people posting here and on other boards - I just want to know who they were and where they went!
There are some very good points raised in this thread, Patty is right, if the location of King Niall's grave is not known and she can't find a reliable source of his DNA, she can't test against him. But what if she found someone else with the same sequence who had reached an independent conclusion that they were also his descendants, wouldn't that also tell something?
The point about the Clan Septs is really apt, what if for example your name is Campbell and you joined a project and discovered that your sequence matched a MacDonald? Or in the case of the Morrison clan, did the Isle of Lewis really produce all these people with the 17th most common name in Scotland? Or again with Morrison, the great one 'R' - two 'R' debate? There is more to come out the testing for genealogy as whole ....
Romilly, If you want to give your husband a DNA test for Christmas and you can afford it, you should go ahead and do it. As Fiona said, it won't tell you who his grandfather really was, at least not today but it might in the future and Fiona was spot on with her comment "At the end of the day the fun is trying to find out how and where we are all linked"
regards,
Lindsay
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Lindsay - I do agree with you - if she has the money to do this and thnks he might like the gift, by all means, yes. Find a reliable company and go with them.
And I am very sure that some people have had wonderful success with this project. It's just with my line, no one involved in it has been able to get competent results - in fact nothing that really would help any person that is testing to find connections.
We only get "possible," "could be," "maybe." That's not enough for me to spend my money.
For those who do gain more information, hooray! I'm very glad it worked for you. I just think in my lineage case, there's too darn many of us, and there's nothing concrete to base or compare the results to.
All of us are related to each other, we already know that. We'd just like to figure out exactly where we connect. I don't think this testing would help us.
Patty
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Hello all,
Lindsay alerted me to this thread of posts and thought I might be able to add some perspective. I am administrator of two DNA surname projects, one of them the Morrison project that Lindsay mentioned. I am also Historian of Clan Morrison Society of North America, and the board of directors of our organization has approved our project.
Over the years I have tried to help many Morrisons with their genealogical research and have accumulated files on hundreds of Morrison families. I have a special interest in trying to learn more on the origins of my own Morrisons, my mother's family, and that is one major reason why I started the Morrison DNA Project. For those considering DNA testing, I'll give a little case history.
My earliest Morrison here in South Carolina was an orphan. It took me years of traditional research to trace him from South Carolina back to Pennsylvania. Then only from the records in Pennsylvania did I learn that his grandfather came from somewhere in Ulster. Further research into the family of his grandmother told me that the family probably lived near Coleraine in the early 1700's, but I was unable to find any definite record of the family there.
That was until a certain other Morrison joined our project out of the blue. He was an exact DNA match with my Morrison uncle! What did he know about his family? Very little. They were more recent immigrants to America. However, I was able to use American vital records to trace his family back to Johnstone, Scotland, in the 1860's. And then I was able to use Scottish vital records to take the family back another generation, only to learn that they had moved there from Ireland.
It seemed that I was stuck again, but it turned out that the unusual given names in the two earliest generations were only found in one parish in Ireland. And that parish was only about 8 miles from Coleraine. If it had not been for the DNA match, I would never have had this confirmation of my research.
Pressing my luck, I contacted a Morrison family still living in this parish, explained my research and asked if they would be willing to participate in the DNA matching project at my expense. Fortunately, they agreed and I found that this Morrison family was also a match with mine. I still don't know where my Morrisons lived in Scotland, but I'm confident that there will be DNA matches in Scotland, too, given more time and more DNA project participants.
So in summary, DNA research has been a great benefit to me in tracing my family. Not everyone will have the same success right away. Over 60% of the Morrisons in our project have matches, but that means that almost 40% do not. I suspect that the percentage of matches will go up as more Morrison families are represented in the project.
I'm convinced that DNA research is most effective when used in combination with traditional research. If your research tells you that you might be related to a particular family with the same surname, DNA can be used for confirmation. Some people do join our project without doing any research, and some of these get lucky and are able to connect up with other Morrisons right away. Others do all kinds of research, but still have not found a connection. DNA is a powerful tool for family research, and the benefits from it are real, but it is just a tool and not a magic wand.
25-marker Y-chromosome DNA tests currently cost about $140-$175 US depending on the testing company, but there are also tests available at no charge. This cost may seem like less when one considers the cost of a weekend trip to do traditional research or the time it can save by not researching the wrong family. Many of the participants in our project have sponsored tests for other families, particularly those who still live in an ancestral homeland. We are most grateful to those who have agreed to participate in this way to help us all unravel the history of our families. All of the testing companies that I am aware of have strict privacy procedures so that DNA results and identities of testees are not released to others without permission. In any event, the DNA marker results that we use in our surname projects are specific to families, and not individuals.
I hope this answers some of the questions that have been raised. I'll be glad to try address any others. More information can be found at the Morrison DNA Project website, or I can be reached by e-mailing morrisondna at mindspring.com.
Edwin Holcombe
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Thanks Edwin
You have made the point that there is ethical testing - then there is jumping on a bandwagon - which some companies have done. We, the punters, don't know which company follows which line.
Your study sounds excellent - pity there are no Morisons in my line. We do have a Johnstone connection though..........and Irish...........
I feel you have clarified my thinking a bit and I agree with some of the others that it is down to personal feelings and preferences.
Go ahead Romilly at least they don't use great big needles for specimens in my experience (nursing) men reacted badly when they saw a needle and syringe! ???
