GenealogyDNA.com

There are several surname genealogy options available for anyone hoping to document their family tree.  In order to properly understand and document your Y-DNA test results for your male ancestors, which is also called surname genealogy, you will need to do some basic genealogical research.

Begin with the person you know best; yourself!  Using a website that facilitates ancestry searches, begin by writing everything you know about your origins and those of your family.

List the names and birthplaces of your parents and your grandparents if you know them.  Go back as far as you can.  Whether you know a lot about your family history or a little, this is a good place to start.

If you choose a more traditional approach, write about your family history offline, the old fashioned way.  Get a paperboard and construct a family tree using documents and photographs.  In these modern times your display may include website addresses that contain audio and video files from your family uploaded to the web.

Creating a family history book is an exciting project that capitalizes on the scrapbooking hobby so popular today.  There are several websites that can help you with design ideas for your project.  A quick search on scrapbooking will bring you many choices.

One of the best resources for information about your family is your oldest family members.  Talk to them and get them involved; your grandparents, aunts and uncles, your great-grandparents if they are living.  They have many interesting stories to tell but often won’t offer them up because they think no one is interested.

If you show an interest in their early years you’ll be amazed at what you learn.  You’ll see these family members in a whole new light and you’ll have a treasure trove of new information to write down and share with future generations.

If you decide to interview older relatives, consult with a website that has ideas on the types of questions to get you started.  Once you have the information, the most exciting aspect of surname genealogy is to share it with other family members so that your ancestry becomes a well-worn tale.

The traditional research methods described above coupled with modern day Genealogy DNA testing will bring you many hours of fascinating fun.

Since 1989 researchers have made DNA genetic testing available to ordinary citizens looking to fill in the blanks about their history.   Most people simply want information that assists in their search for relatives they don’t know exist, or they wish to know their risk for inherited disorders.  However, some individuals are manipulating science to gain an unfair advantage.

What would be the consequence of an overzealous parent using gene therapy to increase speed and agility in an unborn child?  A child who could grow up and play team sports?  The science is available to create so-called “super teams”, but at what cost?  How does a typical team of gifted and athletic children compete against children whose genetic makeup has been altered for them to gain an advantage?

If that sounds too much like science fiction, there’s another more insidious use of DNA testing that undermines American workers.  A brand new law called the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act took effect last month that bars employers from demanding genetic tests or from using a person’s genetic background in promotions or even hiring or firing.

The new law forbids Health Insurance companies and Pre-Paid Health plans from using genetic risk indicators for a family history of stroke, diabetes, cancer or heart disease to deny coverage or to increase premiums and deductibles.  Simply put, the Act prohibits employers or insurers from asking for genetic information.

There is also the question of whether or not we should submit to DNA testing for our own information.  Recently scientists discovered a variant of a gene called apolipoprotein E which they believe is a strong indicator of developing Alzheimer’s disease.  Would you care to know if you have it?  Since there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, most doctors advise against the test.  Personally I think that I would want to know it and perhaps might seek be more cautious of early warning signals and it would help with plans for elder care.

These are some of the ethical questions to consider in the otherwise exciting world of DNA genetic testing.  One new report in Science Daily released recently concerns testing for African and African-American genetics.  We find it interesting.

Genetic Study Clarifies African and African-American Ancestry

Genealogists turn to ancestral DNA testing to answer questions that historical records alone cannot.  All people of the world have DNA so it makes sense they would form a large information base about the evolution of humans.

It isn’t necessary to test every member of a family to learn their origins.  Women carry mtDNA because they lack the Y chromosome that men have to determine the male gender.  Brothers and sisters share the same mtDNA and brothers share the same Y DNA.   MtDNA yields information about the maternal line of a family.  Mt is short for mitochondria present in both men and women.  Y DNA tests the paternal line.

Here is what you can learn from a DNA test for ancestry:

Do your ancestors originate from Europe, or the farmers from the Middle East?  Europeans came from seven maternal clans and your DNA can spot the markers that show the specific area of Europe where your mother’s family originated.

