Family Tree DNA’s 8th International Conference on Genetic Genealogy

Dateline: Houston Texas, 10-11 November 2012

Although we make history daily, only at monumental times do we realize it.  This year at the Family Tree DNA Conference, every one realized the history being made.

As usual on Friday, FTDNA provided a large room with a no-host bar where everyone rekindled old friendships and met new attendees.  We could register during this time or Saturday morning.  Our registration packet included a nice FTDNA carry bag, a conference logo T-shirt, pen, and Richard Hill’s new book Finding Family My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA.  I reviewed this book earlier on this blog.  It is an excellent book for genetic genealogists, adoptees, and for the general public.  A must read!

Bennett Greenspan

In Bennett Greenspan’s welcome gave us a bit of the company’s history.  They were the first to offer DNA testing for genealogy in 2000 after Bennett dogged Dr. Michael Hammer into doing a 12 marker test on him and Dr. Hammer suggested that someone needed to start a company as people kept asking him about testing for genealogy.  Bennett also informed us that his corporation had been reorganized a bit and is now is called Gene by Gene which has under it several companies:  Family Tree DNA for Ancestry, DNA Traits for Health, DNADTC for Research, and DNAFindings for Paternity.  I spoke of monumental times in history...here’s one:  The DNADTC division is the first commercial company to offer a full genome sequence test!  The price is $5495, but we know that will be lower in a few years.  For the Exome, your 20,000 genes, the cost is $695.  This is remarkable as it is a genetic genealogy company making this available to the public first and the entire genome was only sequenced in 2003 at the cost of 3 billion dollars.  We have come a long way and are moving quickly!       Congratulations to FTDNA for another first!
Other statistics for Family Tree DNA is that have purchased 1.5 million vials for testing since conception; they are processing 500 samples a day and sometimes through the weekend; is involved in Next-Generation Sequencing; will have easier to open vials; and have new automated machines to remove tedious tasks for workers.

Dr. Spencer Wells

Dr. Spencer Wells who heads the National Genographic Project talk with the group via Skype from Florence Italy where he was introducing the Geno 2.0 test which has sections on “Your Story”, “Our Story”, and “The Human Story”.  He mentioned that “Genetic genealogy is changing hyper-exponentially”.  His presentation gave an overview of the AIMs chip and how it was vetted as well as a view of the website which is still evolving.  The goals include determining more population details for those who are labeled 100% of a certain population, especially including Native American and differentiating between Native American and Asian. See my review of Geno 2.0 on this blog. Watch for a paper on Genographic about repopulating the Middle East.
One of the most exciting features of Geno 2.0 is that citizen scientists can conduct a “community led events”.  If you have a group, such as the Mennonites or other particular cultural group, you could apply to Genographic for conducting a study under the community led event.  Dr. Wells would not indicate how many kits have been sold so far as this is still the initial release (soft launch), but mentioned that significantly more than 10k kits have been sold and significantly less than 100k.

Judy Russell, JD, CGSM

Next was Judy Russell, the Legal Genealogist, is a genealogist with a law degree.   Her topic was Regulating Genetic Genealogy - Does It Make Sense?   Of all the presenters we have had in the past to speak to ethical questions and problems in this field, Judy delivered the most clear and most reasonable argument for regulating ourselves, for placing disclaimers on our project sites, for not misrepresenting our field, and she encouraged us to do all this so we would not be regulated by any government arm.  Judy tells us that the FDA is not interested in genetic genealogy, but in disease risk.  The Federal Trade Commission is concerned for “truth in advertising”…is what is promised being delivered?  She states that we need to rein in the charlatans as those are the ones who will cause regulation.  She clarified that AncestryDNA can give your DNA to anyone they contract or companies who buy them out; no warranties. Of 23andMe she states that the company will still use your surveys and genetic info even if you drop them and they do not need your consent on using it for publication.  Russell says that signing over your DNA for any company to use can come under FDA interest. She says FTDNA does not have these issues at all.  You must sign a release form for sharing your name and email with your matches.  Check the contracts before you test.
Judy Russell recommends we check the disclosure on the Melungeon Core project at FTDNA as it is a good example of disclosure and have something similar for all of our projects.
GINA (Genetic Information and Non-discrimination Act of 2008) is very limited and broad in protecting us with regard to DNA testing.  It only covers employment and health care.  It does not apply to life insurance, disability insurance, and long-term care.
Some DNA companies (ex: Connect DNA) uses CODIS values and even suggests you put your results on Facebook!  Some states arrest for misdemeanors which put your DNA in CODIS and some states now use familiar DNA such as in the Grim Sleeper case.  The UK uses familial DNA.
Other tips she shared:  Do NOT sign release forms for others; don’t test someone without their consent.  If caught, this will cause regulation by the government.  Remember that any piece of legislation can be repealed or modified.  Testing your whole genome and disclosing it discloses information for your relatives who have not given consent.  In summary:  Make ethical decisions, respect privacy of others; do informed consent; and educate the public regarding DNA testing. The bottom line is:  If we don’t make better decisions, others will do it for us.
Question to Judy on testing dead relatives who had a previous test prompted the answer that if there is a child, you are not the heir to decide further testing.  (FTDNA does have a page which allows a beneficiary for your DNA, but that email must be updated. There are forms which can be signed by a notary before a tester dies to give permission to someone to manage their DNA. Email me for a copy.)
       I had the opportunity of speaking with her at the ISOGG gathering Saturday night and she is a commonsense and knowledgeable person.  Such a delight!

Dr. Thomas Krahn

Three break-out groups were available covering information on the Advanced Group Administrators Techniques by Elise Friedman of Relative Roots (more on Elise's presentation tomorrow), on Family Finder by CeCe Moore, and Walk the Y Update by Dr. Thomas Krahn of Family Tree DNA.  All were very informative, of course.
 

Dr. Tim Janzen

CeCe Moore covered the basics of autosomal testing starting with cell structure and walked through several of the pages showing how to download data from the Chromosome Browser.  She mentioned to calculate the shared percentage of your genome divide the total cMs by 68.  See FTDNA’s FAQ on Family Finder for great information as well as taking the tutorial on your personal website.   The most exciting part of the presentation was from Rob Warthen who has a tool to download all your Family Finder matches at once, something many of us have strived to have FTDNA do (and they did decide to do so!).  CeCe covered what many of us are now doing on testing various family members and mapping our chromosomes to determine what segments come from what ancestor as was presented by Dr. Tim Janzen.
     Dr. Krahn mentioned that no one from haplogroups B, D, M, and S have done Walk The Y and they would really like to get someone from each.  There have been 494 WTY participants and only 198 did not find a new SNP.  Some of these presentations will be available at FTDNA, perhaps all.