This has been an enlightening thread
thanks Russell
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Hello All,
Many thanks to everyone who responded to this thread. (Special thanks to Edwin for explaining so clearly how it has helped him with tracing his ancestral roots).
I feel that I know a lot more about DNA Testing now than I did...:-)
I'm going to print all your replies off & read them all through carefully.
All Best Wishes, Romilly.
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Thanks for the kind comments. With DNA testing as with most other things, it pays to do your homework. Most testing companies are reputable, but it helps to know what DNA test to order and what to expect from the results before placing an order for the test. There are many good surname projects that can help with this homework. Even if no such project exists for your own surname, a review of some of the other projects can let you know what to expect and what not to expect.
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oooh :( Now I really want to do it, but hubby can't see the point, and it's too much money for me to just do it unilaterally :-\ - Oh well, never mind, perhaps by the time I retire, and if my lump sum is worth anything by then, perhaps the cost will have come down and .... ;D ;D, until then it's back to the census and parish records ;D
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Perhaps Rootschat could get involved with one of the more reputable and good companies and arrange for a bulk discount for all rootschatters? They could then match us up with our closest fellow rootschatter. If they can do all of Iceland ?!?
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Perhaps Rootschat could get involved with one of the more reputable and good companies and arrange for a bulk discount for all rootschatters? They could then match us up with our closest fellow rootschatter. If they can do all of Iceland ?!?
Hello,
What a good idea!
I'm sure I must have some Icelandic DNA somewhere...:-)
Best Wishes, Romilly.
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;D
Now wheres my Icelandic sweater?
On second thoughts the Icelandic naming system must be rather difficult to follow for genealogy! Johnsdottir and Johnsson, Sigurdsdottir and so on......
I would get lost by about the third generation!!! Give me Scotlands 1st daughter maternal grandmothers name; 1st son paternal grandfathers name.... easy.
Russell
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Fascinating stuff!My roots are already very roughly,known.
From Scandinavia,Scotland,Ireland.
From' Yurrup',Belgium,France,Spain.
From the Med;regionPhoenicia,Italy,Greece.
That,s enough to make any expert dizzy dont you think?
What puzzles me is this,combined with Forensic Science a complete life history can be re-constructed shoe size and regular diet included ;but I havent yet seen a definite age's old person definitely said to be the ancestor of a 'today's' person.
Also we now have legal argument's in the case of D.N.A being a deciciding factor,one expert contradicting another,as per usual.If two people canbe found with matching D.N.A,how many more if the search were wider?
Time at keyboard,=increased vacuity!
Goggy. ;)
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Hi Guys
I just watched a recorded episode of Who do you think you are Colin Jackson.
Now he sent an DNA sample away for analysis.
Question is where do you do that. I'm desperate to find out my Grandfathers history as he is part South African and for once and for all I would like to know if he is indeed made up of something else.
Thanks
Paul
Moderator Comment: topics merged
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Do you want to know your ancestral history that pre-dates birth/marriage/census records? Well you can with genetic testing... I dont speak as a geneticist, but as a guinea pig, who has just been tested, and in response to some encouragement from my fellow chat room members, I can report the following:-
First of all, you can get your DNA tested by any dna lab, even your own doctor will for a fee, take a sample to be sent away for analysis. However, as with everything, the tests can vary greatly.
If you want to look over a very easy-to-read and understand synopsis about genetic dna testing I can recommend http://www.genebase.com
That is where I had my Y-DNA (paternal test) done and the results have blown me away !
Genebase biolabs are highly respected in the field of genetic research, based in Vancouver, Canada. Their site provides a great look into the world of dna testing (the what, where and when). If you want anymore info about the test or the process just leave a reply, and I shall endeavour to answer any queries. As I said, I have been tested so I can pass on some info if you are interested.
There are two tests avaialble. The Y-DNA (paternal test) and the MTDNA test (maternal). To date, I have had the paternal test done and have just ordered the maternal test (after being pleased with the quality and amount of information you get for your money). Incidentally, the website explains how much the tests cost.
I can vouch for the full 44 marker test which will provide you with a complete breakdown of your DNA. We all apparently carry our ancestral genes with us, and by analysing saliva swab samples (taken from right and left side of the gum - where else!), genetic scientists are able to predict your ancestral heritage - and I mean ancestral. Like 35,000 years ago ancestral !
For genebase, all you do is register your interest online, order the kit which comes by post from Canada (to take the sample), pay for it, when kit arrives (a few days later) follow the really simple instructions (i.e. wash mouth out before taking sample, wash hands and ensure you dont contaminate the sawb - they only want the saliva!), send back in the hermitically sealed package/envelope, log on the website (using your own password) to follow the process and once complete read through, print off all the results.
And, the results are quite something.
So, what do you get for your money?
You get a DNA certificate authenticated by genetrack biolabs (genebase technologies) which outlines your individual DNA markers.
A test result report that stipulates your haplogroup (racial origin)
A prediction strength report (ranging from low, medium to strong). If you score a low report you need to be re-tested (to ensure a good reading first time, make sure your hands and mouth are clean and that you read, follow and understand the instructions before taking the sample).
A migration map showing the route your ancestors took 35,000 years or so ago.
Access to an interactive global map to identify the locations of your modern kins folk (those that share the same 100 x Great Grandfather for example !)
