tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5217578981136853097.post4602329712438646772..comments2023-10-02T00:59:44.651-07:00Comments on DNA - Genealem's Genetic Genealogy: Family Finder Test by Family Tree DNA Just Announced!Genealemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08862053925857198520noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5217578981136853097.post-45315669636335749402011-02-24T23:02:02.448-08:002011-02-24T23:02:02.448-08:00My mother who recently passed away was told many y...My mother who recently passed away was told many years ago by an angry sister that their father was not my mother's biological father. The parents and siblings are all deceased. Can I confirm if this is true by submitting my DNA with DNA of her brother's daughter (my cousin)?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15011161788783842652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5217578981136853097.post-25539627175505912832010-06-10T18:01:16.466-07:002010-06-10T18:01:16.466-07:00Thank you. I had heard a rumor some time ago, but...Thank you. I had heard a rumor some time ago, but I was curious if FTDNA was going to allow people to upload (transfer) their 23andme raw data to FTDNA? I know FTDNA and 23andme don't test all the same SNPs but there is some overlap. I have tested with both companies but have some other family member's results at 23andme.<br /><br />Basically with these tests like you said you need a good paper trail and you have to know the test's limitations, which you said you will cover in more detail in the future. But with the standalone autosomal test you really don't know where your shared DNA is coming from. If you have a shared surname with your match, is the shared DNA from that line or is it just a coincidence? If you have a known common ancestor, is the shared DNA really from that ancestor or is the shared DNA from another unknown ancestor from another branch that the two of you share? <br /><br />I actually have a match that has an ancestor with my surname. That is the only surname we share in common among our known ancestors. I have a brick wall with my surname and can't trace back far enough to know whether me and this person share the same ancestor farther back on that line or if it is just a coincidence. The sister of my match has tested and we don't share any DNA at all. Since I've had other family members tested (father, mother, paternal grandmother) I know I would have to be related to them on my paternal grandfather's side. However with my match, since only the brother and sister have tested I don't know if I am related to them on their paternal or maternal side. Their maternal side is the side of our common surname we share. I have done a y-dna test in the past with no matches. I was actually thinking though of tracing their ancestor that shares my surname down to present day to find a living direct male descendant and testing him (y-dna) to see if I am a match. This would be one way, although expensive that the two tests (ydna surname tests and the Family Finder/Relative Finder) could be used together.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01285843527320483964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5217578981136853097.post-48697465016231347862010-06-07T22:36:04.318-07:002010-06-07T22:36:04.318-07:00Matt...
I appreciate your comments and will addre...Matt...<br /><br />I appreciate your comments and will address a few here. But as I just stated earlier, I will be posting more articles on this type of testing in the next few weeks (June 2010), including its limitations. None of us interested in genetic genealogy want dissatisfied customers.<br /><br />You are most correct that these tests will not find all your cousins. That is the nature of autosomal testing. Each of us inherits a different combination from our ancestors and these tests (at both companies) have parameters to determine cousin-ship. Sometimes the blocks of DNA aren't large enough to be confident of a match. That doesn't mean you aren't cousins with a person who doesn't show up as a match if your paper trail indicates they are related and you are confident in that research.<br /><br />Mathematically, each company feels they can estimate rather well back to 5th cousins; however, it really becomes a range of cousin-ship past the 3rd or 4th generation. As you can see from my blog, it is possible to find much more distant cousins. It all depends upon how much DNA appears in each person and how far you can take the paper trail. I've actually found people connected to my Hartzfelder line who tested, but who did not match.<br /><br />No, you are right...it cannot predict a cousin-ship in a surname project. I probably wasn't really clear on that. In some cases we know that families stayed in the same areas for a long time and sometimes marrying cousins. I have a case in my Talley project where the man has two lines of Talley...one on his surname and the other not. He will likely match another person (especially a woman) who couldn't test for the surname project, but has a Talley in rather recent times. That is how it can broaden the surname projects and bring women into the mix.