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Posts Tagged ‘Native American’

When deciding if genetic genealogy testing is right for you, know the facts and what can really be learned from the results before you proceed. This type of testing is sometimes referred to as genealogical DNA testing. It is designed to assist a person to learn more about their ancestral past. This is not a test for the discovery of genetic disorders and its medical value is minuscule.

For most, genetic genealogy is an additional tool that is now being used by traditional genealogist to assist in the discovery of genetic relationships between two individuals that existed in different time periods. Before the introduction of genetic testing, the common tool for a genealogist was by tracing the path of a family surname.

Today, the results of a genetic genealogy test can give a person an area and time period in which there is a probable chance of a distant relative presence. This is referred to as genetic percentages. This is the tool used to trace the roots of a family to a specific country or region, in a specific time period. Since most Americans are a mix of cultures and races, the admixture tests were developed.

These tests help to determine a person’s genetic mixture of a Haplogroup. The areas that can be determined are Native American, European, East Asian, and Sub-Sahara African. There are a few companies that are starting to specialize in the area and are even working on methods to more closely define the specific regions or counties in which the results can be identified.

When it comes to genetic genealogy testing, looking into what research a company specializes in will help a person to determine which one can fulfill their needs the best.  We recommend Family Finder as one of the best new methods today.

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the genetic information in these tests, you can answer questions about your long-ago history that your grandparents and historical documents can’t provide.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.