And best of all, you get what we really all want from genetic testing, you get a breakdown of your ancestral origins (in percentage format). Whether you undertake the paternal, maternal or both sides of your family line, you can find out what set percentage your origins really are.
Websites like wikipedia will give you an idea of the full range of possible ancestral origins. Doing a genetic test will confirm what you may already believe to be true.
But beware to be surprised.
I have found out that I am 46.05% from Na-dene stock (the ancient peoples of the pacific north west) and I am 10 generations or pure Scottish blood. The high percentage what is effectively american indian origin certainly explains the jet black hair and dark eyes (ohh and my fondness for nature and going barefoot).
I think I have rambled on enough for one post. If anyone is interested, please dont hesitate to ask if you want to find out a little more. I dont claim to be an expert, I'm just a guinea pig who has been freed.
I am found in the chat room from time to time, so drop by if you like. Its a lot of fun, and you'll meet a lot of really smashing people.
Best wishes (from your barefooted 46% apache proof)
Kojak :-)
Moderator Comment: topics merged
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Hi Guys
Thanks Rick had a look mate and been blown away by all the kaffufle!!
LOL :o
Hi Kojak, I thought you would have no hair [explains the jet black hair and dark eyes
LOL ;D
Well thankyou very much for the layman termed explanation. I have joined a DNA forum and to be honest they are blowing me away with their explanations LOL!!
I have come to the conclusion that I will need both the the Y-DNA (paternal test) and the MTDNA test (maternal). This is because I think my Great Great Grandfather was European and his wife was of coloured descent.
I will check out the site you recommended.
Cheers
Paul
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Hi Paul,
My respect for Tele Savalas doesnt go that far to shave my hair to the bone! LOL
No problem. Any queries just ask...
The science can be a bit OTT i have to admit, but I accept most people (including myself), want to know the results without all the technical aspects of the Y chromosonal marker attributes. LOL
One simple thing to remember (and where some people get tripped up) is:
The Y-DNA test will test your fathers, fathers fathers etc side
The mtDNA test will test your mothers, mothers, mothers etc side
To test the maternal name (carried by a male) , you need to have a brother, a son or nephew of a son to be tested.
Hope this helps, and enjoy reading up about DNA research.
Regards,
Kojak :D
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Wow, this is something I'm going to have to get done! But, confusing or what!!! ???
My chief interest at the moment is my fathers maternal side, so could that be got from my DNA, or do I need to get my Dad's DNA?
Kojak, I guess you're based in North America and thats why you used a lab in Vancouver, would it still be worth using that lab over here in the UK?
Mark
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Hi Mark,
It can be confusing, so I hope I can make it less so...
I am Scottish and live in Scotland. I used genebase as I know a bit about them (I dabbled with dna research years ago, but never tested myself).
There a several labs offering to undertake the dna research. A quick search on google will show just how many. I can vouch for genebase, but they are by no means the only option.
To be honest the reason I chose them was twofold. Firstly, I knew about them (academically speaking) and secondly, the are associated with a global ancestry project that is progressing well. The site listed above gives you a good idea about what is on offer.
By using the mtdna test, your father would ascertain his maternal ancestral heritage.
Hope this helps and good luck.
Kojak :-)
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For more info, a bit technical if you have no basic knowledge of biology, I can recommend the book 'DNA and Family History' by Chris Pomery, pub. the National Archives, £12.99.
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I found this link on the BBC website.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/familyhistory/next_steps/int_07_dna_01.shtml
gjil
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Well I've jumped in with both feet, signed up to Genebase and ordered an mtdna test. But, having given it some thought, a bit late as usual, by getting my Dad to do it it will trace his maternal side right through. I wanted to trace his mothers (my Nan) paternal side, which this won't do will it? :-[
To get that I need to follow the paternal side of my great great grandfather down, and they are all in the US!
This is all really confusing, but at least I've made a start on my Nan's maternal side! :)
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Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think y-DNA tests and Mt-DNA tests will show where your ancestors came from. The main use of them is to find relatives - Close relatives on your father's side will have the same Y chromosome if they are male and are descended down the male line (ie with the same surname, although that's not always the case if parents weren't married). Mt-DNA is passed down the female line. All children (male and female) of my GG Grandmother would have had the same Mt-DNA. However any descendants of the male children do not - the Mt-DNA of their children will come from their wife/partner.
If you want to trace the genetic make up of your grandfather, it would be best to do a test like they did on the Colin Jackson WDYTYA. From what I understand, you give them a sample of your DNA and they "search" for certain sections of the DNA that come from different areas and will then give you a rough breakdown.
MarkyP: The Mt-DNA test of your father would trace back his maternal side. That is, his mother's mother's mother's.... and so on. Did your nan have a brother? If so do you know of any male descendants with the same surname?
Andrew
I don't think Y-DNA and Mt-DNA tests can tell you much about your history. They won't tell you who your ancestors were or where they came from but they will give a "read-out" of your results. If they match to anyone else then it's very possible that you are closely related.
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Hi Andrew,
We all carry set DNA markers that are specific to set locations. We carry our ancestral markers (known as loci) that differentuate between other locations. The test will confirm where your ancestor originated from thousands of years ago. This is known as the haplogrouping which our DNA markers pick up on.
From the haplogrouping we can analyse the region(s) our ancestors came from.
You refer to the test Colin Jackson undertook. The Y-DNA test covers this. Like him, my test calculates the set percentage of my ancestry (e.g 46% Na-dene), whereas, Colin I think had more European ancestry than I do.