Dr. Tyrone Bowes

Dr. Tyrone Bowes of Irish Origenes spoke on Pinpointing a Geographical Location.  His company has detailed maps on Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England.  He suggests that you can use low-level matches (12 and 25 markers) to see where those names lived in one of these countries and narrow the locations to what is most likely.  Check all spellings and locations from castles to clan mapping as place names may reflect early inhabitants and areas where people were when they picked surnames. Once a chief of a clan is gone, people could take a new surname.  Townlands lead to surnames. Know the history.  He does consulting on this in his business.



In the Question and Answer period included these:  
1.  Drugs, alcohol, radiation, etc. are more likely to cause a null (no marker results) than a different allele.  Blood transfusions would require you to wait weeks to test UNLESS you are VERY careful in scraping to not get any blood on the swab.  It’s really safer to wait.
2.  If you have few or no matches it is probably a coincidence so wait until the database grows.  The database does have gaps as you can’t get DNA out of some countries, such as China.  DNA has been sent surreptitiously from Russia so that is another area of concern.
3.  When Geno 2.0 is eventually offered through FTDNA for existing samples to be used, there needs to be an unopened vial.
4.  Geno 2.0 is the closest thing to the full genome (for now), but does not have as high resolution ad would not show private mutations.
5.  Niall of the Nine Hostages has four sub-groups and Geno may show which is the dominate line
6.  FTDNA is going to Build 37 in the next two months or so which adds 3-4,000 new SNPs in the Family Finder chip and the X-chromosome browser is coming.
7.  FTDNA has 500,000 vials in storage currently, and transfers from other companies are going great.
8.  FTDNA anticipates uploading Ancestry raw autosomal data when Ancestry allows customers to download their raw data.
9.  In the next version, Palendromic matches will be counted as one mutation event as it actually happens as one event.

Sunday's presentations and historical news will follow...

Enjoy,
Emily
16 Nov 2012

Family Tree DNA's 6th International Conference, part 2

Sunday, October 31, 2011

ISOGG met at 8:30 a.m. Katherine Borges, director of ISOGG, gave a presentation on the organization and its history. This non-profit society started in 2005 by a handful of people and without any funding. No dues are required and the only goal is to spread the word about Genetic Genealogy.

ISOGG recently developed the ISOGG wiki page and has many topics to assist researcher of all levels.

The ISOGG newsletter is distributed to about 4,400 members.

Several members staffed the booth last February at the Who Do You Think You Are? Conference in London, the largest genealogy convention in the world. Nearly 20,000 people attended that conference. Some administrators offered free DNA tests for anyone at the conference who was a male with the desired surname. At least five people received free tests. ISOGG will be manning a booth again this coming year. (February 25-27, 2011)

Dr. Bruce Walsh, Professor of Ecology and Evoluntionary Biology at the University of Arizona, presented The Math Behind Family Finder. Dr. Walsh uses the phrase “incorrectly ascertained paternity” instead of NPE (Non-parental event) which is more correct, actually.

He explained that one chromosome is contributed by each parent, but that chromosome is a combination of both of their parents. He states that autosomal DNA is sliced and diced, but the Y-chromosome does not recombine as there are never two copies in the cell. However, recombination of the X chromosome does occur because there are two copies. Since men have an X and a Y there is no recombination, but of course their X was a recombination of their mother’s two X chromosomes. The Mitochondrial DNA does not recombine, but is passed on as an identical block, except for random mutations.

Dr. Walsh also believes that the autosomal chips will have more than a million markers in 2-3 years. Current technology is about 500,000 markers.

The Family Finder test can reliably predict relationships for three generations (to the 3rd cousin level). However, fourth and fifth cousins are possible, but not as reliable. Each generation only gets 50% of the previous generations’ autosomal DNA. This means that that in only a few generations there is little to now autosomal DNA from the ancestors.

Bennett Greenspan, President and CEO of FTDNA, spoke on Reading Family Finder Results. He demonstrated how to use Family Finder test results to solve a 30-year mystery in his lineage. He used the chromosome browser portion of Family Finder to triangulate and determine whether a match is on the maternal or paternal side. Doing so does entail testing the correct level of family members. By testing close family members you can compare them with distant family members to see how where and how much the data overlaps. If you test a close on your paternal side and a close relative on your maternal side, you can compare a distant cousin to each and determine which side they are related.

He further explained that small block lengths (or centimorgans, aka cM) means that there is a more distant relationship even if the totally number of matching SNPs is large.

He clarified homozygosis and heterozygosis. Our DNA contains four chemical bases (adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine or ACGT). There are a pair of these bases at each location along the chromosome, but Family Finder cannot distinguish between them so you see two letters which are always given in alphabetical order. When looking at the raw data and comparing one person to another, the AA from one person matches an AT from another person and a TT matches an AT, but the AA does not match a TT. Therefore, if a person has the same chemical basis (i.e., AA or TT), this is called homozygous, and if the pair differ (i.e., AT) it is called heterozygous. If a person is heterozygous in an area they will tend to match more people, but if those people are homozygous, they will not match each other. That is, if you have an AT at a location and you match two people who are AA and TT, the people who are AA and TT will not match each other. This means you will have matches on your family Finder and those matches will not match each other if you are the one who heterozygous. These matches are usually on smaller segments of the DNA, but get everyone excited in that they are hoping that if everyone matched everyone, they could triangulate the lineages to more easily discover the common ancestor.

Bennett mentioned that the X-chromosome browser is being developed and may be available in March 2011.

Dr. Charmaine Royal’s, the lead author of the ASHG (American Society of Human Genetics) white paper entitled Inferring Genetic Ancestry: Opportunities, Challenges, and Implications. She is an Associate Research Professor in the Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy and the Department of African and African American Studies at Duke University. She stated that the reference populations in commercial databases are usually proprietary and pretty much unverifiable by other researchers. Therefore, a prediction by one company may be at odds with another and there is no way of understanding which information is correct since the databases are not public. She believes the term ancestry has multi definitions, that consumers and researchers are interested in genetic ancestry for a variety of reasons; that knowledge about human genetic diversity is incomplete; that various tools for assessing genetic and genomic ancestry, but provide limited information on origins of one’s ancestors; and that interpretation of individual DNA ancestry estimates by both scientists and consumers is sometimes unclear. There was more, but these seem to be general statements that assume the genetic genealogists in the group (some of which are scientists) do not understand that genetic diversity is incomplete; that limited information is provided, and there is a limit to information on origins. Let alone genetics, that is so in genealogy! All of this is on-going with only some of it easily predicted.

She was concerned that some people testing will not be prepared for the results or will become very concerned and emotional with unexpected results. Everyone in that room is beyond those issues and administrators do explain the possibilities of testing to customers…at least, those I know.

