DNA testing - genetic genealogy

[DevonCruwys]

Hi Annie

Further to Nancy's message I thought I would just explain a little further about mitochondrial DNA tests. An mtDNA test won't help you with your genealogy research as you are most unlikely to match anyone who has researched their maternal line further back than you. An mtDNA test will however tell you about your deep ancestry but only of course on your direct maternal line (your mother, your mother's mother, your mother's mother's mother) and so on. You would be given a haplogroup designation with an mtDNA test. The haplogroups roughly correspond with The Seven Daughters of Eve from the Bryan Sykes book:

http://www.isogg.org/wiki/Seven_Daughters_of_Eve

The science has advanced since the publication of the book and there are now many more "daughters". You can get an idea of the range of haplogroups and their distribution from this Eupedia page:

http://www.eupedia.com/europe/origins_haplogroups_europe.shtml#mtDNA

I am a haplogroup U4 which is very rare for the UK. The haplogroup is thought to have originated in Finland or Russia so it is something of a mystery as to how my U4 ancestor ended up in the Wiltshire countryside!

The Family Finder test only tells you about your genetic make up in recent times back for five generations or so, and gives you matches with your recent genetic cousins. There isn't a test that will tell you about your distant ancestors on all your different lines. In the long run scientists might be able to discover which genes dictate skin colour but these associations are often very complex and there is still a long way to go.

Debbie

[Tisy]

Hi,

Thought this was an interesting link -

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101027005596/en/Genetic-Trick-Treat-Salem-Witch-Trials-Figures

Cheers, 

C arol

[Redroger]

At the very least a strange coincidence.

[LizzieW]

So as a female, I've not a cat in hell's chance of finding whereabouts in the world my paternal g.grandfather originated.  Oh well, that's another avenue closed for me.

Lizzie

[Redroger]

Unless Lizzie you have a coperative male relative in the direct line from your paterna lGGF. As I understand it, a sample of his DNA would work.

[LizzieW]

I have some male cousins, but I'm not in touch with them, in any case it was their mother who was an ancestor of my g.grandfather, in fact she was my dad's twin sister.

Lizzie

[DevonCruwys]

Lizzie

How far back can you trace your great-grandfather's tree? Can you trace the line back a few more generations and then research forwards on a different branch of the tree until you find a male relative?

Debbie

[Tisy]

Hi Lizzie,

Do you have a subscription to Ancestry?  I have found sometimes that if you are looking for another branch of the family, the public member trees can be useful.   If youdon't have a sub, send me a private message with some info and I will have a look for you.

Cheers,

Tisy

[Robert Fletcher]

I would certainly be interested in testing my DNA, for one thing there is a possibility of Indian in my line but cannot access that information but it is on my mothers side. There is also some questions that I think DNA testing may help me.
My concern is how do I find a laboratory. I have read about this being of concern.
Robert..