The Genebase test includes a global ancestral project which also searches for matches with others globally. Thats where the global interactive map comes in.
I would repeat the Y-DNA test is for paternal ancestry, the mtDNA test is for maternal ancestry.
If you want to test the DNA of the father of your mother (your maternal grandfather), you'll need to test (the maternal grandfather himself) his son/your uncle (brother of your mother) or a son of the uncle (your nephew).
Gjil's link confirms that DNA testing has become more reasonably priced.
Mark - Good luck with your test ! I hope you find it worthwhile. You'll soon see on the site, you have lots to look at. The complexity will ease Mark I promise.
After I have completed my mtdna test, I may turn to my maternal grandfathers side. Afterall, I am getting tested so, I want my fathers fathers etc side and my mothers mothers etc side.
Kojak
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I have read this thread with great interest, I would love to have the testing done as I believe my 2 x gt grandfather was not born in Britain, but it all seems very complicated to me, so perhaps I will wait a while.
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My brother recently did a DNA test with a member of GenesReunited to see if we were related. Our surname is Coppin but the other was spelt with an 'e' instead of the 'i'. It cost £75 each, which was paid by the 'possible newcomer into the family'. Much to our delight the test proved that we did indeed have a common ancestor, born 1717, which made us 5th cousins. We arranged to meet in Addington, where the family had lived for 300 years or so, for lunch. Trouble was, that as soon as I saw him I knew that 'he be one of ours'!!! He looked so much like my aunt's boys that had we exchanged photos before the DNA test we could have saved him the money!
All I can add ( this being my first foray into this site!!!!) is to try swapping photos before you pay out for a test!
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Hello HCB ... welcome to the peculiar world of RootsChat !
Yes, as you say it might have been cheaper to meet first .. but so good that you did connect up with a distant cousin, and will have lots of info to exchange I expect !
Lydart
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MarkyP: The Mt-DNA test of your father would trace back his maternal side. That is, his mother's mother's mother's.... and so on. Did your nan have a brother? If so do you know of any male descendants with the same surname?
Thankfully I do, although they are all in America so the logistics could prove a bit of a problem. I've only ever seen them twice in the last 45 years! :)
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Hi HCB and a very warm welcome to Rootschat. I am sure you will love it as much as we do.
Patrish,.
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If you want to test the DNA of the father of your mother (your maternal grandfather), you'll need to test (the maternal grandfather himself) his son/your uncle (brother of your mother) or a son of the uncle (your nephew).
Kojak
Wouldn't the son of my uncle be my cousin not my nephew?
Please say that is what you meant as I only have cousins left. :( :(
dollylee
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Hi Dollylee,
Yes a cousin. Apologies for the confusion.
Kojak :-)
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Thanks for replying kojak.
My head was reeling trying to keep the lines of DNA and possible test subjects straight and I started to confuse myself ;D ;D
I imagine there are families where you uncle's son could be your nephew...but then you would have one warped sister...(not meant to offend anyone who has found that kind of situation in their family)
dollylee
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I've got that sort of distant family, where of two brothers, one had a daughter; the other brother had a fling with her (when she was old enough) and they together produced a child X. Thus, X had a father who was also its uncle ?
And I thought the Victorians were very straight-laced !!
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There seemed to be far more "hanky panky" in those day than we could ever imagine. perhaps thats why they appeared so upright and Christian to cover it all up ;)
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Hi Kojak (and everybody else too).
I wonder if you might be able to elaborate on a few questions...
For instance, does Genebase put you in touch with other people with whom you are a genetic match? I know that other companies do this, but I have not been able to find out what Genebase does in this regard.
You say that you had your Y-DNA tested, but then you also say that you were reported to be a 46% match with the Na-dene. Is this based only on your Y-DNA, or did genebase also perform an autosomal DNA test? If it's just Y-DNA, then my guess would be that you might have been estimated to belong to Y-DNA haplogroup Q, which tends to be native american. However, I know of several other people who were incorrectly estimated to be in Q when they were in fact in R1b (which is European). You might find it useful to compare your Y-DNA results with those from other people to see how well your haplogroup prediction stands up. For instance, you can conduct a search at http://www.ysearch.org and you can also enter your data into a haplogroup predictor at https://home.comcast.net/~whitathey/predictorinstr.htm
For those who are new to genetic genealogy and want to learn a bit more, I would suggest a few resources, such as:
http://www.isogg.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DNA-NEWBIE/
and this thread at RootsChat:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,50312.0.html
- David (who has been confirmed to belong to Y-DNA haplogroup R1b)
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What does
Y-DNA haplogroup R1b
actually mean, in words of one syllable that someone with no biological knowledge could understand ? Is it linking you to, for e.g. the Inuit ? the Celts ? the Welsh of Patagonia ?!
:) :) :)
Please explain ... I'm interested ...
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Hi David and lydart,
Lydart,
A haplogroup is all about defining a genetic population. The Celtic peoples would fall under haplogroup R1b - those having a predominantly western European ancestry.
For a greater explanation on what a haplogroup is please refer to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haplogroup which is fairly straight forward.
David, (and others who amy be interested)
Genebase http://www.genebase.com/ offer a geographical descendant search after the Y-DNA test has been undertaken. This search includes a geographical origins search to find out which part of the world our ancestors came from, and with the click of a button, a dynamic world map is generated to help compare your DNA markers to those from around the world.