Members of the conference as well as Dr. Royal do agree that some companies are making poor predictions based on incomplete research. This hurts everyone and gives a bad name to companies who sell directly to consumers. She stated that the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t have enough time to do its current job, so she didn’t believe that they would place regulations on DTC (Direct To Consumer) testing.

She closed with some picky remarks regarding the Family Tree DNA website, stating that it is “one of best.” (As I have not seen one better, I beg her to show me THE best!) She called for a search engine which appears to be something that has been considered. There were minor wording changes she proposed to clarify information to customers who may have little knowledge of the subject.

I have a difficult time with someone standing in judgment of genetic testing when that person has not tested her genome. She seems to have no knowledge of how it does help genealogy and has helped many people find not only their ancestors, but their biological parents.

Elliott Greenspan in his presentation IT Roadmap gave us the future of Information Technology at FTDNA. He stated that they process about 1 terabyte per hour for customer support and analysis. By next year he forecasts that they will be processing 3.8 Petabytes (A Petabyte is one million Gigabytes). Mine boggling!

A new Gedcom viewer as well as new web pages for administrators, termed GAP 2.0, have been implemented. (GAP stands for Group Administrator Pages). GAP 2.1 will be available Spring 2011. These new pages give administrators much more flexibility in manipulating the information in a project.

Among other things there will be 110 markers available for testing on the Y-chromosome.

Thomas Krahn, Technical Laboratory Manager of Family Tree DNA’s Genomics Research Center in Houston, in his Walk through the Y Update, explained that this is a research program to find new SNPs on the Y-chromosome. At the cost of $750 per sample, they have processed 178 samples so far. In order to get this test now, you must be approved (i.e., be from an unusual haplogroup), and you must know the paternal county of origin. Ninety-six of the participants did not find a new SNP in their DNA, but 137 previously undocumented Y-SNP markers were found for G2, J1, Q, I, and R. Many “private” SNPs have been found at the family or genealogy level.

FTDNA has purchased the expensive “next generation” 454 sequencer which will allow a nearly full sequence of the Y.


Dr. Krahn suggested that one should do the Deep Clade test before doing the Walk Through the Y.

Dr. Krahn gave these SNP locations for various haplogroups:
1. The Irish Type III SNP is R-L226
2. L140 and L141 defines major branches in the G2 haplogroup
3. L222 is fond among Arab J1 groups
4. L161 is a significant branch downstream from I-M423
5. L245 defines a major branch downstream of Q-M378
6. L257 is the fourth largest branch below R-U106 and next to R-L8, R-L1 and R-U198

At the end of his presentation, Dr. Krahn raffled 18 mouse pads printed with the Yq11 Palindromic Region. I was a lucky recipient!

Again, there was a closing Panel for Questions and Answers.

Each participant received a new version of the Y-DNA Phylogenetic Tree.

With the 6th Annual International Family Tree DNA Conference at a close, everyone dispersed and many chattering about plans to attend the Who Do You Think You Are? Conference in London at the end of February.


Photos of Dr. Walsh and Dr. Krahn, courtesy of Family Tree DNA
Thanks to David Pitts for sharing his notes.

Emily
copyright November 2011

Family Tree DNA Announcement on Family Finder

Dear Family Tree DNA Customer, By now you may have already heard of our newest test, which has received substantial exposure in the press: the Family Finder test. Since several people who have seen the news about this test have approached us for more information, allow me to briefly give you the key elements of the Family Finder test: You may find relatives on any of your lines within the past 5 generations! It doesn't matter if you are male or female; your results will be compared to anyone who has taken Family Finder!* You can test “suspected relatives” including aunts, uncles, parents, half-siblings, or cousins. By ordering the Family Finder test, you will receive the new Population Finder test at no additional charge. Population Finder determines the percentages of different ancestries that comprise your genetics by matching your DNA data from the Family Finder test against data from multiple populations from around the world**. Based on your DNA, Population Finder will assign your sample to 1-4 population groups, giving the corresponding percentages of your genetic makeup. The Family Finder Test lets you: Sort your matches by degree of relationships. View the names of your matches and communicate via e-mail. Share genealogical information with ease. See the “location” on your chromosomes where you match and compare your matches with each other! Determine the percentages of different ancestries that comprise your genetics by matching your autosomal DNA against data from multiple populations. Special Note: The Family Finder test requires an untouched vial of DNA. If your kit does not have an extra vial on file, we will mail a collection kit for a new DNA extraction. After ordering you will be notified by email whether we are able to use a stored vial or will be mailing a new collection kit. *Family Finder results can only be compared with other Family Finder results. The Family Finder test uses autosomal DNA which is different from Y-DNA or mtDNA. **You will be able to see your basic ethnic makeup, broken down by percentage. This test is based on a comparison of your Family Finder sequences to data collected by population geneticists. Populations studies consist of a number of representative populations including: European, Native American, Asian, African, etc.

© All Contents Copyright 2001-2010 Genealogy by Genetics, Ltd.

Creating a Family Finder Project

The idea of Family Finder Projects is being tossed around in genetic genealogy circles to determine how a Family Finder project could best serve the genealogy community. Some projects already exist. As I have said, we are in the pioneering stages with autosomal DNA testing, and the path not taken may be a great opportunity lost.

Although Family Finder test results can be incorporated in several DNA projects as mentioned in the previous blog, Family Finder projects are, by nature, family projects. They focus on particular families. A Family Finder Project focuses on the descendants of one set of ancestors. To ensure that many testers have relevant matches within the project, you should choose a couple no more than eight generations back.


Getting Started

A pedigree chart of known descendants should be posted on the project website or if there is a separate genealogy site for this information, post the link instead. The descendant chart should be continually updated as more information is available. The administrator would then seek eligible descendants to test from the known pedigree. Keep in mind that beyond second cousins it is reasonably possible that some known relatives will not share enough DNA to be detected by Family Finder. As more descendant lines are tested, the number of matches between cousins will increase.


Join Requests

As the common connection between project members is shared genealogical ancestry, a JOIN REQUEST would be required as well as a documented pedigree to the targeted ancestors for those who test independently of the project. Such a request is available for all Family Tree DNA projects and is merely a request to join the project. This gives the administrator control over the membership and surety that the members are related.


Suggested Descendant Project Goals

1. To gather all the descendants of the targeted ancestors.
2. To find cousins for the purpose of furthering this family’s lineages by combining research efforts.


Scope

We each have many ancestral couples five, six, seven, and eight generations back. Indeed, six generations back we have sixty-four great grandparents or thirty-two ancestral couples … too many couples to create projects for each. Not to become overwhelmed by project administration, it is important to select a couple that is of particular interest in your genealogical research and to recruit other Family Historians and Genealogists to help administrate the project. Those who face a road block more recently than five generations may wish to run a project on more recent generations.

