People frequently ask the question: which DNA test should I do? Well the response is simple: The test that is best for you very much depends on the sort of questions that you would like answers to.
Below is a selection of the typical kind of questions that people ask about DNA testing and some brief answers to them. Be sure to explore the links for more information. Hopefully this will help you understand what each type of test can do and that in turn will help you decide which one is best for you.
How many types of DNA test are there?
There are 3 main tests you could do, and you could test one of several members of your family - it depends on what questions you would like answered:
Note that Y-DNA and mtDNA will only give you information about one ancestral line each, whereas atDNA gives you information on all your ancestral lines (but only has a reach of about 300 years, compared to 200,000 years with the other two types of test). You may wish to look at this YouTube video I made explaining the three types of test in more detail and giving examples of their application to genealogy.
Here’s a few examples of questions you might want answers to and the best test to address each one:
How do I find out about my ethnic origins?
- atDNA will tell you roughly what percentage of your DNA is from Europe, Asia, Africa, etc. It will also give you rough estimates on a sub-regional level (e.g. "Central Europe" or "France/Germany") but is unlikely to identify a particular country. Currently this ethnic admixture test (also known as biogeographical analysis) only gives crude estimates and will continue to be refined over time. Still, it makes for a pretty picture which the kids can print out and take to school.
- the general opinion among genetic genealogists is that 23andme gives the best genetic ethnicity estimates, followed by Ancestry, and then FamilyTreeDNA. None of the tests are accurate enough currently to pinpoint ancestral homelands but they might point you in the right direction. Check out this blog post for more info - Making the best of what's not so good by Judy G Russell, The Legal Genealogist, 22 February 2015.
- both Y-DNA and mtDNA will tell you where that one particular ancestral line originated (eg Western Europe). And because both go back about 200,000 years to Africa, they will also give you the crude migration routes those particular ancestors took. More nice pictures for the kids school projects.
How do I find out more about my surname and where it came from?
- do the Y-DNA test. And test the oldest generation, so that would be your father, uncle, or grandfather. If you are male, your Y-DNA should be exactly the same as your father's Y-DNA and your grandfathers, etc all the way back on the direct male line.
- ... unless there has been an NPE along the way. NPE stands for Non-Paternity Event or Not the Parent Expected. Common causes are secret adoptions, infidelity within marriage, and illegitimacy. These happen in about 1% of cases per generation.
- Start off with the Y-DNA -37 test from FamilyTreeDNA and be sure to join any relevant surname or haplogroup projects. You can find these by doing a search for your name on the FamilyTreeDNA website and it will give you a selection of relevant projects for you to join.
- After reviewing the results of your Y-DNA-37 test, ask the Admins of projects you have joined for advice on what additional testing might be warranted. This could mean upgrading to 67 or 111 markers, or it could mean doing SNP marker testing. The Project Admins will advise.
- If you want to explore your mother's surname, test her brother. He is the one who inherited the Y-DNA that goes with that surname.
- You can research ANY surname in your family as long as you test the appropriate male cousin who bears that particular surname.
How do I connect with genetic cousins?
- Y-DNA will connect you with genetic cousins with whom you share the same surname.
- mtDNA will connect you with cousins on your mother’s mother’s mother’s line but this is the least useful of all 3 tests - because mtDNA mutates so slowly, even an exact match could mean a common ancestor several thousand years ago (rather than several hundred years ago in the case of Y-DNA).
- atDNA will connect you with about 500-1000 cousins you never knew existed (if you have European ancestry). It gives you the most "bang for your buck". Most of them will be distant cousins, but you may spot a few familiar names in your list of matches. The majority will be unknown cousins who are related to you via unknown ancestors beyond your ancestral Brick Walls, or they will be "false positive matches" (particularly if the amount of DNA they share with you is small). You will have hours of fun (and I mean hours) trying to figure out how they are connected. This test has “Retirement Plan” written all over it. But there are two important questions to address:
- who to test?
- and which company to test with?
Who do I test?
- Anyone. Anyone can do a DNA test. But it’s always a good idea to test the oldest members of the family first, for two reasons:
- they will not always be around
- they have more DNA from particular ancestors than you do
- Your mother for example would be a generation further back than you, and thus she will have twice the number of matches on your maternal side of the family compared to you … because she has twice as much “DNA from the maternal side of the family” - each generation loses 50% of the DNA from that side of the family, because only half of it is passed on from parent to child. So your Dad would only have (roughly) 25% of his DNA from his grandfather, you would have only 12.5%, and your son would have only 6.25%. The percentage inherited from any one specific ancestor roughly halves with each generation.
- Testing yourself and a parent helps you isolate which side of the family your matches are from. So if you tested yourself and your Dad for example, any matches you both share in common have to be from his side of the family; and any matches that you have but he doesn’t, have to be from your mum’s side. Of course you could also test your mum to answer this same question, if she is still with us.
- FamilyTreeDNA store the DNA samples for 25 years free of charge so this serves as a genetic legacy for future generations - could be important as the science of genetic genealogy progresses (and it has only been around for 15 years or so).
Which company should I test with and how much does it cost?
- there are 3 companies - FamilyTreeDNA, 23andme, and Ancestry.com. Each have their pros and cons.
- Re Y-DNA: if you want to research your surname, then only FamilyTreeDNA offer an infrastructure for surname research. You would have to test with them if you wanted to join the Farrell DNA Project (for example). 23andme will tell you what Y-DNA haplogroup you belong to (useful for knowing your crude migration path out of Africa) but that’s it.
- Re mtDNA: only FamilyTreeDNA and 23andme offer this test, but not Ancestry. It is of little use for genealogy. 23andme have it as part of their single test (you get Y-DNA, mtDNA, and atDNA all in one test) and FamilyTreeDNA offer it as a separate test. I would start with the mtDNAplus test because it is cheaper ($69) and may give you all the information you need.
- Re atDNA: whichever company you test with, you should upload your atDNA data to Gedmatch (for free). Anyone can do this and it allows you to compare your data with that of people who have tested with other companies and who have uploaded their data to the Gedmatch website. This allows you to fish in 3 genepools instead of 1 (only partial pools in this instance because not everyone uploads their results to Gedmatch). Also, if you test with Ancestry, you should upload your data to FamilyTreeDNA (for $39) so you are fishing in 2 genepools instead of 1 (complete genepools in this instance).
- 23andme will give you a medical risk assessment as well as a ton of genetic cousins. However the medical component was suspended in the US by the FDA and only partially restored in 2015. You may get a more comprehensive range of medical data if you order the test via their outlets in Canada, the UK, Ireland, & Australia but you would need to ask them about this as the situation is likely to change. Also, you may have to use a friend with a Canadian address (for example) as a middleman if you are ordering from outside the US (Canada in this example).
- 23andme give you all 3 DNA tests (Y, mt, and autosomal) for $199 in the US. It is more expensive than the other companies, and the Y-DNA and mtDNA tests give only limited results.
- Ancestry just give you atDNA (no Y or mtDNA), usually for $99 although it can be $79 in their frequent Sales. There is very limited product support, no tools (such as a chromosome browser), and if you want to explore the results further you will need to upload to Gedmatch/FamilyTreeDNA. Also, no further testing is possible. The big advantage of Ancestry is that you can link your DNA results to your family tree and that will potentially allow you to compare your DNA with everyone else on Ancestry who has also done so. And many but not all have family trees ... so it can make finding the common ancestor a lot easier.
- FTDNA (FamilyTreeDNA) store your sample for 25 years. Further testing can be done on the sample whenever you want (e.g. Y-DNA or mtDNA, or any future tests). Their atDNA test (called Family Finder) is $99, Y-DNA is $149 (for 37 markers; $129 if you buy it via a surname project) and mtDNA is $69 ($199 for the FMS full sequence).
- I have tested with all 3 companies. I like FamilyTreeDNA the best and have had most success with them (i.e. my closest matches are on FamilyTreeDNA . My guess is that if you have Irish ancestry you will find most of your close matches on FamilyTreeDNA If you have US colonial ancestry, you will probably find most of your matches on Ancestry.
- The most cost-effective option for atDNA would be to test with Ancestry ($99), then transfer your results for $39 to FamilyTreeDNA, and upload them for free to Gedmatch. The cheapest option outside the US is FTDNA ($99).
- There are also some other neat websites that offer additional third party functionality that are very useful, DNAgedcom offers some tools and I particularly like Don Worth’s ADSA spreadsheet but historically it has only worked with FamilyTreeDNA results. They are developing it for Ancestry and 23andme.