The descendant search allows for a search to be undertaken to find other people around the world (who have taken the same test) who share the same ancestors.
Apart from the certified DNA test, genebase provide us guinea pigs with a search and analysis tool to generate statistical reports, such as, finding out our ethnic origins and analaysing the matches with others to locate close relatives (those with 20 shared markers). Some people join the DNA glocal project and have their contact details (email) available.
So, to answer your first question dapike (sorry for the rambling), genebase does not put you in touch directly, but if you run a search, you can see for yourself who shares a similar DNA, belong to same haplogroup and share a recent ancestry, as you. The onus is on those tested to get in touch. I have found some people who appear to share a recent ancestry, but have kept their anonymity.
I have ordered an mtdna (to find out more on my maternal side) and the autosomal test in an attempt to confirm things as far as my haplogrouping is concerned.
Looking forward to the results...
best wishes,
Kojak
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I used www.familytreedna.com and was very satisfied with that. They offer to store your DNA sample, without extra charge, for the next 30 years or so, so you can order other tests on it without resubmitting a sample.
I see genebase.com is a bit cheaper, though it's not easy to see for the mtDA test how accurate it is, while the Y-chromosome test is more easily comparable with what other companies offer (number of markers tested). The Genebase web site is very slick, but doesn't contain all that much information. What we as customers want to know is if you match someone else's DNA, what is the probability of having a common maternal or paternal ancestor within a certain number of generations.
www.oxfordancestors.com is the company that started the whole business of DNA testing for genealogical research. They're currently a bit more expensive that the American companies, though. Partly it's the weak dollar, but also there's a key patent in the process that has expired in the USA but won't expire for another year or so in the UK, so the Americans can offer the test cheaper.
The National Geographic has a project, The Genographic project, that's taking DNA samples from indigenous peoples around the world. They have moved around much less in recent centuries than most of the world's population, so that can help trace the first migrations of humans around the globe . You can upload your data there, and possibly get a match - not just with individuals, but a match that can indicate where your maternal or paternal ancestors were tens of thousands of years ago. See:
https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/index.html?fs=www3.nationalgeographic.com
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Hi Lydart.
As Kojak has already noted, haplogroups are just broad groupings that reflect deep origins (thousands of generations ago). In the case of Y-DNA, they reflect direct paternal deep origins. Spencer Wells has written a recently published book "Deep Ancestry inside the Genographic Project" that has some discussion of both Y-DNA and mtDNA haplogroups.
Haplogroups are named with letters, such as I, J, and R (these three are among the most common ones in Europe). Subgroups are numbered, and then subsubgroups get lower case letters... so R1b is part of R1, which is a subgroup of R. There is an interactive map at http://www.dnaheritage.com/ysnptree.asp where you can see where various groups have been observed in indigenous populations [just hover your mouse over each haplogroup letter]
Really though, haplogroups are not of much genealogical use. But they are kind of interesting in their own right, and as they can be pretty well determined as a byproduct of the tests that do have genealogical value, they end up getting some attention and discussion.
As for genealogical DNA testing, there are a couple of web-tv broadcasts at http://www.rootstelevision.com/players/player_dna.html that give some indication of what genetic genealogy is about. The resources at http://www.isogg.org are also worth reviewing.
I hope this is of some help.
- David.
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A few points on Genetic Genealogy -
DNA testing can be far more cost effective than traditional paper-trail genealogy. which can be at times unrewarding.
DNA testing provides comparable results. It is scientific proof of a genealogical relationship.
DNA testing can confirm the validity of paper records and family anecdotal evidence.
Compare your genealogy data with other individuals through online databases.
Genetic Genealogy avoids problems of spelling, name mismatches, 'errors of fact' on official documents, mistakes in records, gaps through missing records, also, events such as - emigration, adoption, remarriage, paternity, name changes, slavery, natural disasters, kidnapping, shipwreck, transportation, imprisonment, vague family anecdotes, etc. ....
.................... A well explained article ---
"Issue 127, October 2006 --- PROSPECT Magazine --
Myths of British ancestry by Stephen Oppenheimer
Everything you know about British and Irish ancestry is wrong. Our ancestors were Basques, not Celts. The Celts were not wiped out by the Anglo-Saxons, in fact neither had much impact on the genetic stock of these islands
Stephen Oppenheimer's books "The Origins of the British: A Genetic Detective Story" and "Out of Eden: The Peopling of the World" are published by Constable & Robinson
The fact that the British and the Irish both live on islands gives them a misleading sense of security about their unique historical identities. But do we really know who we are, where we come from and what defines the nature of our genetic and cultural heritage? Who are and were the Scots, the Welsh, the Irish and the English? And did the English really crush a
glorious Celtic heritage?
Everyone has heard of Celts, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings. And most of us are familiar with the idea that the English are descended from Anglo-Saxons, who invaded eastern England after the Romans left, while most of the people in the rest of the British Isles derive from indigenous Celtic ancestors with a sprinkling of Viking blood around the fringes.
Yet there is no agreement among historians or archaeologists on the meaning of the words "Celtic" or "Anglo-Saxon."
What is more, new evidence from genetic analysis (see note below) indicates that the Anglo-Saxons and Celts, to the extent that they can be defined genetically, were both small immigrant minorities. Neither group had much more impact on the British Isles gene pool than the Vikings, the Normans or, indeed, immigrants of the past 50 years.