Even if you are Caucasian you may discover a bloodline that points to Africa and the oldest human population from 100,000 years ago.  Some of the early tribes are the Bantu, Ibo and Kung.

Native Americans are predominately from four clans which migrated from the Old World.  Native Americans today seek to know which modern tribe they are from and DNA evidence of early tribal migration narrows the focus of an otherwise broad population sample.

Some families today are conducting surname projects to learn the origin of their last name.   Whether the name is Jones or Andrianopoulos, families want to know who they are related to around the world.

The human race has been mixing since it evolved in Africa 150,000 years ago.  You may find identifying markers from several groups that don’t seem connected because of the constant evolution of families.  If you’re looking for many answers to specific questions, proceed with ancestral DNA testing with an open mind.  Collectively the more people that do have genealogy DNA testing performed will help to grow the database for the overall study.

One thing that DNA testing for genealogy shows is,  if you are a male, you have the same biological component as your father, your grandfather, your great-grandfather, your great, great grandfather and your g-g-g-g-g-grandfather.

That component is called the Y-chromosome, part of the genetic ribbon of information that makes every male, male.   When you test your Y-DNA, you can determine whether you are or are not related to another male with the same surname.  You might even want to join the growing list of surname projects going on across the country.

DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, exists in almost all cells and is the building block for a human being.  DNA determines genetics and whether your eyes are blue and your hair is straight.  It also predicts the risk for health disorders or diseases, so there is much to be learned through DNA testing that goes beyond ancestry.

The way genealogists approach DNA testing is they look for mutations.  In other words, a mutation is a change in the DNA sequencing.  Cells in our body increase by dividing in a process called mitosis.  An enzyme called polymerase uses the original DNA helix as a template and then builds a whole new cell using the same DNA code.

Occasionally a mutation in this process occurs and gets passed on.  It is rare; approximately 0.2% per generation, but it does signal a break in the identical ancestral code that gets passed from father to son.

There are DNA genealogy tests for women, even if they do not have a Y chromosome.  For women, scientists rely on the mitochondrial DNA which gets passed from the mother to all her offspring.

It’s fascinating that with the help of a single cheek swab DNA testing for genealogy can track the history of your surname, or even your ancient ancestors as they migrated from East Africa 80 thousand years ago.

Genealogy DNA in the News, Conferences, Lectures, Discussions, Past, Present and Future

We will tell you here about some of the news items and reports on the web that discuss Genealogy DNA.

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Genealogy DNA in the News:

Essay: Learning the Science of Research, Learning the Art of …

Finally, it helps me to shift from focusing on my teaching (lectures) to concentrating on my students’ understanding and learning. A important aspect to designing performance assessments is providing students with several opportunities …. For too long we have taught students that cells work one way and DNA does one thing, only to be shown later on through experimentation that in fact, cell processes often do not work the way we think (the most striking example in recent …

The great run-up to the Singularity: Accelerating Change

Genealogy site uses DNA and social networks to trace ancestors. Artificial chromosome for corn developed. What I Meant to Say Was Semantic Web WiMax Gets Nod As Wireless Standard High-speed wireless video transfers 100X faster than WiFi on tap ….. I think when its printed it should go into Chris Anderston’s TED Conference gift bag. I can dream; that’s what creative people do. I went to your website;I may add something like your Wish List to my site. …

Family History Expos Genealogy Podcast @ podcast.com

… another book planned for 2010. Associated with the Larimer County Genealogical Society based in Fort Collins, Colorado, Bob teaches monthly classes on Family Tree Maker and gives Introduction to Genealogy lectures. … DNA and Your GenealogyJuly 18, 2009 9:30 a.m. Diamond Room(Beginner-Experienced) DNA has been used for several decades in fighting crime and researching diseases and heredity, but now can be used to verify relationships. Bob discusses the basics of DNA …

SCGS Jamboree Lectures Available on CD-ROM at Jamb-Inc.com

I’ve seen them at a number of the conferences lately, the last time at the Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas, September 2-5, 2009. While they were recording at the Southern California Genealogical Society …. It’s also time to start thinking about attending the SCGS Jamboree to take place June 11-13, 2010. Info on the 2010 program isn’t posted yet, but in the mean time, follow the SCGS Jamboree Blog. I hope to see you there! …

Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter: 2010 Southern California …

May 15, 2009 … The 2010 edition of this conference is expected to draw nearly 1200 participants, speakers, and exhibitors. Jamboree has a well-earned reputation as one of the largest and most popular genealogical events in the United States. … family history, computers and technology, society management, genetics and DNA research, source records, immigration and naturalization records, digital and brick-and-mortar record repositories, and professional topics. …

AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors: WSGS State Conference …

She also talked about the various companies that provide DNA testing, the best-known, the lesser known, and some of the “new kids on the block.” After lunch were two more sessions. I attended Bruce Buzbee’s “RootsMagic Genealogy … Rather than being presented in lecture-style, it was held in a group-setting, with contributions expected from each participant! We had to introduce ourselves, tell what society we belonged to, and describe our roles within that society. …

Evolution in November—Superhuman, genes and The Origin’s birthday

Superhuman – the exhibition and conference both open in Melbourne. Super Human: Revolution of the Species turns the spotlight on collaborations between artists and scientists and the impact these investigations have on what it means to be human …. It then takes you further into the genetic mechanisms of DNA, and how we can use DNA to examine questions about evolution. Until 23 May 2010. Darwin himself was wary of the impact he knew his theory of evolution would have. …

Coming on a jet plane…or a slow train?

Coming on a jet plane…or a slow train? By Schelly Talalay Dardashti | Published: September 23, 2009 … Posted September 26, 2009 at 5:51 PM | Permalink. Welcome fellow Genealogists! A special invitation and welcome to Litvaks. Our SIG programs, luncheon, meeting and social events the Philadelphia Conference were outstanding and well attended. Our planning for the 2010 Los Angeles Conference is underway, and we expect to offer even more …

Tracing the Tribe: The Jewish Genealogy Blog: JGSLA 2010: Call for …

The Call for Papers is open for the 30th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy (July 11-16, in Los Angeles). The topics of interest are listed below. See the next JGSLA 2010 post for details and tips on submitting session proposals. … Read all about the event, sign up for the newsletter, the blog and much more at the conference site. There will be 5 1/2 days of information-packed programs and lectures by experts for all attendees from beginners to advanced . …

Review of Family Tree Maker 2010 Deluxe | Hot Topics Store

Dynamic user interface that lets you quickly switch between important features; The ability to import data from other genealogy programs, including Personal Ancestral File; Powerful sourcing tools that let you document AND rate each of your citations … Save 20% on a subscription to Ancestry Magazine and 20% on DNA testing. The Standard Ancestry.com Reference Library–Access to 10 invaluable family history reference books, compiled and indexed on one DVD. …

Myriad Genetics, Inc F4Q09 (Qtr End 06/30/09) Earnings Call …

United Healthcare has agreed that physicians do not need to complete any special forms or extra genealogy charts, but that the current Myriad test request form is adequate for their purposes. …. It’s a very exciting one, but it’s a challenging one because there really is no Pan-European reference laboratory like iQuest or LabCorp here in the U.S. In fact, some European countries, for example, France, don’t allow the shipment of DNA across their company borders. …

John Butler Trio – Latest News & Blogs » JB on ‘Who Do You Think …

Click here to download the latest version of Adobe Flash Player Plugin. wdtya-3 Six more prominent Australians trace their family trees in a second series of the hit TV genealogy program Who do you think you are? on SBS One. … Should be great viewing. Johns Bulgarian ancestry will be very interesting. From his American beginning to Australian upbringing and origins from east europe, he is a voyager at heart and now we know it must be the DNA . Agent of Change says: …

Heritage Happens: I’m a Nominee For Family Tree’s Top 40!