So which test is best for you? Probably the atDNA test from FamilyTreeDNA or Ancestry if you are interested in general genealogy, or the Y-DNA-37 test from FamilyTreeDNA if you are specifically interested in exploring a particular surname.
Maurice Gleeson
April 2016
Testing with Ancestry DNA and then uploading your data to Family Tree DNA has one serious drawback. It is only your data that is transferred, not your DNA sample. So if you decide later that you would like to do a Y-chromosome test or an mtDNA test on this person, you would have to order an FTDNA kit. That is fine if the person is still available to do the test-- but it could be terribly disappointing if you tested an elderly relative who died before you were ready to do the additional test.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Linda. This is a major advantage of FTDNA over the other companies - you have access to the sample for 25 years. This may be particularly important when they bring in Whole Genome Sequencing in the not-too-distant future. The Take Home Message is: get all your elderly relatives tested as soon as you can - future generations will thank you for it.
DeleteIf your family tree has a description written/printed under every photo of the family member you can specify lot of information. Found some family tree templates where you can do that in the Creately diagram community.
ReplyDeleteGood afternoon,
ReplyDeleteI am Hispanic from Peru trying to trace some European heritage. Which one will be more accurate for the maternal lineage?
If you want some ethnicity estimates, try Ancestry. If you want to connect with European cousins with whom you share common ancestors, again Ancestry might be the best starting point - you can always transfer the data to FTDNA for $39. But how far back is your European ancestry? If it is beyond 1700 you will have little chance of making a connection with cousins in Europe. Also, if you want to isolate your maternal side, test as many cousins as you can, so that you can identify cousins who are connected via specific ancestors.
DeleteMy wife has a 98 year old grandmother. What would be the best test(s) to get done to ensure we can get as much information from her before she passes. We have just started the family tree with ancestry.ca. Any help you can provide would be appreciated since we don't know where to start. Thanks
ReplyDeleteHi Chris, ideally you should test with all 3 companies, but here is the order I would do the tests:
Delete1. do the Family Finder test (autosomal DNA) with FTDNA ($69 currently) - they will preserve her DNA for 25 years.
2. Do the Ancestry test (again autosomal DNA; $99 in the US)
3. Do the 23and me test - gives you medical risks as well as ethnic admixture, neanderthal %, and cousin matching.
4. do mtDNA testing - although your wife could be a surrogate for this test.
Hope this helps.
Best, Maurice
Appreciate the information and response. If we don't need medical information about her because she is almost 100 do we need number 3? or is the other information useful for the rest of my wife's family if they do tests in the future? Thanks again.
DeleteChris
You might want to know her medical info if you ever want to know which side of your wife's family (maternal vs paternal) any health traits / risks come from. It also allows you to fish in a third pond (ie data pool). But other than that, no particular advantage.
DeletePerfect thanks again. With all these tests am I able to send them to one location to pool all the data? eventually? Like everything to ancestry to help fill in some blanks . Sorry for all the questions.
DeleteNo problem. :-)
DeleteCheck out Gedmatch.com ... you can upload all your results here so you can compare with other people who have done likewise.
Should I just do the combo of the family finder and mtdna full sequence right from the start and get it over with just in case? The tests are easy to take? Should my wife and I eventually do the same sequence of tests? Last questions maybe haha
DeleteEither way is fine. All together or one by one. once the sample is in the FTDNA lab you can use it again and again (until the DNA runs out).
DeleteWhat does that mean? That as long as they have a sample of your DNA you can have more testing done without swabbing a new sample?
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeletecan you help me decide which test would be best? I feel like I am swimming in info. I am a female and my father is adopted. I am most interested in my ethnic background and heritage, but feel I should probably look into medical testing as well. Should I just do 23 and me? It doesnt seem to have great reviews.
Do 23andme if you are primarily interested in medical risk assessment. Ancestry is currently best for ethnic background and heritage.
DeleteHi - I am 44 years old and my parents are immigrants to the US. My father is from Italy and my mother is eastern European. We do not have colonial or British blood to our knowledge. We hear all kinds of stories about the silk route and the genes it brought with it. I'd love to do a g-test to find out ancestry and ethnicity and piece our past together. Which do you suggest: Ancestry or FTDNA? My dad is 85 and my mom is 78. Should they both get tested too?
DeleteThis article is really helpful but this is all so confusing!!! My first question is that I wonder why you didn't include the testing by National Geographic? I would love to see how they measure up in your analysis.
ReplyDeleteI am turning 60 in September and this is my birthday present to myself. My family is all over the map with one of my mother's ancesters coming over so far back that my great-great aunt couldn't even figure out who came over and when as well as my paternal grandfather saying his mother was Choctaw! I also have found some evidence that I have ancesters from Denmark and the UK (probably Scotland).
I was about to sign up with Ancestry.com but now that I've read this article I think I'll go with your suggestion of FTDNA to start with. If you have any other suggestions or comments about the National Geographic test I would really appreciate them! Thanks for a great article!
Thanks Sue. Nat Geno is no good for genealogy and of limited use for human migration and ethnic admixture. The promise has failed to deliver unfortunately. The cheapest way to test for "all your ancestors" would be to do the Ancestry test and transfer the results to FTDNA for $39 ... http://dnaandfamilytreeresearch.blogspot.ie/2016/04/how-to-download-your-ancestry-dna-data.html
DeleteMy father passed away and his only sibling still alive is my aunt. His father, my grandfather, came from Greece but changed his name and never said anything else about his life or family there. How do I find out the most from his life with only my aunt left to test?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely test your aunt. You could also test yourself (as your Dad will have different DNA to his sister, your aunt, and he will have passed this on to you). You could start with AncestryDNA or FTDNA and see what results you get. Also, if you tested a relative of your father's mother (a first cousin preferably, or one of their children), then anyone that you or your aunt match in common with that cousin has to be related to you (in all probability) on your father's mother's side of the family ... and thus they can be eliminated from consideration when researching your father's father's side of the family.
DeleteI'm confused in the article. Early in the article is says scientists generally think 32andme is best. At the end the article you suggest it is the worst of the three? I could do from Canada (I live in US but all family in Canada). could you share more about what the medical risk assessment is about?
ReplyDeleteYou might be better buying it (and posting it back) via Canada as they may have more health reports than the US version of the test ... Check out the 23andme website in the US (https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry/) ... and in Canada (https://www.23andme.com/en-ca/health/)
DeleteI was thinking of doing for Christmas gifts to family - 3 kids, 1 parent, 4 grandkids. If cost not an issue, is tat a waste since so much family overlap? Will siblings have the same exact results? Any reason to do through two different companies to see if results are the same ... should there be no reason for them to differ? Thanks
ReplyDeleteThere will be an overlap but siblings only share 50% of their DNA in common so there will be differences too. For genealogy, I would test the oldest generation with all 3 companies as a first preference. But if it is mainly ethnic makeup you are interested in, then do AncestryDNA. You could also do different tests for different family members e.g. grandad could do autosomal, another could do Y, another could do mitochondrial.
DeleteIf my two siblings and I were to each take a test, why wouldn't it come back the same? We share the same parents, and therefore the same heritage.
DeleteYou and your siblings will all have slightly different results because even though you all have the same parents, you only got half of your father's DNA from him and only half of your mother's DNA from her ... but it was not the same half in all cases. In other words, you share 50% of your DNA with each of your siblings, but you might have got DNA marker 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 from your parents whilst your brother got markers 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10, etc
DeleteWhich service would you recommend? I am adopted and would like get as much medical risk information as possible. While I have some information as to my mother and her identity, I have nothing on my father and would be very interested in finding out some information on him. I don't want to invade anyone's privacy--am mainly interested in medical risks I should know about.
ReplyDeleteDo the 23andme test. Check out the 23andme website in the US (https://www.23andme.com/dna-health-ancestry/) ... and in Canada (https://www.23andme.com/en-ca/health/)
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHello Dr.Gleeson- any suggestions on the best way to track ny Native American heritage?
ReplyDeleteSorry, *my* Native heritage..
ReplyDeleteProbably Ancestry has the best database currently in this regard. But you should also consider Y and mitochondrial DNA testing if you have suitable donors among your immediate family and cousins. Check out Roberta Estes blog about this and a variety of Native American topics ... https://dna-explained.com/?s=native+american&submit=Search
DeleteI just did my Native American heritage DNA test through a company called Accu-Metrics. They test only for the % of Native American blood you have. I learned that testing has to be done a certain way to find out, so this is why I chose this company. I was VERY pleased with how fast the results arrived. (3 weeks). The cost was $125.00 U.S.D. I think other DNA companies can let you know you have Native American blood, but not from what tribe. Accu-Metrics showed me I have Cherokee ancestry, instead of Creek like we were told.