The genetic evidence shows that three quarters of our ancestors came to this corner of Europe as hunter-gatherers, between 15,000 and 7,500 years ago, after the melting of the ice caps but before the land broke away from the mainland and divided into islands. Our subsequent separation from Europe has preserved a genetic time capsule of southwestern Europe during the ice age, which we share most closely with the former ice-age refuge in the Basque country. The first settlers were unlikely to have spoken a Celtic language but possibly a tongue related to the unique Basque language.
Another wave of immigration arrived during the Neolithic period, when farming developed about 6,500 years ago. But the English still derive most of their current gene pool from the same early Basque source as the Irish, Welsh and Scots. These figures are at odds with the modern perceptions of Celtic and Anglo-Saxon ethnicity based on more recent invasions.
There were many later invasions, as well as less violent immigrations, and each left a genetic signal, but no individual event contributed much more than 5 per cent to our modern genetic mix........................................
............"
to read more of this Article refer to my page at -
http://worldfamilies.net/surnames/e/edmonds/misc.html
......
Hope this all helps rather than to confuse
EDO
Administrator - EDMONDS surname
http://worldfamilies.net/surnames/e/edmonds/
Benefits of Surname DNA Testing
* Eliminate or confirm relationships.
* Focus research towards related families.
* Direct research into a geographical area.
* Direct research into a specific timeframe.
* Establish country or region of origin.
* Confirm variant surnames are same family.
* Learn your family's pre-surname migration.
* Strengthen weak paper trails.
* Avoid pursuing false connections.
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I've had my DNA tested and found a lost relative. David PIKE and I help with the PIKE DNA project. While David understands most of it, I just pretend that I understand it...The bottom line is you don't need to understand DNA to find a relative or unblock your tree. Most Surname projects will translate the results into something you can understand.
Here is a very easy to understand article.
http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_4144963
Keep in mind that this is testing your paternal line which means if you are a female, you will have to find a male relative to take the test for you.
Stu
Whose maternal line goes back to William of Orange but I can't use DNA to confirm it!
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G'day Stu,
You've certainly done a lot of good work for the PIKE surnames.
Benefits of Surname DNA Testing
* Eliminate or confirm relationships.
* Focus research towards related families.
* Direct research into a geographical area.
* Direct research into a specific timeframe.
* Establish country or region of origin.
* Confirm variant surnames are same family.
* Learn your family's pre-surname migration.
* Strengthen weak paper trails.
* Avoid pursuing false connections.
My EDMONDS and Surname variations site is processing slowly.
EDO
Administrator - EDMONDS surname world-wide
http://worldfamilies.net/surnames/e/edmonds/
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Has anyone here been involved with DNA geneaolgy? Or know anything about it? Im seen a lot of articles about it but unsure exactly what you can get out of it!
Is it as good for women to do as it is the male line that carries the y chromosome and not the female!?
Any ideas or experiences about this would be most welcomed!
Emma
Moderator Comment: topics merged
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While women cannot do the Y chromosome test themselves, a brother, father, uncle on your father's side etc. can do the test. What the tests do is look at the Y chromosome of MtDNA. These have repeated sequences in which vary from person to person but usually stay the same for several generations. So if you get a match, you're going to be closely related. Each test is done on its own so a man wanting to do both tests would have to pay twice as much, so doing the MtDNA test is still good to do.
At the moment, the tests are very expensive for what they are. Unless you actually know what you're trying to gain by doing it then it's probably not worth it yet.
Andrew
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"a brother, father, uncle on your father's side etc. can do the test. "
I dont have any of these, the closest male I have is cousin ???
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So long as he's descended down the male line (ie. his father's father's father's father etc. is the same as yours), then he can also take the test on your behalf.
If he's your father's brother's son then he could take the test for you.
Andrew
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In a nutshell No. My father had no brothers , so I am stumped
Thanks anyway.
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Do you have any brothers of grandparents or great grandparents on the male line? I'm afraid it's the only way if you want a Y chromosome test done :-\
Andrew
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I am not sure, I will have to take a look.
Strange isn't it, I myself have 2 boys but in both my parents lines, females dominate, males are scarce ::)
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I just got my test results back, and my Y chromosome DNA is of the I1a group, or Viking group (The Smith family have been in Lancashire since at least the 1660s).
Stephen :)
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Hi,
please excuse my ignorance :-[ I have a question.
If my dad hasnt got any sisters, how can I trace his maternal side? ??? :-\
Thanks, and A Happy New Year to you all. :)
Red :D
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A man can still trace his maternal line through his own DNA, as we all get our mothers mtDNA, although only women pass it on.
Stephen :)
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I have just skimmed here, and will have to re read, what a fascinating subject.
I have been interested in having my dna done since that tv programme "So you think you are English?"
I contacted Channel 4, and they said they used a company based in the States.
Anyway what I want to know is what can I learn from MY dna?
Just my mothers side of the family :-\
My father, brother, uncle & aunt (my dads brother and sister) are interested.
So who would be best to have their dna tested?
My dad or my brother?
For my mums side, me or my mum?
Her father and brother are no longer with us :'(
I want to learn about both sides of the family ;)
This is very interesting.
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Hi, my son bought me for christmas, The GENOGRAPHIC PROJECT KIT,this is a world wide project, this is in an ongoing project, which will hopefully describe the migration of people, from the origin to where we are now, andour own ancestors journey through time. It should show I hope the way or route my very distant ancestors arrived in England. Best wishes Clive.