To order a Family Finder test or create a project contact Family Tree DNA


Thank you Rebecca Canada for rewriting this topic to the point of authorship! You help and insight has been invaluable.

Emily
© Aulicino, 22 July 2010

Family Finder Testing Series: Expanding the matches; narrowing the search

Testing with the Family Finder test or other similar autosomal test can easily lead to hundreds of matches, giving us a multitude of cousins. However, with this test, the difficulty lies in finding where the common ancestor is on our pedigree chart. Although this type of testing is in its infancy, genealogists are greatly interested in increasing the number of matches, and they are scrambling to find easy ways of locating the common ancestor. Over time, more methods may develop, but for now, these can help.


Expanding the number of matches

As genealogists, we know that the more people you contact, the more likely you are to find someone with the information you are missing. The more cousins you match, the greater the possibility of adding more generations to your lineage. However, there are only two ways to expand the number of matches you have; either have people in your family test or wait for matches to appear on your website. The greater advantage is to have family members test.

Since each person inherits a different mix of DNA from their ancestors and since a minimum length of DNA is required to determine a match, testing more family members will result in more cousin matches. Many of your cousins may have already tested, but as you did not inherit enough of the same DNA segment, you will not match them. Your relatives may, however.

All of us are not fortunate enough to have the following list of relatives to test, but for each that you can test you are more likely to find additional matches. Every family member has inherited different DNA from the ancestors and will, therefore, match other testers.

· Parents and grandparents.
· Siblings of the parents and grandparents.
· Your siblings.
· First, second, and third cousins.

Not only will the above list increase the number of matches you can have on Family Finder, but testing these relatives will also help you more easily locate the common ancestor between you and your match.


Narrowing the search for the common ancestor

Finding a common ancestor given all the thousands of names we may have in our database can be daunting. Where do you begin? How can the hunt be narrowed to something manageable?

After determining the time period or range of ancestors where you are most likely to match your new cousin as outlined in the previous article Sharing Your Genealogy Research, you may wish to take an additional approach to reduce the amount of searching required in order to find that common ancestor. As each of us inherits different lengths of DNA segments from our ancestors, testing multiple family members can help you focus on which lineages you may have in common with a match. Although nothing is fool-proof, these ideas that can help you determine where to begin looking and improve your success rate for finding the common ancestor.


Testing Older Generations

Testing older generations is helpful because it narrows your search to fewer branches of your tree. When you and a grandparent match the same person you narrow your genealogical search to that grandparent’s line.

When your parents and grandparents are not available you may also test their siblings. Unlike testing your direct line though, you cannot use an aunt, uncle, great aunt, or great uncle to rule out a line. This is because they may have inherited different DNA from their parents.

Testing the older generations means you can find matches farther back on your lines as parents and grandparents have longer segments of ancestral DNA. A match with a grandparent will help you focus on particular lines to find the common ancestor. Again, these family members would have longer links than you would have for older generations, and the siblings would have inherited different mixes of the ancestors’ DNA, giving you other matches.


Testing Cousins

Testing cousins is a way to clarify which side of your family you share with your match. Unlike testing older generations it cannot be used to exclude a line, however. When you match someone, but a tested cousin does not, you may or may not be able to rule out that line for reasons beyond the scope of this article, but know that if your match matches a cousin you can narrow your search to that those related lines.

Testing first cousins on your father’s line as well as your mother’s line could determine which half of your lineage is related to your match. If your match shares a DNA segment with your maternal cousin, then all three of you share ancestry from your maternal line.

If you can only test one of the cousins, for example a son of your father’s brother, you can still benefit. If that cousin, you, and your match share the same DNA segment in the same location on the same chromosome, then the common ancestor is on your father’s line.

Again, the opposite is not always true. If your match does not have the same DNA segment with your paternal cousin, the possibility is that either the common ancestor is on your maternal side or your paternal cousin did not inherit enough DNA to be above the minimum amount needed to be declared a cousin. This can happen if the match is more distant than a first or second cousin. In these cases, the match could actually be on either parent’s line. Testing additional cousins may help as other cousins could have inherited enough of the DNA from that ancestor.

Testing second and third cousins is greatly beneficial as these relatives give you DNA segments you may not have. You can also narrow your search based on how those cousins are related to you.


In summary

1. Test older generations to include or exclude the main branches of your tree.
2. Test cousins on your paternal and maternal sides to determine which half of your lineage could hold the common ancestor.
3. Remember that if a relative does not match your matches, it means they did not inherit a long enough segment of the common ancestor’s DNA.


In posting my success stories for DNA testing on this blog and in discussions with others I know who have tested with Family Finder, I have found cousins who do not match me on my autosomal test. As stated, this is because both of us did not inherit enough of the same DNA segment. We have the same lineages and those lineages have been confirmed as accurate since other cousins did match me on those lines. In this way, autosomal testing gives great confidence to our genealogical paper trails as well as help us find new cousins with whom to research.

Emily
copyright: E. Aulicino, July 2010
Thank you R.

Family Finder Testing Series: Sharing your genealogy research

I’ve tested with Family Finder…now what?


With the advent of Family Finder (FF) by Family Tree DNA, many genetic genealogists are scrambling to understand how to use this new test, how to locate cousins, how it can help their existing projects, and how to build Family Finder-specific projects. Those genealogists who are also interested in statistics and the genetics behind this powerful test are building databases to map who is on which chromosome as well as creating many other useful tools to compare the raw data.

Given that, it is important to clarify how this test can be helpful to the average genealogist as well as to project administrators. The following categories will be addressed in this series:

....Sharing your genealogy research
....Expanding matches; narrowing the search
....What is the advantage to Chromosome Mapping for the average genetic genealogist? For an Administrator? How necessary is it?
....How does Family Finder help projects?
....Creating a Family Finder project

Testing with Family Finder or with other autosomal tests designed to find cousin matches throughout your pedigree can be daunting to those of us who have come to rely on the ease and consistency of the Y-chromosome. It is time though to examine how to effectively use our genealogy to locate the common ancestor.

This type of test focuses on immediate family and back to fifth cousins, although more distant cousins can be located. Just what is a fifth cousin?

A Fifth cousin is seven generations from yourself, taking you back to your fourth great-grandparents. You have 64 fourth great-grandparents. Not many of us can claim that we know all of them. Also, there is the situation known as pedigree collapse as I mentioned in the previous article. That is, you are related to yourself on more than one set of grand-parents. Somewhere in your line you may have a connection to a set of grand-parents twice. This is the case when cousins marry each other so you do not have different people filling the roles of all the ancestors.

