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Family Tree Surname Projects

How would you like to discover family members you never knew you had? Or go deep into the roots of your family tree? Well now you can, and it’s never been easier . Family Tree DNA has the largest DNA database in the country. More than 280-thousand people have joined this 21st century genealogy science by submitting DNA samples for information about their families.

If you have an unusual last name or surname, it’s not surprising others with that surname are your relatives. But what are the chances you’re related to the other Smith’s or Jones’s? That’s where a Y-DNA test comes in. Y is for the Y chromosome found only in men. Men who wish to find out about their ancestry submit a simple and painless cheek swab to Family Tree DNA and the experts in the lab take it from there, matching your genetic makeup with others across the globe.

If you’re a woman seeking information about your paternal heritage, ask a brother or other male relative if they’ll submit a cheek swab for testing. Women lack the Y chromosome and therefore are eligible for a different genetic test called mtDNA.

There are surname projects underway all over the world and Family Tree DNA is at the forefront of this bold new technology. If you want to join in an existing surname project, simply type in your last name in the box above me to see if a project for your surname is underway. If not, consider starting one yourself. It’s only a matter of time before you learn of others both near and far who share a common ancestor with you.

Y-DNA testing at Family Tree DNA. Finding familial bonds in people you’ve not yet met.

Click this link to view another video about Family Finder to find relatives on the inner branches of your family tree.

Family Tree DNA launches the “Family Finder” DNA test. (Latest press release)

“Houston, TX – February 16, 2010 – Family Tree DNA, the pioneer and largest DNA testing company for genealogy purposes, is launching today their newest test – named Family Finder – which will allow connecting with family members across all ancestral lines.

“This is the most exciting genetic genealogy breakthrough since the company launched its Y-DNA test, which uncovers relatives in the direct paternal line”, says Bennett Greenspan, founder and CEO of Family Tree DNA. Initially available to current Family Tree DNA members, Family Finder will be offered to the general public in mid-March.

While the Y-DNA matches men with a specific paternal line and the mtDNA finds potential relatives only along the maternal line, Family Finder can look for close relationships along all ancestral lines. Anyone, regardless of their gender, may now confidently match to male and female cousins from any of their family lines in the past five generations. The science – linked blocks of DNA across the 22 autosomal chromosomes are matched between two people.

Based on this concept, Family Tree DNA bioinformatics team has worked extensively to develop the calculations that would yield the closeness of the relationship.

The possibilities to find matches abound: grandparents, aunts and uncles; half siblings; first, second, third and fourth cousins; and, more tentatively, fifth cousins.

Unlike other companies that offer autosomal testing for relationship purposes, the Family Tree DNA “Family Finder” focuses on the genealogy of the test takers: matching contact names and email addresses are readily available for easy communication, and special tools have been developed to assist in the genealogy and matching process.”

So this is great news for our readers, as when you are tested by Family Tree DNA, the chances of being able to locate many more cousins is greatly increased.

Please type your surname of interest in the affiliate banner at the top of this page for more information on Genealogy DNA testing at Family Tree DNA.

Update: Click this link to view another in-depth video regarding DNA Testing for Genealogy.

Now find out if two families have a common ancestor, CLICK HERE: Family Finder and add new people to your family tree.

If you want DNA genetics it is not necessary to test every member of your family.   The Y-chromosome present in the cells of all males will yield results for all male members of your family.  Women lack the Y-chromosome and have only X chromosomes.  In this case, the mitochondrion of women is tested and findings apply to the female family members.

Popular media such as the television crime dramas show conclusive proof of DNA guilt or innocence.  DNA used for genealogy is not as fool proof.   Populations have been mixing since humans first left Africa 150,000 years ago, so while a DNA marker reveals a strong link of origin to a single group, it is not 100 percent guaranteed proof since no marker has been found to lie exclusively in one group.

Researchers believe every person on earth originates from only 100,000 early individuals and in some ancient way we are all related; your neighbor, your colleague, your best friend:  Even famous and infamous individuals like President Roosevelt or Henry VIII !

In spite of the scientific advances in DNA technology, the test is relatively simple.  A painless cheek swab is sent to a lab for analysis.  Technicians extract, amplify and analyze the cellular sample and then compare and match it to DNA samples from a database of other samples.  At this point they are looking to link it to a particular haplotype which is a grouping of closely linked genes.

When a person is found to share maternal or paternal ancestry lines with other people it is called lineage testing.  There is another kind of analysis called admixture testing which centers on 22 pairs of chromosomes not related to gender such as the Y which is exclusive to men and the X present in men and in women.

Regardless of the method you choose, DNA genetics will yield far more information about your ancestors than mere historical records can show.