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I've been thinking of doing the test via Ancestry, but I've read about cases where the rights to the DNA then belong to the company doing the test. I can't find anything about who will own the DNA once the test is done in this scenario :o...now I have no paranoia (spl?) of someone creating clones of me...(if they can come and do my housework then good luck to them...I'll have two please ;D) but it makes me feel...I don't know...'funny' (I think that's the technical word for it) that someone else could own the rights to MY dna.
Anyone have any clue or has my recent ill health turned my brain even more to mush than I had thought? ???
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Hi Bwgan,
I think it boils down to whether or not you trust the company offering to do the work for you. If you wouldn't trust them with your email or real address then beware; otherwise read the small print and if it sounds ok then go for it, I would suggest.
More generally though having just read the whole of this thread, various online and offline sources on DNA and having just sent off my own sample to Family Tree DNA I have come to realise what a huge subject it is. This thread alone has raised some interesting issues and concerns so it seems to me that a lot of us have a lot to learn whilst there are also some more expert members amongst us. This leads me to wonder if Rootschat should consider setting up a section devoted solely to the subject of the use of DNA for genealogy. Just a thought!
John
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Hi Bwgan,
This leads me to wonder if Rootschat should consider setting up a section devoted solely to the subject of the use of DNA for genealogy. Just a thought!
John
Sounds like a good idea to me John!!
I'll second that...
Romilly ;)
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My husband has just had his dna done with www.familytreedna.com
We have no complaints, a lot of explanations came with his results.
The most interesting part was finding that he does not originate from Ireland as was believed. His haplogroup originated in the Nordic area and it is thought his roots are probably French, German, Belgium or the Netherlands.
We were lucky to find a one name tree researching his surname. They found sponsorship towards the cost of the dna, which helped enormously! I gather this happens a lot.
Good luck, epc
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My uncle (father's brother) has recently agreed to do a dna test for me. He is 85 and the last surviving male in my Dad's direct line, i.e. I was an only child, his children are daughters and other brother died without issue. This test will be my one and only chance to access the information from my Dad's side of the family. So now I need to try to decide whether to test both male & female and how many markers I can afford!
Does anyone know if you order the test through a particular group does that prevent you from submitting it to another group or is there additional cost for that? Ideally I would like to join the Welsh DNA group and the Patronymic group. Is that possible? Sorry if this is a dumb question.
Heather
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Hello
I can not answer your question, as I am, still trying to find out as much as I can about the different types of DNA available.
I would suggest that you buy the Who Do You Think You Are magazine, the issue with Colin Jackson on the front.
I has several pages on the subject, including Colin's story.
There is a Ethnicity test which I was interested in, I know all my family and ancestors of white Brits, English, Scottish and Irish, but I would like to find out more.
Do we have Italian/French/Spanish blood?
I don't want to be told we come from Europe, I want more, like on the TV programme you think you are English"
One question I do have, and hope someone can advise, is should my father or my brother get tested for the "Y" DNA test?
If my bothers gets his DNA tested, would it show just our fathers male line, or my father and my mothers male line?
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It would only show your fathers male line. i.e. your father's father, then his father. and then his father, and so on. Hope that you can understand this.
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My uncle (father's brother) has recently agreed to do a dna test for me. He is 85 and the last surviving male in my Dad's direct line, i.e. I was an only child, his children are daughters and other brother died without issue. This test will be my one and only chance to access the information from my Dad's side of the family. So now I need to try to decide whether to test both male & female and how many markers I can afford!
Does anyone know if you order the test through a particular group does that prevent you from submitting it to another group or is there additional cost for that? Ideally I would like to join the Welsh DNA group and the Patronymic group. Is that possible? Sorry if this is a dumb question.
Heather
Hi Heather, I can't see why not, but it would depend on how they set out the database. If/When I do a Y-DNA test, I would need to come under 2 surnames as my GGG Grandfather was illegitimate.
Pettsy: Your brother's and father's Y-DNA will be the same, so they will give the same result. It will just show the male line. However their mtDNA will be different; You and your brother will have got yours from your mother, and your father would have got his from his mother (your paternal grandmother).
The most interesting part was finding that he does not originate from Ireland as was believed. His haplogroup originated in the Nordic area and it is thought his roots are probably French, German, Belgium or the Netherlands.
Don't forget that this is just 1 line of your tree. For all you know it could just be this one line that has originated there, and there are millions of other different lines in your tree. Everyone has multiple origins, the Y or mt haplogroup just shows one of them.
Andrew
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Hi Comosus
Thanks for the opinion/information.
Heather
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It would only show your fathers male line. i.e. your father's father, then his father. and then his father, and so on. Hope that you can understand this.
Yes I understand, thank you.
There are cousins on the other side, so they could be tested for my mum's fathers line.
Pettsy
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Thank you Comosus,
I wish I could afford to get all the tests done.
:D
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Try and find someone who has a group researching the surname that you are looking for, and they will hopefully sponsor you.
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Try putting GOONS into google, ? ? One Name Studies
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Thank you epc I will.
I am researching PETTS and SWIFT.