· Siblings have the same parents. (2)
· First cousins have the same grandparents. (4)
· Second cousins have the same great-grandparents. (8)
· Third cousins have the same great-great-grandparents. (16)
· Fourth cousins have the same great-great-great-grandparents. (32)
· Fifth cousins have the same great-great-great-great-grandparents. (64)


In autosomal testing, you receive a match at a certain cousin level. It is important to understand that the designated level is based on the amount of DNA you share with your match. As we know, each person inherits a mixture of DNA from his or her ancestors and as that mixture is unique to each person, the level of cousin-ship is more likely a range in reality. That is, the genealogical paper trail will indicate more accurately the cousin-ship, and it can be either side of the suggested cousin-ship. The listed cousin-ship is a good basis for determining where to begin sharing your lineage.

I have a match who was declared a third cousin, but is, in reality, a seventh cousin. The reason for this suggested match being so recent, but in actuality so far back, is that my great-grandparents were first cousins. I inherited more DNA on that mutual line than one would normally. It makes me appear closer than I really am.

On my other matches where a common ancestor has been found, I was listed as probably fifth to seventh cousins. Those matches proved to be ninth and tenth cousins.

When the reliability of the test requires that cousin-ship be listed as fifth to distant cousins, and the likelihood of finding that cousin is a low percentage, how is it that I have the common ancestor for four matches? The answer is simple. My matches and I inherited large enough segments of DNA from our distant ancestors, and our paper trails along the ancestral lines are very wide.


Sharing your genealogy research


Is your data deep and wide?

Deep? Yes. Do you have seven or more generations back from you on all your lines? Do you know all of your thirty-two fourth great-grandparents? Most people do not, but the farther back your lines reach, it is more likely you will find your common ancestor.
Wide? Yes. The more names (including spouses), dates, and places you have for the direct line, the siblings of the direct ancestors, and their children and grandchildren, the more likely you will find the common ancestor. A major reason I found my common ancestors is that not only did I have the lineage back to the late 1600s, but I had many descendants of the siblings of my direct line. In some cases, I have tried to bring the lines down to the present.


Share your data effectively.

After contacting your match, it is extremely important to share as much data as you can, but many people have thousands of names in their database. For this reason, it is wise to use some strategies to effectively target where the match could be.

After looking for surnames you may have in common, check locations. It is very possible that their ancestor married a sister or cousin of your ancestor, thus the surnames would be different until both lines work back to the common ancestor. A location may provide a clue to which lines could relate.

Compare your data in the range where you could share a common ancestor in actuality. That is, if you are slated as a 5th cousin, share lineage from your 3rd great-grandparents back to the 6th or 7th at least.


Sharing your data efficiently.

There are several ways to share your genealogy efficiently. Family Tree DNA allows you to upload your GEDCOM and/or list on your personal Family Finder pages your surnames with a location. It is important to list variations of the surname separately as the program is designed to highlight in bold print the surnames you have in common with your matches. Many people, however, are using the location area to list dates and details of that country or state. Remember testing is international and those you match outside of your country may not know where towns are or state codes.

Your own personal website is a great way to share your data. Send the URL to those you match for them to locate common names or places. Some people choose to create their own websites either through various genealogical sites which offer space for free or to pay for their own site. Some use Ancestry.com to post their information.

Additionally, using your genealogy program, you can compile a series of descendant reports of your fourth great-grandparents and store them either in your email program’s draft section or in your word processor. These can be easily sent to those you match.

Suggest and request that your matches send you the same information.

Personally, I find it easier to scan the information in an outline form rather than click on multiple “boxes” of some online pedigrees or GEDCOMs.


In summary:

1. Do your genealogy as far back as you can, and bring down as many of the siblings along those ancestral lines (siblings of your direct line, their children, etc.) closer to the present. Cover the time frame from 3rd cousins-10th cousins with these details. Do not forget spouses and the dates and locations of all events.

2. Use a website to post the information you wish to share, or prepare various descendant charts for major parts of your line that you can forward to your matches.

3. When you write your matches, send the info in #2 and ask if any names or places are shared.

4. Realize ... and let your matches know ... that the connection may not be on your direct lines; therefore, the marriages of children, their children and grandchildren are important as those are surnames that could trigger a starting point for finding the common ancestor.

5. Realize that if you look at your lineage at the 5th cousin level (7 generations back from you; 4th gr-grandparents), you or your match may have a lot of gaps. This is a major reason why you cannot locate the common ancestor.

6. Realize that the current technology has given us this tool to help with our family search, but there are no guarantees of easy or great success. Like any other DNA test, the paper trail is most important.

7. Realize that in time, we will work out how best to do this, just as we did when DNA testing for genealogy was first born. We are pioneers again, and sharing ideas is the way to conquer this task.

8. Understand that Family Tree DNA and 23andMe do not have the space to post large chunks of our lineage. Their purpose is to find us matches. I'm only speculating, but the arrangements for sharing lineage on FF (surname lists and/or your GEDCOM) could get tweaked at some point, or we could get more creative with how we use it. For example: List your surnames under SURNAME; give your URL for the chart of that line under COUNTRY. People who do name searches will look at the URL out of curiosity and find many more names there.

9. Share the above information with people you match. This is a new tool for genealogists and most are still learning what to do.

10. Have fun!


Emily
©Aulicino, 21 Jun 2010
Thank you R.

Three DNA Tests for Genealogists, part 3 Autosomal

Family Finder Testing

This test by Family Tree DNA focuses on autosomal DNA (atDNA). Autosomal DNA is found in our 22 pairs of non-sex chromosomes. The atDNA represents the accumulated DNA inheritance from your ancestors. You inherit approximately fifty percent of your genes from your mother and the remainder from your father. In turn, each of them inherited about fifty percent from each of their parents, and so on. Autosomal markers recombine or restructure themselves differently for every person at conception. In other words, these are the markers which make you look like your family, but not exactly…unless you have an identical twin. These markers make you a unique individual. They give you your mother’s high cheek bones, your father’s nose, etc.

Family Finder tests SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms), for over 500,000 autosomal points.

Both men and woman can test their atDNA. This test finds matches for any of your cousins on your pedigree chart between the top line of the pedigree chart (Y-DNA) and the bottom line (mtDNA). However, the test has limitations as it requires a certain length of DNA in a continuous sequence to be handed down from the ancestor in order to match another tester with enough mathematical certainty to determine a level of cousin-ship. The longer the segments are that match a person, the closer the relationship. In the case of children, half-siblings, parents, uncles, aunts, first cousins, and other close relatives, there will be multiple long segments of matching DNA. With more distant cousins, those segments are much shorter. The test is most accurate in determining relationships up to the fifth cousin level. This does not mean you can only find fifth cousins or less. I have found seventh, ninth, and tenth cousins, but finding the common ancestor can be extremely difficult unless you and your match have extensive information on your lineage and not just for the direct line.