DeleteAccu-Metrics is a well known scam, you should have used AncetryDNA, 23andMe or Family Tree DNA.
DeleteAccu-Metrics is not a scam. It is a scam that the other DNA companies say they can tell you if you have Native American DNA when they are matching you to NOTHING. Accu-metrics has DNA samples from just about each tribe in the US and Canada. They single out the Native DNA, and then they match your DNA to what ever tribe you may match to. Simple. Not political.
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit confused as to why I would jump around between companies. Many reviews list FTDNA as "the best". Their autosomal test is $79, less than Ancestry. But here's the thing: FTDNA has various packages. The "full course" one is a whopping $546. It lists as "Comprehensive Genome
Family Finder, plus a male specific Y-chromosome test and a Full Mitochondrial Sequence " So if I wanted to know my maternal and paternal heritage, plus look into my surname (I reach dead ends on this because we're Jewish, and many records were destroyed), would this be my best option?
My dad passed, so the oldest male is my brother (61) followed by me (58). Mom is almost 91, so I guess she would take the mtDNA. But there are so many options for both both Y and mt tests - 37 markers, 67, 111, mtDNA plus, mtDNA full sequence.
As an independent source (and thank you for that!), what is the most comprehensive choice and what's overkill?
Thanks so much for your help.
Start low and go slow. If it was me, I would start with the most cost-effective option: do the AncestryDNA test and transfer the results to FTDNA for $39 (when they have got this up and running again - currently it is down). That may all you need to connect with a cousin that knows everything about your family tree! Secondly, I would do the Y-DNA-37 test with FTDNA. Order it via a project so you qualify for the lower price of $149. That would be your starting position. Once the initial results are in, review the situation and see if you need to upgrade or order additional tests.
DeleteThanks for the reply - it's extremely helpful and welcome advice. Ancestry has some new autosomnal test ($159) called gps origins, that they claim is much more accurate than the others. Any thoughts on that?
DeleteIt's not Ancestry, it is some company called GPS Origins and it should be avoided. It has come in for a lot of criticism - see here ... http://cruwys.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/the-new-gps-origins-test-from-dna.html
DeleteTHANK YOU! You're really a great resource, I appreciate your time and effort.
DeleteMy pleasure. Thank you. :-)
DeleteHello Dr. Gleeson, my father was born illegitimately in 1909. His birth certificate shows his mother's name but not his father's. I have received my Raw Data from Ancestry DNA testing. What do you suggest I do to enable me to identify my biological grandfather. I live in Australia.
ReplyDeleteFirst, upload your raw AncestryDNA data to Gedmatch for free and to FTDNA for $39 (when they have the transfer facility up and running again). Review the results and then decide your next move.
DeleteYou may then wish to test with 23andme if you have no close matches.
You may also wish to eliminate "non-contender matches" from your research. To do this, test a relative on your mother's side of the family (e.g. your first cousin) - anyone who matches you and this cousin will be related to you (in all probability) on your mother's side of the family and thus can be excluded from your research.
Similarly, if you can test a relative on your father's mother's side of the family (if you have identified any) then anyone who matches you and this cousin will be related to you (in all probability) on your father's mother's side of the family and thus can be excluded from your research.
i was adopted and I am trying to figure out the best testing to find blood relatives
ReplyDelete1) Test with all 3 of the major testing companies, starting with Ancestry.
Delete2) Check out www.dnaadoption.com and read up on the advice they offer
3) Join the DNAadoption Facebook group and join the conversation
4) collaborate with others and ask for advice and support
Good luck with your search.
My daughter is nearly 20 and I raised her as a single mama.
ReplyDeleteWe both want our DNA results and I would like to order hers for her birthday in November.
Neither she or I are in contact with ANYONE else in either of our families.
My father said his great grandmother was full blooded Cherokee on his mother's side (which is VERY important to me to find out as much as possible about).
My father was a child born of an affair so he took on his mother's husband's last name rather than his real father's last name.
My mother's father's last name was Smith, her mother's was Peters.
My daughter has all of that from me and all I have been told about her father's blood is that it is part "Black Irish."
I have no idea what that means.
Sooooo... PLEASE tell me EXACTLY what to do for the most affordably but conclusively.
We both want to know all of it but I am not sure that it is necessary for us both to do all of it.
I really want to make the best choice and don't have money to waste.
Thank you so much.
Why not start by doing the Ancestry DNA test yourself and see what results you get. It should be the best test for Native American ancestry. Also, check out these links ..
Delete- https://dna.ancestry.com/ethnicity/native-america
- https://dna-explained.com/2012/12/18/proving-native-american-ancestry-using-dna/
Dear Dr. Gleeson,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your article, it helped me to understand the difference between the 3 types of DNA Testing. However as many others before me I have a question about which service to use.
I would like know my origins, the percentage of countries my ancestors are from but also to find and connect with distant relatives if possible.
I've seen that 23andMe also provides information about diseases and traits which is very interesting but, in your opinion, what would be the best test for my needs? I am italian but should have russian and mongolian origins on my mother's side and would like to find more about that.
Also, looking online I found a service called MyHeritage that also provides DNA Testing (https://www.myheritage.com/dna-tests), would you happen to know if it's a good one?
Thank you,
Ally
I would start with Ancestry as they offer the best ethnic makeup assessment currently and have the largest database for connecting with cousins. You can transfer the raw data free to Gedmatch, and at a later stage for $39 to FTDNA. At a later stage, if you are interested in medical risks, you can test with 23andme but it is more expensive than the other tests.
DeleteAlso, you can upload your DNA data for free to MyHeritage. The tests they sell are from FTDNA.
Best, Maurice
I'm adopted and I just want to have an idea of my ethnic heritage. I know and have a good relationship with my biological mother and her side of the family, but I do not have any contact with my biological father (nor do I want to). My bio mom has had a DNA test and I can get her results from her. Would it be worth it for me to take a DNA test to find out more about my heritage? If so, which service should I use and which test should I get, mtDNA or atDNA?
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Currently the Ancestry DNA test is the best for ethnic makeup. If your mum tested with Ancestry, then you should too. If she tested with FTDNA, you could do the autosomal DNA test (Family Finder), or test with Ancestry and transfer the results across to FTDNA (although this utility is currently not available but hopefully FTDNA will fix it soon).
DeleteThank you so much! Your initial post was very informative and explained a lot of things I didn't even know that I didn't know. I appreciate you taking the time to answer each person individually. You have been the most helpful resource I have found to date. Thanks again and take care!
DeleteThanks Jillian! :-)
DeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteBoth my grandparents were adopted on my fathers side and my grandmother on my mom's side was adopted as well. There is so much grey area ethnicity wise. I was wondering which test you would suggest. If I should test myself or if I should test my grandparents?
Thank you!
Definitely test your grandparents if they are still alive! But beware that they may find some siblings or other birth family so only do it if they want to reconnect with birth family ... it can be traumatic so make sure they are going into it with their eyes open. Even if you just tested yourself you might find their siblings, so you have to be sure that they are happy for you to test before you do it.
DeleteAnd the best test to do for ethnic makeup is autosomal DNA, preferably with Ancestry.
Hi Maurice my family is from louisiana. My dad and all grandparents are deceast. My brother and I want to know the best route to take and which test Ancestry or Family tree. Our mother is willing to take the test also. She is 73 we are 51 and my brotheris age 45. We are black with mixed heritage possibly cuba, indian,and white. A mixed breed. We want to know what percentage we are what our african bloodline could be? Our mother is very fair and always mistaken for being spanish.our dad was brown and I always get Dominican thinking I am one of them. So what is your best advise for my mom, brother, and me and least costly start to our search. We have the same dad (deceast)no living grandparents. Thank you! Tjlivingexcellent@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteOn Facebook I am (TinaTJ Jackson) John maxwell Team
Hi Tina, Ancestry's DNA test is the best for African ethnic makeup. It has 6 distinct regions in West Africa whereas the other companies (FTDNA & 23andme) have just one for the whole region. You could get your mother to test with Ancestry and then either you or your brother (or both of you if you want). That would be a good start.
DeleteLater, you could explore your direct male line (your father's father's father, etc) by getting your brother to do the Y-DNA-12 test at FamilyTreeDNA. Even though this is a small number of markers, it would tell you whether your direct male line went back to an African man or a European man. You could then decide whether or not you wanted to upgrade your results to the Y-DNA-37 test, which is the standard for surname research.