Regards
Pettsy :D
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i don't think this is rearly worth the paper its writen on
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My opinion is that DNA testing is worthwhile. I sincerely hope more families join together to create a new family database. :D
Cheers, Kate
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RootsChat had a discussion on DNA some time ago and I mentioned that my Brother and I had ours done. Roots for Real and Oxford Ancestry only test 12 markers and Roots for Real came up with 1 for my brother and 3 for me. Oxford Ancestry for the Tribes of Britain came up with probably Mediterranean. Please check with the Co. that you choose that if they only get one hit that they will re-test you later down the line for free. I have not seen anyone mention that the direct lines from father to son and mother to daughter do, on occasion, have what is known as a "stutter" and the line is broken and starts anew. I am going to try to post an article on one such person who wrote about it in the The Scotsman some time ago.
http://www.rootsforreal.com/english/The%20Scotsman%20-%20S2%20Wednesday%20-%20Meet%20the%20family.htm
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Today my first cousin who had been adopted out in 1947 received the result of his 37 marker Y DNA test from Familytree DNA.
He has proof of his lineage and is very happy to find his birth family after 63 years.
All 37 markers match the baseline markers submitted by my second cousin.
Previously he had a few close matches off by only 6 or 7 markers. This was the first conclusive match.
Interesting article thanks for sharing, I am going to send for the mtDNA test this month and look forward to reading the outcome.
Kate
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I've used DNA testing for my Cruse/Cruwys surname project. I also run a geographical project for the county of Devon.
http://www.familytreedna.com/public/Devon
There is lots of useful advice on the ISOGG website (International Society of Genetic Genealogy):
http://www.isogg.org
Generally speaking you are better off paying for a test from a dedicated genetic genealogy company so that you can upgrade your results and store samples, and more importantly so that you will get proper customer service. The larger the database the better as you will stand more chance of getting a match. There are Y-DNA and mtDNA comparison charts on the ISOGG website. It's cheaper to buy the kits direct from the US. Oxford Ancestors charge a small fortune for a very basic 10-marker test with no option to upgrade. You need 37-markers for surname matches and sometimes 67-markers can be useful Ancestry don't store samples (important for future upgrades and particularly so if you, your dad or your brother or whoever is being tested is the last in the line), and only have a limited range of tests. If it's any help I did do a brief article on the subject for my local family history society:
http://www.irishtype3dna.org/DebbieKennett.htm
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I've used DNA testing for my Cruse/Cruwys surname project. I also run a geographical project for the county of Devon.
http://www.familytreedna.com/public/Devon
There is lots of useful advice on the ISOGG website (International Society of Genetic Genealogy):
http://www.isogg.org
Generally speaking you are better off paying for a test from a dedicated genetic genealogy company so that you can upgrade your results and store samples, and more importantly so that you will get proper customer service. The larger the database the better as you will stand more chance of getting a match. There are Y-DNA and mtDNA comparison charts on the ISOGG website. It's cheaper to buy the kits direct from the US. Oxford Ancestors charge a small fortune for a very basic 10-marker test with no option to upgrade. You need 37-markers for surname matches and sometimes 67-markers can be useful Ancestry don't store samples (important for future upgrades and particularly so if you, your dad or your brother or whoever is being tested is the last in the line), and only have a limited range of tests. If it's any help I did do a brief article on the subject for my local family history society:
http://www.irishtype3dna.org/DebbieKennett.htm
There's a few Cruwys from Devon in my family tree, although they're ancestors of distant cousins rather than my own ancestors.
Stephen :)
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OK so if I ask my brother to do the test what will I get back?
If I ask my father what would I get?
If I did the test being female, what would I get?
If I ask my maternal grandmother, what would I get?
Just trying to work out who would I be best to ask. My brother is happy to do it so far.
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Your brother and father would be expected to have identical results so you only need to test one of them. If your brother is happy to go ahead then use his DNA. It's best to start with the Y-DNA as the results are easier to understand and have more value for your genealogy research. What you'll get out of the test depends on your brother's surname and how many other people with the surname have been tested. Most of the surname projects are at www.familytreedna.com. If there's no surname project you can test with a geographical project (FTDNA have projects for Devon, Hampshire, East Anglia, Wales and even a catch-all giant project for the British Isles). The larger the database the more chance you have of getting matches. There are some surname projects too which will offer free or subsidised tests, and especially those with established surname societies or with large numbers of American testees where resources can be pooled.
With the mtDNA, you have inherited the mtDNA from your maternal grandmother so again only one test is required. If you were both tested you would be expected to have identical results. mtDNA gives less precise results, and the database is smaller, so it's better for learning about your deep ancestry. If you've been following "The Incredible Human Journey" on BBC2 you'll have seen that most of the early part of the journey has been tracked genetically by mtDNA.
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I've done the tests for mtDNA and the Y-Chromosome, and for the mtDNA, I got H, which is very common in Western Europe. For the Y-chromosome, I got I1, which is basically Scandinavian, which means that my paternal ancestor was probably Anglo-Saxon or Viking.
Stephen :)
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I'm just very curious because being in New Zealand as far as I know we are only English,Irish, Scots and Welsh, but also have traced one ancestor who was from Canton in China which was a pleasant surprise
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;
On second thoughts the Icelandic naming system must be rather difficult to follow for genealogy! Johnsdottir and Johnsson, Sigurdsdottir and so on......
I would get lost by about the third generation!!!
Icelandic naming system is actually quite easy, everybody is on a first name basis so there is no "Johnsdottir" or "Sigurdsdottir" and the last name tells you the name of the father.
This makes it very easy to trace linages and tell who is who in a family.