The determination of a cousin-ship is built on the amount of DNA inherited from your ancestors. As we all can inherit a different amount from each ancestor, the calculations are only mathematical probabilities which can give you a range of relationship. That is, your match may be listed as a fourth cousin, but in reality, the paper trail could show the match to be anywhere from a 3rd cousin once removed to a 6th cousin or more. The reason for this is multi-faceted, but, in general, it depends upon the amount of DNA inherited, the generational “half-steps” of being once or twice removed as well as a possibility of pedigree collapse.

Since each person inherits a different combination of their ancestors’ DNA, it can be prudent to have your parents, grandparents and cousins tested, as well. This will definitely help you narrow connection possibilities with matches. Testing the older generations will also help you find matches farther back in your lineage. As the test is able to confirm an approximate fifth cousin match, a fifth cousin for your parent or grandparent takes you farther back in time than a test for yourself. BUT, as we all inherit different amounts of autosomal DNA, you may have matches your sibling or cousin does not have. Testing more people in your extended family means a great chance for some different matches.

As all my parents and grandparents are dead, I tested myself, my son, and my paternal first cousin. The chart to the left is where my son (green) and my cousin (blue) match me. The dark sections are where no matches occurred as well as segments of the chromosomes which are not relevant to testing for genealogists.

If my cousin and I both match someone, I know the connection is on my father’s side. If only my son and I match someone, it is more likely that either the connection is on my mother’s line or that my cousin did not inherit enough of the DNA to connect with the match. Using your relatives in such a manner can narrow the hunt for your common ancestor.

However, just because you do not have a match with someone does not suggest you are not related. Gene segments recombine at random, and this means if you do not match a person you can still be related. You or your cousin did not inherited a large enough DNA segment in the same location to meet the minimum threshold to determine cousin-ship. For this reason, you will not be a genetic match to all of your genealogical cousins, should they test.



Family Finder (atDNA) summary:
· Males and females can test their atDNA in portions of the 22 pairs of chromosomes.
· The test gives matches anywhere on your pedigree chart.
· Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) are tested.
· The larger the segment you share with someone the closer your common ancestor.


In conclusion, it is clear that each type of test helps genealogy. Relatives can be located with any of them, but how those relatives are related to us depends upon which test is used. The Y-DNA test finds matches to the all male line which is usually the surname in most cultures. The mtDNA test finds cousins along the all female line, but is more informative about our ancient culture. The Family Finder test locates cousins everywhere else on our pedigree charts, but with confidence back to the fifth cousin although connections can be found beyond that.

With DNA testing, the genealogist can prove and disprove their paper trail, find cousins they have never met, share genealogies with the hope that the new cousins have more information, and gain new research partners. Finding genealogical cousins is the best reason to DNA test family members!


The next article will provide ideas on how best to locate the common ancestor for those you match.

Emily
copyright 17 Jun 2010, E. Aulicino
Thank you, R.

Three DNA Tests for Genealogy, part 2 Y-DNA & mtDNA

Y-DNA Testing

The Y-chromosome has been passed down from father to son virtually unchanged since mankind began. The small changes in that Y-chromosome help us separate people into family units. This test gives results for the all male line, the top line of a pedigree chart, when the male tester is number one on that chart. See SUCCESS STORIES at www.isogg.org for Y-DNA testing used to break through a dead-end paper trail.

For genealogy, particular markers are tested on the Y-chromosome as they provide a mix of slowly and quickly mutating samples. This helps find which men are more closely related than others. If all the markers used were slow to mutate more people would appear to be closely related. If most markers were quick to mutate most people who are related would appear not to be. The geneticists and mathematicians collaborate to get the correct mix.

Each marker is tested for short tandem repeats (STRs). Our DNA, in part, is made up of four chemical bases: Adenine (A), Guanine (G), Thymine (T), Cytosine (C). These chemical bases form short patterns (AGAT) which appear side by side (in tandem), hence Short Tandem Repeat. The STRs are counted, and this count is the result given for a particular marker. For example, if the STR marker DYS393 repeated its AGAT sequence fourteen times, the result for that marker would be a 14. Different markers have different chemical patterns, but in each tested marker you receive your results as the number of times the pattern is repeated.

The result of testing is a series of numbers called a haplotype. (DYS393 is 14; DYS390 is 22; DYS19 is 15, etc.) This is your DNA signature. However, it is not just your signature, but it is that of all the males on your all male line. Of course, there could be a mutation at any time in that male lineage which would change how many times the repeat is seen, but you are still closely related.

A test for 12, 25, 37, or 67 STR markers can be ordered. The more markers you match with others the closer the common ancestor is. For example, if you take three traits you have (eye color, shape of your ears, skin tone) and compare only those three with your friends and neighbors, you are likely to match several people. If you now add ten more traits, you narrow that pool of matches. It is the same idea between testing twelve markers as opposed to thirty-seven or more.

For a close match you can have the exact same markers as another tester or a few differences. The number of differences allowed to still remain a good match is determined by the number of markers you test and the testing company’s prediction to the closest common ancestor. These predictions for the closest common ancestor are based on mathematical probability.

Y-DNA summary: · Only males can test their Y-DNA.
· The test gives matches for the all male line.
· Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) are recorded as the result of testing.
· The more STR marker results you share with someone the closer your common ancestor.




mtDNA Testing

The mitochondria is outside the cell’s nucleus. It is not the sex chromosome like the Y is. This genome is inherited by men and women from their mothers. Mothers have passed their mtDNA from mother to all their children virtually unchanged since womankind began. The mitochondria is very slow in mutating so it is more useful for ancient ancestry or to help with a specific problem where good testing candidates are available. This test gives result for the all female line, the bottom line of a pedigree chart, when the male or female tester is number one on that chart. See SUCCESS STORIES at www.isogg.org for several ways mtDNA has been used to break through a brick wall.

There are three mtDNA tests at Family Tree DNA: HVR1 (Hyperveritable region 1), HVR2 Hyperveritable region 2) and the FGS (Full Genomic Sequence). The first two are parts of the mitochondria while the last is the entire mitochondria.

This test looks at Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs). A SNP (pronounced SNiP) is a change in a single letter of our genetic code (A, G, T, C). For mtDNA tests, results are compared against the Cambridge Reference System (CRS). You are given only the differences your results from the CRS as the FGS contains 16,568 markers. No one wants to put all that on a website or frame-able certificate! Examples of mtDNA marker results are: 16256T; 16399G; 315.1C. The numbers in this case are the names of the markers. The letter after the number is the chemical base (Thymine, Guanine, Cytosine) that differs from the CRS.