You could also explore your direct female line (mother's mother's mother etc) to see if it goes back to an African woman or a European woman. Either you or your mum could do this test with FTDNA.
And remember, whenever a relative says "what do you want for Christmas?" you always answer "DNA!"
:-)
How useful are these tests for people who already know a lot about their ancestry? My father (92) and I (59) are specifically interested in his great-grandfather and great-grandmother, both born in Riga in 1817 and 1822 respectively. She was Jewish and one can find names of her parents on databases, and of course we know who her siblings were and so on, and he was a German speaking Protestant, Huguenot, from a family who left Belgium originally in the 16th or 17th century at the latest, went to Alsace and then ended up in Prussia by the 18th century. Would these tests reveal any more about them than we already know?
ReplyDeleteThe autosomal DNA test only has a reach of about 200-250 years so will be of limited utility. However, you could triangulate on the ancestral couple of interest by getting several of their descendants (as distant cousins as possible) to take the autosomal DNA test - any matches they share in common with each other have to be related via the ancestral couple of interest ... barring a second ancestral connection ... which is quite likely in a Jewish community ...so these tests will be of limited use.
DeleteIf you could find a direct male line descendant of your great-grandfather you could get him to do the Y-DNA-37 test ... this might be helpful in terms of tracing his origins and finding distant cousins related to him on his direct male line going back many hundreds (and thousands) of years.
At 67 years old I am the matriarch of the family. Besides all grandparents and both parents being deceased, four of my seven brothers are deceased. I would like to know about our ethnicity, the path they took to get here and trace my father's name. What tests would you recommend and can I do it? If a brother would have to do one of the tests, what would he have to contribute......hair, saliva?
ReplyDeleteHi Linda, all the tests use either saliva or a cheek swab.
DeleteTo research your father's surname, get your brother to do the Y-DNA-37 test from FTDNA and make sure he joins the relevant surname project on FTDNA (if there is one for his surname).
To research your families ethnicity, you or any of your siblings can do the autosomal DNA test (i.e. Family Finder test at FTDNA, the Ancestry test, or the 23andme test). You will all have slightly different results because even though you all have the same parents, you only got half of your father's DNA from him and only half of your mother's DNA from her ... but it was not the same half in all cases. In other words, you share 50% of your DNA with each of your siblings, but you might have got DNA marker 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 from your parents whilst your brother got markers 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10, etc
Hello I would like to buy DNA kits for my family as a gift. My father passed away from ALS and my mother is 82 I have 4 children from 2 different fathers. I have an older brother The father of the last 2 kids died at an early age of heart disease. I would like to know heritage and possible medical due to the strange medical history we have. My parents were born in Canada but lived in the USA As far as I know some family came from England and Ireland . Thank you
ReplyDeleteI guess I should ask which kits should I buy.?
DeleteThank you
Both mine and my husbands parents are deceased, he has only a sister remaining. I have no full blood siblings but have several living step brothers and sisters. We would both like to be tested for family tree info, medical and ethnic information for both sides of our family. Would my best results be from testing myself or would a brother be a better option for information on my Father's side? Same question for him, for information about his mothers side, should his sister test for that, or him?
ReplyDeletecorrections, they are half brother and sisters not step.
DeleteThank you for providing this helpful information. I was wondering if you could recommend a testing option for my scenario. First off, I am a male adoptee. I was able to get my mother's and grandmother's names along with their birth dates, marriages, etc.
ReplyDeleteHowever on my father's side I have virtually no information; I was only able to get a name and possible year of birth. I'm thinking the yDNA-37 test would be good a good place to start, but suggestions would be appreciated.
Yes, Y37 for starters, using FTDNA.
DeleteAlso, test with Ancestry and transfer the raw data to FTDNA for $19.
Test your closest maternal relative so you can eliminate matches on your mother's side of the family.
Hi! My problem with deciding which type of test to do, is I know my mother's family is from Hungary and my father and his family reside and are from Ecuador, but I don't know much else about either side, so what really would be the best option for me? Also my last name is my (half) brother and (half) sister's father's last name. So would this make things complicated with finding "relatives"?
ReplyDeleteTry Ancestry and transfer the data to Gedmatch (free) and FTDNA ($19).
DeleteI think I might know your answer already but I figure I will ask.
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather on my fathers side was adopted. I just recently found out what my biological surname would be at the age of 34. And my mother was the product of a rape.
So much of my ancestry/lineage is unknown. I can really only go back 2 generations before me to get any real information.
I'm not really concerned with medical stuff. So should I just do the ancestry test?
Yes, Ancestry first and then transfer the data to Gedmatch (free) and FTDNA ($19).
DeleteTest known cousins also so you can deduce what matches are on which side of the family.
Hello! This post has been very informative, I'm glad I found it!
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in just the basic ethnic information that atDNA testing provides, not looking to connect with relatives or anything like that.
My question is, how well do these tests work on people from the West Indies, as both of my parents are from Jamaica.
I'm not a Blogger member, so if possible can you please respond to my e-mail (bellad6940@gmail.com) Thank you
Ancestry is the best test for ethnic makeup estimates for people with African Ancestry. Also transfer the results to Gedmatch (free) for additional tools for predicting ethnic admixture estimates.
DeleteMost of my relatives died in the Holocaust and most of the ones that survived emigrated to Israel. I have no male relatives whose father is related to mine, as my father was the only male, so I might get what I got from National Geographic, which was basically nothing.
ReplyDeleteBest to test with Ancestry and transfer to Gedmatch and FTDNA - the latter has a large Jewish component to its database and has close ties with Israel.
DeleteHi Maurice - great article and great advice! My father is 85 and my mother passed away in 2013. I have reasonably good information for both my father's surname (4 generations back to mid 1800s) and my mother's surname (6 generations back to mid 1700s). I am interested in ethnic heritage and filling in blanks in the family tree. I am not interested in medical information. I was considering asking my father to do the atDNA with FTDNA and I do the atDNA test with Ancestry. This way the initial cost is lower and if I want to run additional tests with my father later, I can order these through FTDNA. Do you concur with this strategy? Thanks again for a great article! David in New Mexico.
ReplyDeleteGood idea to get your Dad's DNA stored in the lab for future testing if need be. And FTDNA are the only company to do Y-DNA and mtDNA testing. Your suggestions is a good start ... but I would test your Dad with Ancestry too ... at a later stage if you like. And be sure to transfer your Ancestry results to Gedmatch and FTDNA.
DeleteMaurice - Thanks! David
DeleteHi Maurice, I'm trying to figure out the best test to get for me. I'm of Chinese ancestry, born in New Zealand. My mother is alive and lives there. I live in the US now but was born in New Zealand. What do you think the best test would be for me to get if interested in geneology? What test should I ask my mother to take?
ReplyDeleteMy current favourite is Ancestry with a free transfer to Gedmatch and to FTDNA for $19.
DeleteHello sir. My (late) father's father is unknown. What are the chances of getting possible surname(s) via the Y-DNA test Family Tree DNA? UK ancestry.
ReplyDeleteI reckon there is a 10-20% chance based on 2014 UK figures but I have heard others say 30-40% chance of the Y-DNA revealing likely candidates for your direct male line surname. Do the Y-DNA-37 test first.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI am Mexican American. My mother and her parents are/were Tarahumara (raramuri) indians from Chihuahua Mexico. My father is from Mexico. I am light skinned with green eyes, I am curious where this may have come from. I am on a budget, what do you recommend?
Ancestry - the (currently) best all round test for ethnic makeup estimates.
DeleteHello Dr. Gleeson! I am so happy I found your site/blog! I have been researching my family history for about 10 years and am now ready to have my DNA testing done. My brother has also consented to having his done. My paternal line is French Canadian and my maternal line is I believe United Kingdom. I am just wondering what tests to have done to get the best bank for our bucks for both my brother and I. I am a member of Ancestry but am not sure if I should do it there or with another company? I really appreciate your input. Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI have been considering getting a DNA test done but really don't know which one to do. My heritage on my mother's side is Scottish and on my Father's it is Chinese. I have done a lot of my family history on the Scottish side but am wondering what test would reveal anything further on the Chinese side? My Great grandfather came to Australia in 1883 but I don't know anything about his family before that. Would the atDNA be the best test to do? Thanks in advance for your advice!
I meant to say, how far back on the Chinese side would this test be likely to determine? I know it can't tell me 'details' about my family as I may have implied in my previous post!