The May 2010 Family Tree Magazine will name the top 40 genealogy blogs. The results come from votes by the public. There are ten categories which the chosen blogs are placed under. Going through the list, there are SO many fantastic blogs, ….. Tracing the Tribe: The Jewish Genealogy Blog. Has anyone studied whether turkey tryptophans cause an increasing interest in DNA projects at FamilyTreeDNA.com? Or is it just that these holiday family ga… TransylvanianDutch …

AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors: October 2009 Calendar of …

DNA Unknown – [image: DNA onbekend]DNA testing can be a wonderful way to explore your family’s history: it can give you details about your ethnic and geographic origin o… 2 days ago. 100 Years in America · The view from my corner of the world – As a final tribute to … Call For Future Hosts – 2010 – As was mentioned in the 24th edition of the Carnival of Central and Eastern European Genealogy, I will be hosting the December edition; however, I do not h… 3 days ago …

Heritage Happens: Heritage Happens Received the Kreativ Blogger Award!

The early bird deadline is fast approaching for our 2010 trip to Salt Lake City’s Family History Library this May/June. Register now while the price is low… Roots Television | Megan’s Roots World. Like this naturalization index from Cook County, IL! …. A mock funeral for the city was also the impetus for a DNA project on the origins of… TransylvanianDutch. The 84th Carnival of Genealogy has been posted, with 23 participants describing what the CoG means to them. …

Myheritage – surchur

Genealogy Insider – Free MyHeritage CD With January 2010 Issue If you’ve already gotten your January 2010 Family Tree Magazine, | On my way to graduation myheritage research course lasting for 10 weeks now (we gained relatives down to 1860) . | … http://www.myheritage.com/blogs/companyblog/2009/11/news/dna-unknown.. 0 votes. Vote up Vote down. 23 views. Comments for “DNA Unknown http://bit.ly/86y4Uw..”: show all. Click here to Add Your Comment for this URL …

The Akashic Records, One Sure Constant Thing…

The world’s collective library of recorded information is expected to double every 11 hours by the year 2010. So what? We may ask; It took a millennium and a half (from the year 1 A.D. to the year 1500 A.D.) for humankind’s knowledge … Our DNA plays a big role in this, also ancestral genealogy influences this blue print; we can label it many different things, past lives, Karma, or encoded DNA. The bottom line is, there are patterns sitting in our sub conscious that get …

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The most common ancestry DNA test is the Y-DNA and the mtDNA test.  Using the genetic information in these tests, you can answer questions about your long-ago history that your grandparents and historical documents can’t provide.

There are 100 labs worldwide that collect DNA material for genetic testing. All tests are basically the same.  They require a swab of the inside of your cheek and use it to establish a database of comparison.

The Y-DNA test will establish the direct line ancestry of your father since only males have a Y chromosome.  It passes unchanged from father to son and beyond.   Laboratories compare the analysis of samples among men and to find out how far back they must go to discover a common ancestor.   That is how families learn who among those with the same surname are related to them.   In fact, some families have ongoing surname projects where various family members submit Y-DNA samples to discover other people with the same surname who are indeed related.

Woman do not have Y chromosomes so their X chromosomes are reliable only in determining their mother’s maternal ancestral line.  Women who wish to know more about their paternal ancestry must request cooperation for a sample from their father, uncle, brother, paternal grandfather or cousin who shares the same surname as the father.

Once in the lab, workers look for various markers along the Y-DNA strand.  The more markers, the more accurate the results of one’s ancestry.  The Genographic Project is looking at 12 markers; however surname projects and most laboratories look for 25 markers or more.

Once the markers are compared, workers can suggest a haplogroup, or genetic population.  Haplogroups are ancient clans that migrated across the globe from Africa.

Genetic testing can determine what percentage of a person is European, Asian, Native American or Sub-Saharan African, making an ancestry DNA test the most revealing test one can take.

OK, so you know about DNA testing to discover your father and mother’s deep ancestry, now how to do genealogy research online will be covered.

Many of you will be very familiar with all of these methods, but for those of you that are just starting on creating a family tree these ideas should help to get you started.

You should always start with yourself and work backwards through your ancestors locating as much information on each generation as you can before you move on the earlier ones.  More time is lost trying to make a connection with some famous person that you were told you might be related to.

Well that may turn out to be right but in order to do this thing right you have to take one step at a time and document all of your research.  When you find something that is helpful you should record it in your journal or notebook and then enter the information into your computer genealogy program.