For a match, you need to have the exact markers as someone else. Even then, the time to the common ancestor could be before surnames and before recorded genealogical data.

mtDNA summary:
· Males and females can test their mtDNA.
· The test gives matches for the all female line.
· Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) are tested and compared against the CRS (Cambridge Reference System).
· The more markers you share with someone the closer your common ancestor, but given the slowness in mutating that match could still be hundreds to thousands of years ago.


Next, Autosomal Testing, a new breakthrough in genetic genealogy!


Emily
copyright 17 Jun 2010, E. Aulicino
Thank you R.

Three DNA Tests for Genealogy, part 1 Overview

Over the course of the next few weeks, my posts will be a series on the new austosomal testing for genealogy. The first three parts in this series reviews some basic facts and clarifies the three types of testing for genealogy. The next section will explore the various aspects of autosomal testing for Family Tree DNA's Family Finder. Much of this information applies to any autosomal testing for genealogy; however, company offerings do vary and that topic will conclude this massive series.

These articles are meant for the Newbies and those interested in a basic understanding. They will not get over technical.


All material is under copyright. Please write directly for permission to use any information. Email: aulicino@hevanet.com


Part 1:
Overview - Historical background and a few facts


Family Tree DNA pioneered DNA testing for genealogy in 2000, bringing the power of DNA tests to family historians. In the years since, family history researchers who use DNA tests have become known as genetic genealogists. These dedicated researchers understand the value of DNA testing as being the most accurate tool available.

The first years saw rapid changes in our understanding of the science and improvements in the power of available tests. In early years, only a few Y-chromosome STR (short tandem repeat) markers were available. Today it is routine to test with 67 STR markers. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) started with the humble HVR1 test. Now the entire gene sequence is standard.

It looked as if little more could be done for family researchers, as early autosomal testing was neither accurate nor reliable enough for genealogy. That has changed. We are embarking on a new adventure, a new stage in DNA testing, and once again we have become the pioneers for this new generation of DNA testing.

However, I find that many genealogists and other interested parties, as well as some genetic genealogists, are confused about the three types of tests: Y-DNA STR, mtDNA full genomic sequence, and autosomal microarray. Simply put, the Y-DNA test gives you results along the very top line of your pedigree chart, the mtDNA gives you results along the very bottom line and your chart, and now the autosomal test gives you matches on all the lines between the top and bottom. Each test is important for different reasons, and this series will help you understand all three by comparing their basic concepts.


The Facts

We know that all of mankind is closely related. With each generation we double our ancestors, giving us a billion ancestors in thirty generations. The population of the earth thirty generations ago was no where near a billion people; therefore, we are related to ourselves many times over due to what is called pedigree collapse. Pedigree collapse is the reduction of ancestors given that cousins marry; that is, if two first cousins married, they would only have six grandparents and not eight. The farther you go back in time, given that people tended to remain in one area, more and more cousins married. We may have a billion ancestors in thirty generations, but they are not a billion different people.

We share 99.9% of our genome with all other humans. We have about 3 billion base pairs in our genome, and about 98% of those are loosely called Junk DNA as scientists have yet to discover their purpose.

We have 22 pairs of chromosomes and the sex chromosomes (Y and X). Men inherit the Y-chromosome from their fathers and one X chromosome from their mothers. Women inherit an X from each parent.

We know that every DNA test provides you with a set of numbers or numbers and letters, giving you a DNA signature (your results). Those testers who match your signature are related to you at some level.

We know that any DNA test will not tell you the name of a common ancestor or when and where that ancestor lived. It is up to good genealogical research to make that determination.

As genealogists, we know to use the right source or sources to find an ancestor's information. If we are looking for an ancestor in Britain, we do not search the US census. When we are looking for that ancestor's married name, we know that the census will not help. We know instead to consult vital and church records according to the time and place. We use the sources that may provide the information we need. The same is true for using DNA for genealogy. The three types of DNA most commonly used are the Y-chromosome DNA (Y-DNA), mitochondria DNA (mtDNA), and autosomal DNA (atDNA). Each is used to find others who are related to us, but each one is used to find matches in different parts of our pedigree chart.

Before we move forward, we must understand each test's strengths and weaknesses. The next article in this series will explain the difference between the Y-DNA & mtDNA test.


Emily
copyright 17 Jun 2010, E. Aulicino
Thanks to R for editing assistance.

Jammin' at Jamboree

The Southern California Genealogical Society (SCGS) held their Jamboree June 11-13, 2010 at the Marriott Hotel in Burbank. My understanding is that this is the third largest gathering of genealogists, behind NGS and FGS. That is prestigious! Attendance was estimated at 1700, the largest gathering for the festivities yet.

This was my first Jamboree. On Thursday, I hit the ground running. Katherine Borges and Linda Magellan picked me up at the airport and after dropping my luggage at the hotel. Upon leaving the hotel we ran into George Valko who was invited to join us on our next adventure. The four of us drove to the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana to see the Secrets of the Silk Road: Mystery Mummies of China. There we met Kenny Hedgepath and began our self-guided tour.

And why did a group of genetic genealogist drive nearly an hour to see some mummies? These were no ordinary mummies, and we are no ordinary tourists. The mummies had been DNA tested, and we are addicted genetic genealogists! How could we miss this one!

The mummies, found in the Tarim Basin in the far Western Xinjiang Uyghur region of China, proved to have Western DNA. The Silk Road passed through this arid region, and we all know traders used this road connecting the Eastern and the Western cultures. However, one cannot help but speculate how the women and babies came to this location in the second millennium BC, let alone die here.

One of the most striking mummies is of a beautiful young woman with petite features and long curly auburn hair, dubbed the "Beauty of Xiaohe" by the archeologists. Other artifacts clearly appeared to be from a Western culture with one tapestry displaying an man who appears to have been Greek or Roman. It would seem there was a complete village of for Westerners in this region of China thousands of years ago. The exhibit was fascinating.

The display travels to Houston and then to Philadelphia. You can see a video clip from MSNBC's Nightly News with Brian Williams.

On Friday, the Jamboree began at noon, but at 8 a.m. on the other days. I helped at the Family Tree DNA table, explaining the tests and swabbing customers. To my surprise and pleasure, a member of my Lamson DNA Project visited the booth as did a new Lambson tester … every project manager’s dream! Even the wife of my Ogan genealogical cousin found me! She and I had traveled to Wales for a couple of weeks, hunting ancestors. It was old home week ... or perhaps the gathering of the clans (clans of genealogists, genetic genealogists, and ISOGG members) ... as there were people I knew from home, some I had met in London, and others I see yearly at the FTDNA conference in Houston. It was great to see everyone again!

Saturday evening Alice Fairhurst hosted a panel discussion of ISOGG members to answer questions regarding the new autosomal tests for genealogists.