DeleteLooking for advice- my wife's mother ran away from home when she was a teenager in an attempt to become pregnant. She succeeded, however there were multiple potential fathers, and none are known to us. My wife would really like to know her ethnicity on her father's side. Which test(s) would you recommend, and whom should take each test? Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great article. I've been considering the mtDNA test. For years my mother said she had some Native American ancestors, but did not know who, where, etc. I have traced her father's parents and grandparents back to the Quebec area, but there is no mention of any French or American Indian ancestors in names, church or history records. Would the mtDNA test help us confirming her Indian heritage on her father's side? Or would it only give info re her mother's side which is English, Irish and Welsh? Thanks. Kathy
ReplyDeleteHi Kathy.
DeleteMy name is Shelly and I just received the results of the DNA test I took for Native American ancestry. I would HIGHLY recommend the company called ACCU-METRICS. They test only for Native American bloodlines, as the DNA test is more specialized. This is due to the fact that Native Americans are actually a group of ethnic groups that migrated from other countries. Just a 'regular' DNA test will show that have or don't have Native blood, but the ACCU-METRICS DNA testing can actually show what tribe you belong to. Imagine my surprise, when all my life I was told I was part Creek. Then the DNA test came back and it turns out I'm part Cherokee. ACCU-METRICS stated it would take 6 - 8 weeks for my results. I got the results in 3 weeks! FYI: This company charges $125.00. I was very pleased with this company. And NO! I do not work for them, etc. I had never heard of this company before, but to find out what tribe I belong to, I took a risk and chose them. shellytwosouls@gmail.com
Sorry, but Accu-Metrics is a scam. Stick to the 3 major companies.
DeleteAccu-metrics is not a scam.
DeleteGrowing up I had no family except my parents and my father's mother who are all deceased....I do have my siblings whom we all have the same parents...what would be the best test for me....oh I forgot to mention I do have Nieces and nephews an d my mother had a son before she met my father
ReplyDeleteI, also, am confused. I am looking to GIFT a DNA test to my boyfriend who knows he has some Souix Indian in his heritage. I also want more specific countries like saying GERMAN instead of European ........... which company offers the most SPECIFIC RESULTS ??? More like Check or Norwegian not just general regions.
ReplyDeleteanyone have a suggestion ????
And is the test something that can be added on to after the fact ??
DeleteI have an extensive tree on Ancestry. I have traced ancestors back on both my maternal and paternal sides back to before 1700's. I have even found ancestral information and sites in the UK - cemetery and church, i.e. Two questions: 1) If I foremost want to find out more about my ancestry, which test should I use? 2) If I choose Ancestry, do I need to make my private tree a public tree?
ReplyDeleteMy father was adopted (closed) and I doubt I can obtain his original birth certificate. He is dead. I know who his mother was, though. My brother and I want to do DNA testing. Without knowing our father's birth-father's identity, any special considerations as to what we should test. Money not an issue...
ReplyDeleteHi my husband was adopted and we would like to know his fathers side for any medical issues. No need for mom, we know her
ReplyDeleteHi Maurice! I am an Asian and I'm always curious with my mother's side as she is a native in East Malaysia. However she does not know where exactly does her ancestors come from originally because there were a lot of ethnic groups and information of where her ethnic group (Murut) comes from, not a clue. I'm not really curious of my father's ancestry.
ReplyDeleteI would just like to know more of my dna ancestry (just for fun) and also my mother's dna ancestry as well. Just to know if her ancestors did come from other places around the world and if it is possible to get more details of the Asian side?
I hope you could assist because I'm so confused with 23andMe, FTDNA and Ancestry DNA.
Thanks!!
I am a 46 year old female with a mother who was adopted. Interestingly she had 2 siblings in her adopted family that anecdotal evidence suggests they are all 3 of them full siblings(the same bio father and mother). Which test(s) would you suggest for a woman who is desperate to discover who her mother may be ....and me, her daughter who worries about genetic factors ?
ReplyDeleteI don't want to get my mothers hopes up if results are not conclusive or not likely. Most importantly -if I get tested, will that will be enough? Unfortunately her brothers(also adopted ) will not to share the information they have. Short of a DNA sample from my uncle, who and what tests would you suggest? Your advice would be most welcome in this long search
Thank you so much for this! I am a female and want to do some testing. My father is alive so I can use him for y-DNA. Would it be redundant for us to BOTH take the ancestry.com test or for us to both take any of the others? I'm trying to figure out using his y-dna and my m-dna (which would also include my mother's side obviously) how to get the most info without spending money on double tests that won't tell me anything (because of my XX)
ReplyDeleteMy cousins father is very secretive, no one knows exactly what his nationality is, what his real last name is or who his brothers are (it's known that he has 6). My cousin wants to take a test but she doesn't know which one. If you can give any help it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!-Mike
ReplyDeleteIt seems like so much info. I am more interested in ethnicity and country origins of my family (DNA). I did the Ancestry.com test a couple years ago and am wondering if one of these other test/company is good to use as verifying source or possibly provide a more accurate result.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI have an older brother that was given up for adoption at birth, we both have the same mom and dad. What would be the best test for me to do, to possibly find my brother.
ReplyDeleteKammy, I would take the FTDNA/or Ancestry and then upload it to Genmatch. com
DeleteHi, my boyfriend's father died before he was born and he has very little info on that side of the family as far as ancestry, relatives and medical. Could you please let me know what you would recommend for him? Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi I did the ancestry.com one and I'd only gave me %'s of like 22% indigenous American. I want more info. Which one is best. I want my moms and dad's info.
ReplyDeleteHi, I am very interested in finding out more about my ancestry. My parents do not seem to know too much about their own family line. I have always been told I am Russian, English and Irish. I know my paternal grandfathers family was Jewish and came here from Russia...again...what I was told. I was able to trace the family name back a little as it was shortened from the original family name. My fathers side I know zilch about. Other than a town called Hineville GA was supposedly named after his mothers father. What tests would be a good one for me to try to find out some information about our family lines? My father and all of his brothers have past away. There is no one left except some cousins from an uncle and me, my older brother and my younger sister. On my mothers side we still have my mom and grand mother. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
ReplyDeleteMelissa C
Hello, and thank you for all this information. I know a lot about my paternal family history. We are descended from Puritans and there has been a considerable amount of genealogical info collected and published in a book, which I have, written in the late 1800s by a family member. Also, our family surname is said to be of Saxon origin, which fits. My Dad compiled very detailed family records gleaned from birth and death records, as well. Both of my parents are dead.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago, I took the Nat Geo Genographic test, which, since I am a female, gave me my mother's ethnic pathways starting in Africa thousands of years ago, through Asia and Europe and into Wales. My mother's family is Welsh.
I have lost track of my brother--but he is unlikely to want to participate in this even if I find him. Both of my Mom's brothers are dead. One had no children, one left 4 sons, 3 who are still living and in England, although they came from Scotland. There are tons of relatives in Wales.
What I am most interested in is the health data available. We have lots of early deaths and elderly deaths on both sides of the family.
I have two children, two sons, but one died 5 years ago at age 49, and left 2 children: a boy and a girl. Their mother is having testing done on her and the two children, to determine what health risks they have. My other son, unmarried, has no children. I am also interested in the dna health testing, and hope to also convince younger son to get it done. It would be very helpful to have this data.
Recommendations you can make would be most helpful. Thank you very much.
I don't have any living parents or siblings nor aunts or uncles, My cousins live in other states, but we really don't know each other.
ReplyDeleteHow can I find out my mother's side and where her ancestors came from.
Just wanted to thank you for responding to all of these people. My questions were answered by reading those. You have the patience of a saint!
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to figure out which is best. I don't know much about my family history besides close relatives so I haven't been able to put together a tree and I want to know where our family comes from. I want to know our history
ReplyDeleteMy mother informed me that my biological father is not the man who raised me. She had a stroke before she was able to give me any information on him. My mother lives with me and we have quite a bit of genealogical info on her family, but I would like to know what part of my makeup came from my father. Possibly connect with paternal family members. Also have many health issues that I would like to nail down. Which test would be best for me?
ReplyDeleteHello I'd love some advice. My great grandfather on my dads side was left on a door step in Italy and brought to an orphanage where he was adopted. No one is really sure if he was full Italian. My dad has passed and I can't get one of my brothers to give up DNA to find out. I just want to know what nationality I am. Could you please help me on what tests I should have done? I would be most grateful. Thank you Renee
ReplyDeleteI should add that because our last name had been changed, I'd like to find information, if possible, on that too. Thank you again.
DeleteHi Maurice..