The notebooks should have their pages dated as you enter details that way you can always return to them at a later date when you find another piece of the puzzle.

Some of the most helpful websites that you will use are actually free and you will spend many hundreds of hours online before you will have to shell out any money for online subscription websites.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, (LDS) or the Mormon Church, owns the worlds largest accumulation of documents in digital and microfilm formats.  Their main library in Salt Lake City, Utah is free and open to the public and no one will try to convert you, it is just a library.  Millions of rolls of microfilm are at your fingertips and you will find everything from church records, civil records, local histories, census records, marriage records, cemetery records and everything in between.

LDS also has Family History Centers (FHC) in a Mormon church near you.  These smaller branch libraries have access to most of the materials that are at Salt Lake City either by computer or by your renting the microfilm to use at the local FHC.

To find out what they have available you may use any computer on the internet and go to www.familysearch.org to go to the main website.  From here you can do some actual personal name searches and see if any of your ancestors have had their information extracted from primary record collections and added to the online database.

This is only one small part of what they have available as most of the records have not been transcribed and digitized yet, so in those cases you will want to click on the library button and then go to the library catalog, and do a surname search or a location search to see what they have in their index and then you will know which film to order.

Another great resource that is free is the huge accumulation of extracted records and queries from other researchers that is online at rootsweb.com.  This site is one of the oldest on the web and was operated by volunteers at the beginning until recent years when it was purchased by ancestry.com.  Rootsweb is still free to use.

The USGenweb.com site is also free and you will find many exciting discoveries there.  My recommendation is to go down to each state/county level for the individual county Genweb sites where you will find cemetery records, maps, documents, bible records and untold wondrous things.

Do not overlook online newspaper collections.  Check for newspapers that were in operation in the areas where your ancestors lived.  Many of them have online access to the historical editions but you will have to search around and ask questions.  You will want to read the article: “21 Ways to Start to Build Your Own Family Tree” at old-newspaper-articles.com.

Later on as you become more advanced and after you have tested your Genealogy DNA you will no doubt want to subscribe to places like ancestry and genealogybank, but for now you should have fun starting with just the free information above.

Another name for genealogy DNA is molecular DNA because that is where the science of family begins.  Until the late 1980s the only tool available for people seeking information about their ancestors was historical records and the remembrances of grandma and grandpa.  You might be able to recall the names of your grandparents, but do you know the names of your great-grandparents?  Precisely.  Few people do.  Advances in DNA typing are filling in the blanks.

Almost all cells in the human body contain DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid.   DNA is a string of proteins that tell our bodies how to grow; whether to have blue eyes or brown, whether to have a predisposition to heart disease or cancer. It is the complete genetic blueprint of people.  It makes each of us unique but also similar to our parents and ancestors.

There are two types of cells used to map out genealogy, Y-Chromosome DNA, and Mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA.  The Y chromosome exists in men and is passed down from fathers to sons.  Women don’t have a Y chromosome and thus cannot be tested for their paternal heritage.  Men can know who was their father’s father, and on and on through hundreds of generations.  Generally the paternal line can be tested to the origin of the surname, although some African-Americans have surnames dating back just to the 19th century.

Mitochondrial DNA is the opposite of Y-DNA and is passed down from mothers to her offspring of both genders.  The difference with this kind of DNA is that both men and women have it and can be tested for it.  Therefore, a man can learn about the ancestral lines of his mother and his father, but women can only know the lines of their mother.  In order to learn information about their father’s ancestry, they have to have their father, brother or male cousin tested.

Despite the limits of DNA testing for women, mitochondrial DNA has a slower rate of mutation than Y-DNA.  The results of clean strains cover more years.  While Y-DNA may go back for 12 generations, Mitochondrial DNA can reflect 30 generations or more.
When scientists test DNA for genealogy they assign letter values to “markers” which are specific spots on a microscopic strand of DNA.  The values reveal a pattern that shows similarities to other people in DNA data bases.  Some strands have fewer mutations or differences, and the more you have in common with others in the DNA databases, the more likely they are to have a common ancestor with you.

