Who to use for the best results

[mandymast]

Hi,

My husband is wanting to find out his ethic make up, as he doesn't know who his father is, I am hoping to get some advise on what company would be the best to go for. thank you

[Ruskie]

The Y-DNA test from FTDNA is reasonably highly regarded:
https://www.familytreedna.com/products.aspx

This tests the male "surname" line only.

The higher markers give better results, so take the 67 or 111 marker test if you can afford it. Do not expect to necessarily find his father from taking this test. You may have some surname matches, or no close matches at all. It can be a gamble.

You may get more matches with Americans as they take more DNA tests than others.

The company has "sales" throught the year so you may wish to wait to take advantage of a reduced price - someone may know when the next "sale" is expected.

Good luck.

[davidft]

If he wants to know what his ethnic makeup is the test to take is the autosomal test also referred to as the familyfinder test. This test reads across all his ethnic inheritance from his direct male line through all lines to the direct female line. The results you get are really only guesstimates that the companies get by comparing the test results with very small reference populations they use. Also as the genes we inherit from our parents is at random the results can end up putting undue emphasis on certain ethnicity's which do not really tell the true story.

In short testing for ethnic makeup is really not very precise or reliable and is more just for fun and undue reliance should not be put on it. The two biggest companies are ftdna.com and ancestry.com. They both have information sections on their websites and it would be worth reading them.

As to the yDNA test that has been mentioned. This only looks at the direct male line and does not predict ethnicity so is not what you are looking for, unless I have misunderstood your post

[Yonks Ago]

I have not long got my DNA results back..[ I'm female ] went with FTDNAIt was the Autosomal test..I match very close to a chap who's Grandfather was adopted..between the two of us we are working in finding which of my 3 families are from the area his Grandfather was born, all but worked out it may be one family.

I find FTDNA very easy to follow and very happy with it. At the moment it cost $79 USA..for the Autosomal......https://www.familytreedna.com/

Yonks

[DevonCruwys]

To identify a father it's best to use a combination of Y-DNA and autosomal DNA. Ideally he should test with all three autosomal DNA companies (Family Tree DNA, AncestryDNA and 23andMe) because you don't know where the breakthrough match will come from. AncestryDNA currently has the largest database and is probably now the first choice, but the Family Finder test is also a good choice. I would leave 23andMe until last.

The tests aren't much use for "ethnicity" beyond the continental level.

[Yonks Ago]

Regarding testing with  Ancestry DNA ...I would find out first if you "have to be"  a paid subscriber, are you able to keep your results if you intend subscribing just for your results? and if not.

Yonks

[mandymast]

Thanks for your help everyone, might have a look at FTdna

[DevonCruwys]

On Ancestry you do have to maintain a subscription to access all the features. This article explains the differences:

https://support.ancestry.com/s/article/AncestryDNA-with-an-Ancestry-Subscription-US-1460090085520-3160

[DavidG02]

I have not long got my DNA results back..[ I'm female ] went with FTDNAIt was the Autosomal test..I match very close to a chap who's Grandfather was adopted..between the two of us we are working in finding which of my 3 families are from the area his Grandfather was born, all but worked out it may be one family.

I find FTDNA very easy to follow and very happy with it. At the moment it cost $79 USA..for the Autosomal......https://www.familytreedna.com/

Yonks

How long did the kit take to arrive? I have been waiting 12 days and the ''tracker'' says its in Dubai, after going back and forth between Chicago and ports in between.