ReplyDeleteI am planning to order your kit to surprise my girlfriend for our anniversary. I have a few questions for you before I do, hopefully to select the best test/company :
1. Which package shall reveal information about her bloodline and family ancestry with the most details?
2. Is it possible to schedule a meeting with an expert to take us through the details revealed by the test? information about families and migration patters etc?
3. She says she has native American blood too, which database/company have information in that case?
Thanks
Ancestry is currently my top recommendation for a "general" test. Several people do consultations (including myself). For Native American ancestry you could contact Roberta Estes who runs a few Native American projects.
DeleteHello Mr Gleeson,
ReplyDeleteBoth my parents are born in Mexico and I didn't grow up with my dad. I have heard that his maternal grandmother was French/Spaniard and maternal grandfather was Spaniard. My dad didn't grow up with his dad so there is no trace of that family. My mom didn't grow up with her dad in either but we know he was Mexican. We also know that my mom's dad's family might have came from Israel. Some of my cousins look middle eastern including my oldest daughter. I am very interested in finding out if all these rumors are true. I am blonde with green eyes and our oldest daughter look nothing like me but doesn't resemble my husband to much. Which test do recommend and who should get tested? Unfortunately I have no grandparents alive and don't know where to find my dad. I want to test my four daughters but should I have my mom and her only brother tested?
You have several options. Definitely test the older generations so you have their DNA "in the bag". Do the Ancestry DNA test on yourself and your mom (and then transfer the results to FTDNA and Gedmatch). This will give you some indication of your ethnic makeup (broad brush strokes only). Get your Uncle to do the Y-DNA-37 test at FTDNA - this may confirm that your mom's dad's family are Israeli; it also mean's that your uncle's DNA will be stored for 25 years and you can do further testing on this in due course (if need be).
DeleteI am Hispanic (both parents are Mexican) and I recently tested with My Heritage DNA. I was not happy with the results because I felt that some of it was too broad and general. I got around 69% Central American and no Native American ancestry showed up. About 28% was European and I felt the information given for that was decent. I would like to know which company could give me more information about my Central American ancestry, which I'm upset about because I think it's very general. Ancestry DNA or 23andMe?
ReplyDeleteThe ethnicity results will always be only a very crude estimate, no matter who you test with. You should ask on the ISOGG Facebook group which company is best for Central American DNA (I have little experience of this so cannot give you a good answer).
DeleteI am not Caucasian. Ancestral origin is from South India, as far as our family knows. Don't see any mix, but who knows. As such, which one would be most suitable for me? Appreciate a reply. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteDifficult to say. Ancestry might be best but all of the tests from the different companies will only give you broad brushstrokes as far as ethnic makeup is concerned.
DeleteI'm a newbie, so any advice would be much appreciated on which company to choose. Obviously I'm interested in my genetic breakdown (and not necessarily the more ancient one). But the most important thing for me is to be able to connect to family members. Is Ancestry the best because of its large database? I have a particularly small family (only distant cousins left), so that's crucial to me, to be able to discover branches in my family tree that I was not aware of. My lineage is 100% European, mostly Jewish. Finally, time is of the essence for me because of health reasons. If there are significant differences in how long it takes to get results, the fastest one wins. Thanks for any advice.
ReplyDeleteAncestry is probably your best bet but they are pretty slow at the moment. Then transfer the results to FTDNA and Gedmatch. Or you could test with both of them.
DeleteOne more question: I am Welsh on my mother's side, Welsh-Dutch-English on my dad's. I really want to know the % of each. I don't want one that says"British" or something vague like that. Should I go for the test now or wait a few years until they are more specific? Thanks very much.
ReplyDeleteEthnic makeup estimates are always going to be crude and potentially disappointing. The best breakdown of "British" DNA into sub-regional amounts is the test from Living DNA, although Ancestry is also quite good due to its new "Genetic Communities" feature.
DeleteThank you for your advice. It is very much appreciated. Those darn invasions have really messed up family lines. :-)
DeleteHi there,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post. I am non-Anglo and thanks to the Geni project and Church records from my mother's village I have been able to trace back to my 4th-great-grandparents on my mother's side, and may break into the 5th.
My father's side is trickier and less is known due to the happenings of war. I took the Ancestry test (waiting for my results) but I want to test my father as he is the last of his line. Should I do Ancestry AND a Y-DNA test to know his family and genetic line? If so, which are the best ones. He is in his 70's and I would like to do the test ASAP. Seeing as I was born female, I feel no need to do a mtDNA as I have inherited that from my mother so I would take that test, correct?
Thank you in advance,
M
P.S. Sorry I am reposting twice. I forgot to click "notify me" :)
I would do an Ancestry test on your father and transfer the results to FTDNA and Gedmatch Also do a Y-DNA-37 test from FTDNA on your father (to track his direct male line). You can do the mtDNAplus test from FTDNA (it is the cheaper one - you can always upgrade later if need be).
DeleteThank you for all your advice. It is very much appreciated.
ReplyDelete(Posting twice - Forgot to say notify me) Hi Maurice. I am looking to purchase DNA Ancestry test for my mother-in law, father-in law, mom, dad, husband,myself and my only living grandparent, my mom's mom. I want to know a) what company will do the best job of linking our information together where we can see it online b) give me my motherline and fatherline migration routines c) I am bi-racial (Black & Puerto Rican) - which companies test the best for minorities d) which company will pin point location not percentages of where my ancestors are from? Please advise. I am looking to buy two test this week for Mother's day for my mom and mother-in law. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Carmen, it's difficult to recommend a single test that addresses all the questions you want answered. In my opinion, the Ancestry test is the best for linking information together because you can link your DNA results to your family tree. Of course, you have to have a subscription with Ancestry to get the most out of it. Ancestry also currently offer the best test for ethnic makeup estimates, particularly for West African populations ... although this is still limited to 6 West African populations - in other words, it is unlikely to "pinpoint" the location of your African ancestors. You may have better luck with Y-DNA and mtDNA testing at FTDNA and then joining the appropriate haplogroup projects (do the cheaper tests to start off with: Y37 is $149, mtDNA is $79) ... and African Ancestry is a company that also offer Y-DNA and mtDNA testing but it is unclear if their reference populations are any better than those currently at FTDNA. They are also more expensive. You could ask for further recommendations from the Facebook group here ... https://www.facebook.com/groups/DNAAfricans/
DeleteHi Maurice. Which test would you recommend I purchase for my parents and parent-in-laws that would give the most beneficial info?
ReplyDeleteTry Ancestry.
DeleteHi Maurice, I recently became very curious to find out what other kind of heritage I may have. What I know now is that on my mother's side is German but I have not asked any specifics from her family as they live in another state and I just haven't called to ask just yet, my mother has 1 sister and 3 brothers and my grandmother is still alive.
ReplyDeleteOn my father's side is also German with my surname Kicklighter having German origin, and was told specifically we came from Hamburg although I do not know how many generations ago and I plan on asking my father the next chance I see him, he also has a little Native American in him, most of his family though is dead though, only his older and younger brother are still around but his older brother will not be around for too much longer I've been told.
So while I'm sure most of my heritage is German, the reason I'm curious is that many of my European friends have told me I look very Scandinavian and sometimes even Slavic, specifically Russian.
What is the best course of action with these tests I can take to find out what other ethnic blood I may have?
Ancestry currently have the best test for ethnic makeup estimates.
DeleteWhat do you think about the National Geographic test kit?
ReplyDeleteGreat for human migration, but of no use for genealogy.
DeleteI agree with Maurice's opinion, but I see great value in getting this info. For one thing, it absolutely establishes that we are all the same. For those who reject the idea that mankind originated in Africa, it is personal proof that one did. It was my introduction to genetic research, something I am delighted to have done.
DeleteWhich test do you think is the best for my husband and I to find out our European ancestry? I know I have Irish and Scottish in me, but my husband does not know anything about his. We would love something a little more than "western Europe" or something like that. Suggestions?
ReplyDeleteI would go with Ancestry.
DeleteI am trying to figure out which is the best route, if any, I need to go to increase my knowledge to learn more about my family. I have tested, along with my brother, and other close cousins with 23andMe. I recently transferred my data from 23andMe to FamilyTreeDNA, and I am currently in the process of transferring my brothers DNA. FamilyTreeDNA seemed to locate a native american ancestor that I had heard about but did not show up on my 23andMe. (I was told a distant grandmother was born on the Colorado River - and there it was on the map of the FamilyTreeDNA origins.) My brother, who is a full brother, shows up with Iberian and West African that I did not have on 23andMe. (I am practically fully European on 23 and me with the no African showing up and maybe just a blip that would indicate Iberian ancestry.) My questions are - should I proceed with mtDNA (will it reveal much more than 23andMe)? I think I definitely should pursue my brother doing a Y-DNA (my father refuses). Is it worthwhile for me to do Ancestry DNA after doing the other two? And it sounds like I should just not bother with the National Geographic. Just want to not spend more than I need to.