One of the limits of Mitochondrial DNA is that the mitochondria exist in the cytoplasm of the cell instead of the nucleus.  As stated before, mtDNA mutates very slowly.  When scientists find an exact match it is difficult to know if the common ancestor lived recently or hundreds of years ago.

One famous use of mitochondrial DNA involved the identification of the Russian Royal family.  Czar Nicolas, his wife and their five children were all executed by the Bolsheviks in 1919.  For nearly 100 years their fate was not known however with the fall of the Soviet Union a search for the bodies unearthed the probable graves.

Prince Philip of England provided a DNA sample in which mtDNA was extracted to determine if the Russian Royals were within the newly discovered graves.  Prince Philip shares the same maternal line as Queen Victoria, as did Czar Nicholas.  The DNA test proved the bodies in the graves were indeed the Romanov family, the last royals in Russia.

It is easy to give a DNA sample.  100 labs around the world provide the services.  Find an accredited one, order the kit and begin your search with genealogy DNA for ancestors the world over.

To understand genealogical data, we must first learn about the role of DNA.  It is the primary molecule of life and is responsible for the development and growth of every living thing.

The best way to describe the amount of genetic information stored in DNA is to picture a library full of books.  If you took every line of copy in every page of every book and you cut it into strips and taped them one after another, end to end, you would have the equivalent information that DNA stores in our bodies.

With DNA all this information is organized into shelving called chromosomes.  In the library you seek information by alphabet then shelf number then page and finally paragraph.  The Human Genome Project did essentially the same thing in 2002, by creating a “card catalog” for all the genetic information in the body.

The biggest difference between the way books are cataloged in a library and genetic information is stored in DNA, is there are two copies of the information in each cell; one copy comes from the mother and the other comes from the father.   Both copies are nearly identical which is how paternity is determined.

The biggest difference between males and females lies in the chromosomes.  The 23rd pair consists of an X and a Y.  Females have two “X”s and males have an “X” and a “Y”.  When a baby is conceived the mother always passes down an X, but the father can pass down either an X or a Y; X for a baby girl and Y for a baby boy.

To trace ancient ancestral roots, genealogists look at the DNA with low rates of change or mutation, making genealogical data a reliable but imperfect source of information from up to 150,000 years ago.

Genealogists turn to ancestral DNA testing to answer questions that historical records alone cannot.  All people of the world have DNA so it makes sense they would form a large information base about the evolution of humans.

It isn’t necessary to test every member of a family to learn their origins.  Women carry mtDNA because they lack the Y chromosome that men have to determine the male gender.  Brothers and sisters share the same mtDNA and brothers share the same Y DNA.   MtDNA yields information about the maternal line of a family.  Mt is short for mitochondria present in both men and women.  Y DNA tests the paternal line.

DNA Ancestry – what you can learn:

Do your ancestors originate from Europe, or the farmers from the Middle East?  Europeans came from seven maternal clans and DNA ancestry can spot the markers that show the specific area of Europe where your mother’s family originated.

Even if you are Caucasian you may discover a bloodline that points to Africa and the oldest human population from 100,000 years ago.  Some of the early tribes are the Bantu, Ibo and Kung.

Native Americans are predominately from Native Americans which migrated from the Old World.  Native Americans today seek to know which modern tribe they are from and DNA evidence of early tribal migration narrows the focus of an otherwise broad population sample.

Some families today are conducting surname projects to learn the origin of their last name.   Whether the name is Jones or Andrianopoulos, families want to know who they are related to around the world.

The human race has been mixing since it evolved in Africa 150,000 years ago.  You may find identifying markers from several groups that don’t seem connected because of the constant evolution of families.  If you’re looking for many answers to specific questions, proceed with ancestral DNA testing with an open mind.

Scientists turn to genealogical DNA tests to answer intriguing questions about ancestry.  What was once science fiction is now available to families around the world who seek information about their deep ancestral roots.

How do you know which test is right for you?  Here are some options to help you narrow your choice.

For men, the common male ancestor test will reveal analysis of 24 markers that get passed through generations of men in the same family.  The 24 are selected because they are identical for the past 20 generations or so.   An average generation is considered to be 25 years.

