More on DNA tests #5
Other than testing Y-DNA which is only available for males as described previously in Blog #4, what about some of the other DNA tests available to those interested in Family History?
Another test called mitochondrial DNA can be carried out by both males and females and is used to trace the maternal ancestry.
I haven't taken a mitochondrial test yet, so I'll talk about another test I have taken.
Autosomal DNA
This is a term used in genetic genealogy to describe DNA which is inherited from the autosomal chromosomes, humans have 22 pairs of autosomes. This is the type of test an organisation like Ancestry offer and as I suggested is available to males and females.
Most tests take either a saliva sample or painless rub sample of the mouth lining using something like a cotton bud.
The biggest "secret" to all these tests is the amount of data already gathered from other participants and data gathered from other DNA research sources. Without that data there would be very little story to tell you, and this is why for a many people, choosing a big organisation increases the usefulness of your result.
A big database will allow a comparison with other participants to see what matches or shared DNA they have, usually this leads to distant cousins or very distant cousins. The aim for most of us is to fill in gaps in our trees or breakdown walls in our own research and help them in theirs.
Ancestry is very good at this, mostly because their database is the world largest, and it follows more targets, more chances of matches.
Additionally Ancestry has data taken from regions around the world, this data is gained from people in those regions who have deep rooted family history i.e. little or no migration and documented family histories. When matches of your DNA are made to these regions a reflection of your ethnicity can be made.
In my case this ethnic result, shows that I have ancestry from England, Wales & Northwestern Europe, which fits in with my tree research so far, and although the Y-DNA goes back to Eastern Europe 5000 years ago, that R1a1a1a sub group (see blog #4) is linked to some Scandanavian roots which have later links to groups such a Norse, Normans,and Irish.
Another test called mitochondrial DNA can be carried out by both males and females and is used to trace the maternal ancestry.
I haven't taken a mitochondrial test yet, so I'll talk about another test I have taken.
Autosomal DNA
This is a term used in genetic genealogy to describe DNA which is inherited from the autosomal chromosomes, humans have 22 pairs of autosomes. This is the type of test an organisation like Ancestry offer and as I suggested is available to males and females.
Most tests take either a saliva sample or painless rub sample of the mouth lining using something like a cotton bud.
The biggest "secret" to all these tests is the amount of data already gathered from other participants and data gathered from other DNA research sources. Without that data there would be very little story to tell you, and this is why for a many people, choosing a big organisation increases the usefulness of your result.
A big database will allow a comparison with other participants to see what matches or shared DNA they have, usually this leads to distant cousins or very distant cousins. The aim for most of us is to fill in gaps in our trees or breakdown walls in our own research and help them in theirs.
Ancestry is very good at this, mostly because their database is the world largest, and it follows more targets, more chances of matches.
Additionally Ancestry has data taken from regions around the world, this data is gained from people in those regions who have deep rooted family history i.e. little or no migration and documented family histories. When matches of your DNA are made to these regions a reflection of your ethnicity can be made.
In my case this ethnic result, shows that I have ancestry from England, Wales & Northwestern Europe, which fits in with my tree research so far, and although the Y-DNA goes back to Eastern Europe 5000 years ago, that R1a1a1a sub group (see blog #4) is linked to some Scandanavian roots which have later links to groups such a Norse, Normans,and Irish.