<br /><br />With any DNA test, you need a good paper trail as well.<br /><br />I do think that if we don't help the public understand what this test can and can't do, there will be some disgruntled customers. At the price of these tests, anyone should first learn about the test, establish their goals for testing, and clarify with the company or other persons who understand the tests if a test can meet their goals.<br /><br />You wrote: Autosomal testing seems to be much more useful at finding random cousins that could be related to you on any branch and then working together to find who the common ancestors were.<br /><br />This is exactly what this test does in that it is an autsomal test, and it will find matches to cousins. AND, that it is up to the two people matching to find that common ancestor. (Same with a Y-DNA test...you still have to find how you fit into the surname branch and only good genealogy research can do that.)<br /><br />Regarding the X...FTDNA has tested it and will be releasing that result when the web pages for it are done. The X is inherited in a very unique way, and the company wants their web pages to reflect how best to use the X.<br /><br />There is a lot going on at Family Tree DNA right now, so give them some time and you will see more offerings and some improved ones. I know of a few in the works.<br /><br />I hope this reply has helped.. I appreciate you pointing out that I needed to clarify part of what I wrote. My posts scheduled for late June and early July will reflect how to use this type of testing, what to expect from it, and what not to expect.<br /><br />Thank you,<br />EmilyGenealemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08862053925857198520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5217578981136853097.post-19123840956934368352010-06-07T22:02:50.270-07:002010-06-07T22:02:50.270-07:00Tony...Forgive the delay in replying.
The short...Tony...Forgive the delay in replying. <br /><br />The short answer is that the customer database for 23andMe differs from that of Family ?Tree DNA. From the feedback I get and my own experiences (I've tested with both), most people took the 23andMe test as they were interested in the health portion, and most people I've run into or others I know who have emailed their matches at 23andMearen't avid genealogists. At Family Tree DNA the customers tend to be genealogists as that is the focus of the company.<br /><br />Each of the two companies use a different chip, and their parameters vary some, but both will find matches in about the same range. However, most people I know test with both companies so they have every opportunity to find any cousin they can.<br /><br />I will be posting more articles on this type of testing, its benefits to genealogists, and its limitations in the next few weeks. Stay tuned! LOLGenealemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08862053925857198520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5217578981136853097.post-20973800331700676682010-02-20T07:26:47.668-08:002010-02-20T07:26:47.668-08:00You seem to know more about DNA than me but I am t...You seem to know more about DNA than me but I am troubled by how FTDNA is promoting this as a great leap forward for surname projects. Even you say this creates equal status for women in such projects. I just don't see it. I have been beta testing the similar 23andme test since it started and while it is fun it has its drawbacks. <br /><br />Due to inheritance and recombination there seems to be no guarantee that an ancestor farther back than 3 or 4 generations will even show up in our genome and if they do the person you are looking to determine cousinship with might not have inherited that same block of DNA. It certainly isn't accurate at predicting the level of cousinship within a surname project as you suggest. Yes it is accurate if the two people are 1st, 2nd or 3rd cousins beyond that not so much. I think there are going to be a lot of disappointed customers if this is marketed as a way to determine if two people are descendants of a specific ancestor. It is a crap shoot for this purpose and a very expensive one. Autosomal testing seems to be much more useful at finding random cousins that could be related to you on any branch and then working together to find who the common ancestors were. Maybe you know more about FTDNA's test that will make it more accurate within the frame of a surname project versus 23andme's version. Also it is disappointing that FTDNA's version doesn't include the X-chromosome.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01285843527320483964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5217578981136853097.post-53921940434160302952010-02-18T08:05:49.173-08:002010-02-18T08:05:49.173-08:00Interesting article. Thank you for all of the deta...Interesting article. Thank you for all of the detailed info. How do you think this service compares to 23 and Me's Ancestry/Relative Finder? Certainly the price point is attractive. Thanks!Tony Masiellohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05748141195726680383noreply@blogger.com