ReplyDeleteThe ethnic estimates are just that - estimates. Take them with a big grain of salt.
DeleteTesting your brother's Y-DNA will give you further information about your direct male line - and only that line. I would do the Ancestry test before doing a mtDNA test - mtDNA is the least useful. And Nat Geno will not give you any cousin matches.
I have 2 "early" dead-ends on my tree that I was thinking DNA may help me with. My mother's maternal grandmother was left with a family as a young child....no strong clue as to who her parents were.
ReplyDeleteI also have my mother's paternal grandmother with no leads on her parents. Seems to be a dead-end. Cannot locate on Census, Birth Certs, etc.
Which DNA tests would be the most helpful to me to possibly find a DNA match to my Great-great grandparents' families? I am female and these women both come via my mother, but one (a) is straight "mother's mother's mother's mother" and the other (b) is "mother's father's mother's mother". The first (a) is clearly following my X, but on the 2nd question (b) my mother's father did NOT have any sisters. So is there any other way to follow the DNA to possibly find info for my GGGrandmother that comes through my maternal grandfather??
The best strategy would be to test distant cousins with a known relationship to each ancestor in turn and thus triangulate on that ancestor. So for example, if you can locate a 3rd cousin who is descended from (a) - or better still, his/her parent ... or grandparent - then any matches you both share in common have to be related to you at or above the level of (a).
DeleteThe same approach for (b). Test one or more distant cousins, all descended from (b), and thus triangulate on (b) and explore shared matches. Hopefully one of them will have information that will help you make a breakthrough.
Failing that, mtDNA may help for (a). For (b), she is not on the direct female line so mtDNA won't help. X won't really help either because it could be from a variety of different ancestral lines. So triangulation is your best bet. And if you could test several 3rd cousins, even better.
Hello Dr. Gleeson, I have been doing family genealogy research for 25+ years and just this past weekend found information leading to the discovery that my father's surname (my maiden name) is likely not our bloodline.. His grandfather (my great grandfather) appears to have been adopted by his mother's 2nd husband, but fathered by her first husband according to all of the tracking I've been doing via census records, etc... This came as quite a shock to me after all of these years. My father has passed, but I've asked his brother to do a YDNA test. I have also ordered an Ancestry DNA Test. Questions are...
ReplyDelete1)Does it matter which of my dad's two brothers I have tested or would you even recommend testing them both? They are both in their 70's.
2) Which Y-DNA Test would you order? 37, 67 or 111? I found a Germany Surname project on FamilyTreeDNA that includes the surname (Freytag, which was Americanized to Fattig/Fettig, Fattick, Fattik, and even Friday) of the biological father of my great grandfather... They recommend doing Y-DNA111, but only one other person has joined the project with that name.
3) I ordered 2 Ancestry DNA Kits today...one for my huband and wondering who would be best to have do the other test? My Dad's brother/s or me or one of my 3 brothers or?
I'm primarily looking to confirm what I am 99% sure to be true... that we are from a different bloodline that the line I've been researching most of my 25 years...
Additionally, my brother-in-law is not fathered by the same father as my husband. He would like to know what family surname he comes from. Can you recommend which test/s he should do to have the best chance at confirming what family surname he belongs to?
Thank you for your wonderful blogs and videos! So very helpful and easy to follow.
1) you could test either of your uncles - it doesn't matter (assuming there isn't a secret adoption). With luck, you will find the surname of your great great grandmother's 1st husband (?Freytag). Failing that, you should join the appropriate haplogroup projects (or any relevant surname projects) and seek advice.
Delete2) start with Y-37 and upgrade if need be (saves you money)
3) test your Dad's brother - as a general rule, always try to catch the older members of the family while they are still with us
4) your brother in law should do the Y-37 to start with and upgrade or SNP test as need be.
Good luck with your research. :-)
I'm very interested in doing a DNA test, but have yet to figure which is best for me. My biological father skipped out once he found out my mom was pregnant with me, and I have never met or had contact with him or anyone from that side. I don't know his last name or even where he was actually from, though my mom and aunt tell me he was from somewhere in Russia/Ukraine/any Russian territory from the 80's. But neither of them have anymore information on him and can't actually say if what he said was true. I also have a lot of unknown medical issues that no one on my mother's side have and actual genetic tests are quite expensive. What would be the best test for me? I planned to do both 23&me and Ancestry's tests in the future, but I wanted to know which would actually give me results that I'm looking for. I'm also a female, if that matters in any way.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your help!
Do 23andme for the medical side and Ancestry for the tracing - they have the largest database (4 million in April 2017). Also, discuss the 23andme results with your family doctor.
DeleteHi Dr. Gleeson,I am the last surviving male of my father's side of the family. I have done my family tree on "My Heritage" and have been able to trace my family back to the 800's through both my father's grandmother and grandfather. Most of their ancestors came from the UK, Scotland, Wales and England, but around the 1200's and earlier, French, German and other Europeans intermarried with my UK ancestors, even some Russians. Which DNA test would be best for me to trace my ancestry back that far? Thanks in advance.
ReplyDelete800 is a long time ago! Autosomal DNA has a reach of only about 200-300 years ago. If you want to confirm the accuracy of your family tree back to 800 (or even back to 1200), you could do a Y-DNA test for each and every surname in your tree ... and that would mean testing multiple cousins ... and that could get very expensive if you wanted to "test them to the max". Y-DNA-111 plus Big Y would come to about $900 ... each. So it very much depends on what particular ancestral line you want to verify ... and if you can find a cousin to test.
DeleteAlso, be aware that the rate of Surname or DNA Switches (e.g. adoptions, illegitimacy) is 1-2% per generation, so the chances of you having an SDS on any of your ancestral lines (going back to 1200 say) is approximately 1950-1200=750/30=25 generations => 25-50% probability. And that would screw things up considerably.
I would start with testing your own Y-DNA and take it from there. Start with the Y-DNA-37 for $149 via any project of your choice on FTDNA.
Alternatively, if you want to find out your "ethnic makeup", you could try the Ancestry test ... but remember, this is only broad brush strokes and needs to be taken with a humungous pinch of salt.
Hi. I can't tell you how fascinating and informative this site is! Thank you so much for the information. I am a 65-year old female whose grandparents and father are deceased. I
ReplyDeleteThank you. :-)
Delete(continued). have the possibility of getting testing on my father's side from a first cousin or from a nephew. Which would be better? Also, should that person have a y-DNA test, or more comprehensive? Then, do I need to have a full test, or will the mtDNA suffice? It seems that Family Tree may be the best, since my mother (98) can test and her sample will be retained for 25 years, when more information may become available.
ReplyDeleteBottom line: still confusing. Recommendations?
Always go with the older generation ... so test your paternal cousin rather than your nephew. If you just want a general test, why not start with the autosomal DNA test (Ancestry) and take it from there. If you have a specific question about your father's father's father's line then Y-DNA may be appropriate (FTDNA), IF your paternal cousin bears the same surname as your father. I would test your mother with both Ancestry (autosomal) and FTDNA (mtDNAplus).
DeleteP.S. - this is mostly for ancestral purposes.
ReplyDeleteRe the person who wants to test his family back to 800: would it not help him to also take the NatGeo Genographic DNA test? He'll need to get a female, I believe, to get the Mitochondrial DNA, but it will clearly show what migratory routes out of Africa his ancestors took.
ReplyDeleteHello, Maurice. I have read this article over and over and over and it's both exciting and intimidating. I'm almost 60, my father and grandfather are deceased and I have no biological brothers or sisters. I do however know (or at least think I know) quite a bit about his history.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest dilemma is the fact that my mother is also both adopted and deceased. We know quite a bit about her mother but nothing except the name or at least who we think is her father. Although, I'm trying to glean as much of my history as possible it's my mother's father that I'm most interested in learning more about or even whether the man that we think is her father, truly is.
I'm considering the Autosomal DNA and the Mitochondrial DNA from FamilyTreeDNA.
In your opinion is my thinking correct?
That's a good start. Autosomal with Ancestry, mtDNA with FTDNA. Also atDNA test your closest relatives on your fathers side so any paternal matches can be excluded. Good luck!