Bennett Greenspan of Family Tree DNA announced several new features coming to their Family Finder test in the next few weeks to few months. He demonstrated how you can use the smaller segments, e.g.. 1 cM in size to figure out which side of the family a person probably matches on FF. This, of course, is based on testing relevant members of your family. For example, I have tested my son and paternal first cousin. If the match is with my cousin, I know the connection is on my father’s line.

Other highlights for Family Finder include Third Party uploads available the first week in July, Ancestry Painting coming soon, and the X Chromosome pages will be completed by the end for the summer. A surprise tool is in the wings for the Administrators and will be revealed in the last quarter of the year.


There were many celebrities in the crowd, namely, Dick Eastman (Eastman's Online Genealogical Newsletter), Katherine Borges (founder and director of ISOGG), Megan Smolenyak (author, speaker, creator of Roots TV and much more), and Chris Haley (Director of the Study of the Legacy of Slavery in Maryland and nephew of the late Alex Haley). Maureen Taylor (the Photo Detective), Pat Richley (DearMYRTLE), Schelly Talalay Dardashti (Tracing the Tribe), and many more notables spoke and had booths. With all the speakers, genealogists, companies, and even with groups meeting in the lobby or bar, everyone was truly "pressing the flesh," and this was very much a Jammin' Jamboree!

No doubt everyone is looking forward to next year's Jamboree!

Many thanks to the organizers whose wonderful talents made this a great event!

Emily
copyright: 17 Jun 2010 E. Aulicino
Photo courtesy of K. Borges

Who Do You Think You Are 2010 in London

WDYTYA 2010



Who Do You Think You Are (WDYTYA) 2010, the world’s largest genealogy conference, was a wonderful success. Like last year, the line at the door started early and stretched for several blocks. But the crowds were definitely larger every day, and the traffic was much heavier on Sunday than in the previous year. Most of the same booths appeared with a few noticeably missing, however.


Early Friday Morning at WDYTYA


The Society of Genealogists (SoG) has posted the handouts from the various lectures at: http://www.sog.org.uk/events/2010show.shtml




Family Tree DNA

Family Tree DNA has attended WDYTYA for the last two years due to the foresight of Geoff Swinfield, a geneticist, well-known at SoG (Society of Genealogists) and Brian Swann, ISOGG's European Coordinator for England and Wales. In a pub conversation two years ago, Geoff suggested the idea of bringing Family Tree DNA to London’s Who Do You Think You Are conference. Brian put this idea into action and last year was Family Tree DNA’s debut in London. Their success was met with an offer to attend The Gathering in Scotland in July 2009 and a desire to return to WDYTYA this year. This year, Family Tree DNA doubled
the size of its stall as well as its presentation area.

I had no time to explore as I helped at the Family Tree DNA booth all three days, and I was only able to attend two presentations, one by Bennett Greenspan on Family Finder and one by Geoff Swinfield entitled DNA for Family Historians, regarding his discovery of not being a Swinfield. I was busy explaining the various DNA tests and swabbing what seemed a continuous stream of customers. The hall was so busy and noisy that I felt as if we were shouting to hear each other. By Saturday afternoon I was beginning to lose my voice!

F-B: Kenny, Bennett, Emily, Katherine, Chris

(Photo courtesy of Kenny Hedgepath)





FTDNA Announces New Family Finder Test

This year FTDNA President Bennett Greenspan introduced the company’s new Family Finder test for the first time to the public. This tests the autosomal sections of all the chromosomes to determine matches by cousins on any line of the pedigree chart. FTDNA will not be releasing this test to the US public for another three weeks, and several Brits with whom I spoke were pleased to see they were first.



Learn more about this test at: http://www.familytreedna.com/landing/family-finder.aspx
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) provides more details: http://www.familytreedna.com/faq/answers/17.aspx


The various types of DNA tests (Y-chromosome, mitochondria, and Family Finder tests) proved to be very helpful to WDYTYA participants. Each potential customer explained their goals for testing while the FTDNA volunteers help them determine which test best solves their problem. People who were adopted, those wishing to learn if their cousin was really their cousin, those wishing to break through their genealogical brick walls, and even those who were just curious received all the answers to their questions and a recommendation as to which test would help them.


ISOGG Debut

For the first time at this convention, the International Society of Genetic Genealogists (ISOGG) acquired a booth, thanks to Brian Swann. Members from both the UK and USA manned the booth, signing up new ISOGG members as well as giving away free DNA tests to those who qualified. ISOGG members who wished to gain testers for their particular Surname projects offered free tests for males who would qualify with the proper surname. The first test given away was on Friday for Cynthia Wells’ Wells Y-DNA Project. That was followed by someone qualifying for the Doug Miller’s Land Project. He has a second possibility as well. Then others were found for Cynthia’s for Lay Project and for Katherine Borges’McCallum-Macolm Project. A test was taken by a Graves for Kenneth Graves’ Ydna Project. People picked up flyers for Robert Sterry’s Sterry Project and Nancy Kiser’s Phillips Project as they who knew people with that surname. Katherine is pleased that two Fullers who are do not carry the Fullers’ surname are being tested with Family Finder. Much to Katherine’s pleasure, one also has a Lyon connection. The odds of finding attendees with the correct names visiting the booth are remarkable. The offer was deemed a success and will continue next year so be sure to stop by the ISOGG booth and see if your surname is among those the project managers need for their groups.

Debbie, Katherine, and Jill

(photo courtesy of Kenny Hedgepath)

Fun in the Pub

And there there was sight-seeing and great times in the pubs visiting with all the helpers and genetic genealogy speakers. We sure missed our local pub, however. The Crown and Sceptre, Kensington (now closed) was in the next block from the B & B and had wonderful food! But, this is London and we found a few others!

Kenny, Katherine, Bennett, Debbie

Ann, Emily, Katherine, Johanna (standing), Linda and John

The Players

Last year, four ISOGG (International Society of Genetic Genealogy) members attended from the US, but this year nine went. For the British, last year four attended that all of us knew, but this year there were eight. Doubling these numbers was wonderful and helped greatly with assisting both the FTDNA booth and the ISOGG booth. It was wonderful seeing all the friends from England again.


From the US:

Back: Kenny, Katherine, Terry, Marilyn, Linda

Front: Emily, Derrell, Cynthia, Johnna










From Britain:

Geoff.......................................Debbie................................Chris


Brian...........................................................Jill

Ann and John Blair

From FTDNA:


Bennett...........................................................Max

Michael

WDYTYA 2011

Everyone is already looking forward to WDYTYA 2011. Plans are already being made for a return and ISOGG members are even more committed to providing free tests to help their projects. Be sure to stop by the booth to see if your name qualities.

In the US we are excited about the American Version of Who Do You Think You Are on NBC each Friday night in hopes it will renew interest in genealogy. Check your local listings for the time in your area.

See you next year London!

Emily
March 2010