DNA Presentation Handout – Jim Bartlett – jim4bartletts@verizon.net
DNA: the Genealogist’s Newest Tool
1. The Answers – all you really need to know
-- If two people have matching DNA, they have a common ancestor!
-- If two people don’t have matching DNA, they don’t have a common ancestor!
Very powerful, extremely accurate information!
2. Why is this so…
-- Y-chromosomes (Y-DNA) is passed only from fathers to sons
-- mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is passed only from mothers to children
-- most DNA (atDNA) are passed by parents to children (50%-50%)
All types of DNA are passed, virtually unchanged, over many generations
So… 2 distant all-male cousins should have the same Y-DNA results
And… 2 distant all-female line cousins should have the same mtDNA results
Also… you have 1/2 atDNA from each parent; 1/4 from each grandparents; etc
3. Three kinds of DNA Projects
SURNAME Project trace the all-male lines
- use Y-DNA tests from living descendants
- matching Y-DNA results mean a common ancestor
- all have same SURNAME: so it’s easier to research
mtDNA - Tracing an all-female line…
- use mtDNA tests from living descendants
- matching mtDNA results mean a common ancestor
- all SURNAMEs are different: so it’s much harder to trace
- it’s also harder to find matching “mtDNA-in-a-haystack”
- So design your own project:
- Trace the all-female lines down from your Matriarch
- mtDNA test widely separated cousins for a match
Family Finder – Tracing all of your ancestors through cousins with matching atDNA
- share your ancestors/Tree with your atDNA matches
- find the one in your Tree that matches one in his/her Tree
All genealogists should become familiar with DNA as a tool, and use it. Get tested.
Y-DNA
4. How to get involved:
A. Join an existing SURNAME Project (or start one)
www.familytreedna.com – enter SURNAME in search-box, follow links
-Click on SURNAME join link – order a Y-DNA test (at least 25, preferably 37, markers)
-Pricing is reasonable: good Y-DNA is $149; mtPlus $159; Family Finder $289
-Pay by credit card or have them bill you – send kit to yourself or someone else
-Follow Kit instructions – like brushing your teeth (no pain – no blood)
-Mail the Samples back, then wait …………………
- FTDNA emails you with your results and matches
- SURNAME Project Admin will help you – they group results into family lines
- Correspond with newly discovered [DNA] cousins
- Share info – compare paper trails – determine common ancestor – focus research
B. Results are:
- a string of numbers (relatively few people will have this same string)
- a Haplogroup (you share with many others)
- you may be matched with one line among many with your SURNAME
mtDNA
5. A. Take an mtDNA test (there are no projects to join)
- same process as in 4A
B. Results are:
- clumps of numbers/letter (some people will have the same results)
- a Haplogroup (you share with many others)
- many matches, many may be beyond normal genealogical records.
atDNA
6. A. All genealogists should take a Family Finder DNA test ($289 – and worth it)
- same process as in 4A
B. Results are:
- a file with your values at each of over 700,000 sites all through your DNA
[you usually don’t even see this file – and you don’t want/need to see it]
- the names and emails of those you match, who are probably your cousins
- how much you match and where; and an estimate of your relationship
- an estimate of your percentage of different ethnicities/geographical origins
C. What you should do:
- Email each of your matches
- Include a list of your Patriarchs/Matriarchs (or at least Surnames)
- List your ancestral surnames at FTDNA; download a GEDcom.
- Be persistent – learn your Common Ancestors
7. Results:
- arcane – few understand the numbers, codes or data – but you don’t need to
- the value comes from the list of matching people and their emails
- correspond with the matches and share information to find Common Ancestors
8. What DNA can and can’t do:
Can give you a DNA Test Result = string of numbers (called a Haplotype)
Can’t give you your pedigree (they don’t even know who you are)
Can tell you if you match someone, or not
Can’t tell you who is common ancestor (they don’t research genealogies)
Can’t tell you which generation is the match (just a very broad range)
Can give you DNA of paternal or maternal lines
Can link to all your ancestors, only with Family Finder test
EXTRA INFO
9. Some things you can do with a SURNAME Project:
-- Determine different, unrelated, lines which have the same SURNAME
-- Link 2 lines that have independent paper trails, but no paper proof that they’re related
-- Resolve variant SURNAME spellings – are they same lines or different lines
-- Resolve myths, such as which lines descend from heraldry or a famous person
-- Determine biological fathers (back in history), when DNA doesn’t match SURNAME
-- Resolve counter-claims on paper genealogies; and mixed up genealogies
-- Target future research – away from lines that don’t match; toward lines that do match
-- Have fun by infusing new life, facts, interest into your genealogy research!
10. Some things you can do with mtDNA Projects:
-- Determine the all-female line mtDNA “signature” – which of the “7 Daughters of Eve”
[google it]
-- Verify mothers through matching mtDNA from descendants of daughters
-- Clues to maiden names, by finding other female lines with matching mtDNA [hard]
11. Some things you can do with all DNA results:
-- Determine the migration paths of your ancient ancestors – 5, 20, 50 thousand years ago
-- Follow your Haplogroup in the National Geographic’s Genographic project
[FTDNA gives you your Haplogroup with your results]
-- Google your Haplogroup to see what scientists are finding out – Articles daily…
12. Some things you can do with Family Finder results:
-- Find new cousins, some out to 10th or even 12th cousins
-- Find other researchers who might be expert on one of your lines
-- Through Common Ancestors, verify paper trails (and blood lines)
-- Determine weak spots in your ancestry (by not getting any atDNA matches there ).
13. Some good websites:
http://www.familytreedna.com/dna101.html FTDNA Tutorials and links to other info
http://www.kerchner.com/dna-information.htm Links to many intro web pages – very well done.
http://blairdna.com/dna101.html Another very good primer on DNA, genetics, genealogy
http://www.familytreedna.com/ FTDNA home page – also surname SEARCH TAB
Subscribe to: Genealogy-DNA@rootsweb.com novice to expert advice