DeleteDr Gleeson, I came here already with the sense the commercial choices are complicated, and more so now I see how specific they are to family circumstances. Thank you for making the effort to clarify for everyone.
ReplyDeleteWe are all German born, and would like to pin down German roots from genealogy back into ancestry. We would start later with my mother's side of which much less is known. My father (80) and his sister (92) have a rather detailed maternal family tree back to late 1700's Baltic but nothing before their paternal grandfather.
My inquiry boils down to which the best choice(s)/ pool(s)/ resource(s) might be given that I am here and they were there.
Thanks kindly, Patrik Schumann
I would test your father or his sister or both on Ancestry. And your oldest maternal cousin too. That would cover most bases.
DeleteAlso, transfer the results of all tests to Gedmatch, FTDNA and MyHeritage.
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ReplyDeleteHi Paul, by all means upload your data to FTDNA. Do the free transfer first and see what you get.
ReplyDeleteYou should also do the Y-DNA-37 test on FTDNA as this may give you clues to your father's surname (it works about 10-40% of the time).
You should also consider testing with Ancestry - it has the largest database.
Best, Maurice
Good afternoon, I am looking to learn about my mother, her mother and father and that entire bloodline. I have absolutely no one to test on that side. I do know my mother's maiden name, she had a sister as well. My nana, opa and oma were Germany and Swedish I believe. What would be the best testing route? Again, I have no one to test on my maternal side and obviously no males to trace. Thanks for your help!!
ReplyDeleteStart by doing the Ancestry test for yourself. Then test someone on your father's side (your father if he is still with us, but failing that, his nearest relative). Anyone who matches you and your paternal relative will be on your father's side ... anyone who doesn't is more likely to be on your mother's side.
DeleteI did a DNA test with 23andMe about five years ago. I have an identical twin brother who is considering doing a DNA test. Which company do you suggest He test with?
ReplyDeleteIt depends what he wants to know. Does he want to know about his medical risks (in which case do the 23andMe test .... but it should be virtually identical to yours) or is he more interested in ancestry in which case he should test with the AncestryDNA test (it has the largest database).
DeleteHi Maurice,
ReplyDeleteMy brother just drew to my attention that Ancestry.com takes ownership of our DNA when we use their service and even could be used against us or our relatives. Is this true do you know? And do the other companies do the same? Thank you by the way, for this very interesting and helpful blog!
Check the Privacy Policy and T&Cs documents for the full information, but yes Ancestry will own your DNA. So will 23andMe. In the future, it is likely that Ancestry will use our DNA data for Health research. Personally I don't have a major problem with that as it contributes tot he common good.
DeleteAs for the police accessing your data, they can do so if they subpoena the company but such events are rare. Also, because there is no "chain of custody", your DNA results at Ancestry could never be used against you in court - how do they know that they are your own? There is no chain of custody.
Thank you very much. Another question for you. I have an Uncle on my mother's side and have ordered the Y test for him.My mother has passed away. If I want to know more about my mother's mother, do I test him for the Mt dna or can I get the same information from myself?
DeleteSimilarly, On my deceased father's side, I am getting my uncle tested for the Ydna. Who is best to get his mother's Mt dna? From him? Or, from my still living aunt (sister of my father) or will that show up in my test as well? i am trying to get as much info as possible before we lose these folks who are in their nineties. Thanks!
Do the autosomal DNA test on your uncle - as your mother's brother, he has the same ancestors as she does and his results will apply to your entire maternal side. The mtDNA test only tests the mother mother mother line - nothing else.
DeleteTest everyone on your father's side with the atDNA test. Read the blog post again to decide if you want Y or mtDNA ... they only test one line, not all of them.
Hi Maurice,
ReplyDeleteMy family is African American and we have been told that we have some American Indian heritage. What would be the best company to use to test our lineage. With so much information on the web I am totally confused. I have read reviews that 23 & me does not pin point tribes/regions in a particular area that you may have descended. Your article starts out saying that 23 & me as the best but by the end that seemed to shift. I want to purchase this for my sister for Christmas....help..
Hi Tia, it is a confusing area. And changing constantly. For a general test, I think the Ancestry test is a good all-rounder. It currently gives the best breakdown of African DNA of the three major companies. There are several people who are more expertise in relation to Indigenous American Indian DNA who may be able to offer some additional advice. Check out these blog posts and leave a comment for Roberta - she's is pretty good at answering ... https://dna-explained.com/category/native-american/
DeleteHi Maurice. I am in Australia. For some complicated reasons I am 56 and have no idea who my biological parents are or any details of my birth. I am keen to find out as much of my past and family as possible. I have recently completed an AncestryDNA test and found a second cousin, but as I cannot provide details of my birth, I am not getting any where.
ReplyDeleteI have tried to download my raw DNA data to FTDNA but it’s not working.
I would really value any advice you can provide on the best tests now to complete. It appears that my ancestry is from Uk,Ireland etc. but believe recent ancestors were here in australia. Also I would be interested in the medical side as well.
I know very little about genealogy and wondering how long it would take for me to truly be effective in trying to understand information and links. I also wonder if if would be better for me In my circumstances to seek services of a trained genealogist.
Thank you
Transfer your Ancestry data to FTDNA, MyHeritage, LivingDNA, and Gedmatch. Contact the FTDNA Helpdesk if you have problems. Join the DNA Detectives group and ask for specific advice (for free). Contact me if you want to pursue the consultancy route.
DeleteBest, Maurice
Well I have found out a lot of info since my last post. I still know nothing about my fathers side of the family. But have uncovered my mothers side of the family and they have a large family tree and some relatives have completed dna tests. But I am finding that matches that I think are on my fathers side are in actual fact on my mothers side. I would like find out if consultancy help is available to determine paternal matches. How can I contact you to find out more.
DeleteHi JF, glad to hear you have made some progress. It sounds like your parents could have been related to each other (e.g. 2nd cousins). This would not be unusual if they came from a small community. You can email me at maurice AT mauricegleeson.com (replace the AT with @).
DeleteWhat is the cheapest, simplest and private way to see if someone is related to you? I have a potential cousin and we want to see if she's related, but she is worried about her information being out there (personal information privacy). Thanks in advance and BTW great article!
ReplyDeleteAssuming you and your relative are 4th cousins or closer, the cheapest way is to do the Family Finder (autosomal DNA) test at FTDNA, especially while the Sale is still on. Use false names to ensure anonymity. And delete the results and ask for the samples to be destroyed after you get the results.
DeleteHello I Know I am half Black, german, and either spanish or mexican. Based on my research some companies have a larger pool for one ethnicity than others. And to get a complete DNA report you have to go to multiple companies. Is there one company that does it all? and if not which one do you recommend with my gene pool?
ReplyDeleteI think Ancestry still (currently) has the best ethnic breakdown of the major companies, particularly for those with African ancestry. It still is very topline but hopefully with time we will get to see a more fine-grain, detailed picture ... that covers ALL parts of the world.
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteBoth of my Parents have passed. So it my Brother (61) & I (55,Female). We have always be told that we were Czechoslovakian & some German. I have recently found Birth Certificates from Great Grand Parents on Fathers Side from Austria. My brother & I are going to Prague in the Fall and would like some more detailed info on our Heritage/Roots. What would be our Best options. Were both interested in DNA testing so how would you guide so that we could get the most comprehensive info ?
You refer a lot to "Family Tree DNA" and Ancestry DNA..., so would be interested in possibly using the 2 different. But was wanting your opinion ?????
Also, have you heard of "CRI Genetics", they have shown up in several articles and have been rated #1 DNA test. whats your Opinion.
Iris
Hi Iris, I have never heard of CRI Genetics. They are not a major company and my inclination would be to avoid them.
DeleteMy recommendation is to test both your brother and yourself at Ancestry and then transfer a copy of your results FOR FREE to familytreedna, myheritage, livingdna, and gedmatch. You could also consider testing at 23andMe if you do not have any informative matches with the other companies. You could also consider getting a Y-DNA-37 test for your brother as this may help you identify where your father's father's father's line came from.
Hello.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for the thorough article.
Since you posted this a few years ago, did things changed with the 3 biggest services you mentioned?
My wife really wants to do a DNA test, and I plan to offer it to her as a birthday present. However, I am bit skeptical any of them will provide any relevant info about her "origins". She was born in Romania and both parents and their parents are from a 500km² area in central-south Romania. She doesn't have any info going back further than her grandparents. But Romania was an entry point in Europe, and she could have Turkish, Tartar, German, Hungarian, Gipsy etc "influences".
Will any of these services show some diversity, if present, or will they just show 99.5% east european?
Thanks a bunch!