If your test results are identical to another man’s test results, the two of you share a common male ancestor.   You may find you are linked to a specific ethnic group you didn’t realize or you may share a surname with other people who are related to you.  Once you compare notes with them, both groups may find other, more distant relatives.

The common female ancestor test is offered to both men and women because both genders share an X chromosome.  There are 33 primary female clans in the world and most are specific to a particular continent.  Once the clan, or haplogroup is identified, then regions within the continent can be narrowed down.  For example, Europeans are all descended from seven maternal clans.  Your makers may group you with one from Spain or from Russia.

Native American DNA tests are very active with various individuals seeking knowledge about their particular tribe.  There are four maternal clans and they are linked by language more than geography.

It is easy to order a DNA test.  You simply chose a lab online, order the test, and wait for the cheek swab.  Genealogical DNA tests are quick and painless, and within 4 to 6 weeks you’ll have a wealth of information about your deep ancestral roots.

For those of you who ask, “What does a genealogy DNA test kit look like?” Please click on the tab at the right marked: “Kerchner Files”.  These files are copyrighted and used with permission.  You will also see what DNA test results look like.

Without ancestry DNA tests, most people can only name their maternal and paternal grandparents. After that the information becomes unreliable unless great time and effort is expended to research historical records.

Science allows us to look back at our ancient family tree, to the time when humans first migrated from their early roots in Africa. To find out where your family originated, migrated and then mutated to form its own group or haplogroup, you need only take a moment to swab the inside of your cheek with a special painless device.

Genealogists today are actively gathering DNA samples to establish markers and lines of ancestry. When looking for a DNA test lab ask about the size of the database. The larger the base of knowledge, the more reliable and informative your test results will be. There are several labs that provide DNA testing; begin your search with the size of the database.

There are two kits available, the Mitochondrial or mtDNA and the Y-Chromosome. The Y chromosome passes down only through the males of a family since males have an X and a Y chromosome while females have just an X. The Y Chromosome test will determine paternal linkage, while the mtDNA will explore the mother’s line for her female and male children.

There are various DNA test kits available and depending upon the number of markers the kit looks for, the more information the result will yield, and the greater the cost for the kit. You will receive the test kit in the mail. It will house what appears to be an undersized plastic toothbrush and a sterile container to place it in for mailing it back.

Once you return the ancestry DNA tests you’ll wait 6 to 8 weeks for the results and then you are on your way to exploring the ancient roots of your family.

With DNA testing for ancestry, the field of Genealogy has more tools than ever to discover your family tree.  Along with the genealogist research tools for digging deep into historical records and family history, you now have Genealogy DNA comparison to give solid evidence to your research.

A simple DNA test can start you on the road to discovering your ancestors from 10,000 years ago.  Men and women can both test their DNA to learn the origin of their maternal ancestry.  A specific kind of test called mtDNA or mitochondrial DNA, searches only the women along the line, no men.  Women and men both receive their mtDNA from their mother.

Men can learn the origin of their paternal line by testing their Y chromosome.  The Y chromosome test checks only the paternal line. Women do not have Y DNA and cannot be tested for their paternal line.  If they want to know their paternal ancestry they must ask a brother or their father or a male cousin to be tested.  This is one way to firm up the surname line of your ancestry.

Once the DNA sample is taken, the results will determine your haplogroup.  This is a set of a people with a common ancestor, often from 10,000 to 150,000 years ago, the time when it has been shown that humans evolved in Africa and then migrated around the world.  Men have both a paternal and maternal haplogroup; women have only the maternal haplogroup because they bear only X chromosomes while men have an X and a Y.

A fascinating result of the DNA test is to see where your ancient family members migrated across the globe.  You’ll see how mutations in early genetic lines affect your family too.   You’ll learn all the genetic influences in your ancient family tree.  You may have Asian influence you don’t know about or you may be related to Napolean or a U.S. President.   DNA testing for ancestry will provide knowledge about your unique family history you never thought possible.

Hello everyone.  GenealogyDNA.com is under new management.

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