Genealogy Chat

Reading July Family History Monthly,I came across this article on a free web based project,and you apply for a free kit and do a cheek swab,and prove connections around the world.Look it up on.....www(.)smgf(.)org and see what you think!!! Brenda x x

Brenda Hmmm...I never know how I feel about this sort of thing. For a start, it doesn't actually say it is free, but I assume it is, because - you don't get told any results, lol!!!! Read the blurb... So, a bit pointless. I bet if you want to see the results, you have to pay. I can quite see that if you are of Afro Caribbean ancestry, say, or you don't have a clue about your ancestors, then this could be a useful way of discovering where your ancestors originate. But it won't help much in your actual research, because even if you can identify with living people who share your mtDNA - they may not know who their 6 x GGPs were, either! And the time scale is so vague - a common ancestor in the last ten thousand years is all they can offer, as a result. It is interesting, I agree - but I doubt if it will help me to find where my 2 x GGF was born, and who his parents were! OC

No idea if it's a reputable company, but the DNA projects I've seen in one-name studies have always specified that they'll only test males.

Mary This company offers both - Y tests and mtDNA tests (X chromosome). I think it is reasonably reputable - but they are doing this for their OWN benefit, not ours. They want to test a number of people, the more the better, and they will then publish the scientific results in some journal or other, no doubt winning themselves some funding. We are, if you like, guinea pigs for their research. As I said before, if you want to know the results of your DNA test, you will undoubtedly have to pay for them. OC

OC Couldn't reply sooner,as bed called ,and watched Trooping the Colour this morning. However,I have had a closer look at this site,and think it is quite bona fide,and could be interesting to keep an eye on as it is a non profit making organization. As far as I can tell,they do not send you results,but you can search for appropriate names listed to see if there is a match. I read one bit that with a coupon ,and if you have participated ,you can have results for $95 (about £50),which is very cheap,but this is not obligatory. In the article in FHM it says it was started by James Sorenson(billionaire) in 2004 'to create the world's most comprehensive genealogical database and ensure it is used for purposes to promote peace,compassion,and fellowship among humankind'

Good for you Romany Star! Keep us posted on how you get on . Brenda x x

Brenda I did try to name search, but couldn't get anywhere. I am sure it is a bona fide company/organisation, but don't know if I want to spend £50 to be told that my maternal ancestors came from Russia ten thousand years ago! It IS interesting, but only in a very wide sense, I think. Even if I could connect up with a known surname, again that wouldn't tell either of us much that we don't already know. I shall keep an eye on it though. OC

Romany Sorry about that, but it was as I suspected - for their benefit, not yours. You could, if you really wanted to, have a test done privately and you would get the results, It is quite expensive though, but anonymity is guaranteed. Your OH does have a point. As unlikely as it seems, if this information were to fall into the hands of a World-Domination freak or organisation, then the results don't bear thinking about. Just think what Hitler could have done with information like this. OC

Lol thats quite right OC. Had so hoped they might say 'Yes youre 1/6 Italian' or 'No youre not, but you do have French in you' (or whatever!!), thats all I wanted. Never mind. PS: Didnt see anywhere on it that I could pay £50 for some feedback.

We could even be cloned without our knowledge, lololol. There's a thought.

Romany Sorry ,after getting all excited about the DNA test,it turns out to be too risky to participate. Think if we are interested we will have to save up for a private test. Thanks for letting us know. Brenda x x

It's still only going to give you just one line of your family tree. They only either test the all male or all female line so in other words.....if you have done a fan chart of your ancestors it will only give you the far left line if you are male or far right line for a female. That means you only have to go back to your 4x great grandparents and the tested line is only one of 64 of your ancestors. Then each generation back doubles so the DNA being tested came from an even smaller part of your tree. It is of interest of researchers as large samples can have meaning but it really doesn't say much about your own ancestry. Sue

Sue I think Romany is more interested in a geographical DNA test, to discover the international mix of her ancestry, lol, which is quite easy to do. I agree with your comments about DNA testing as a family history tool - it is virtually useless, can only track you through one line, either male or female and can NEVER give you any names, lol. It is possible to do recombinant testing, which will give you ALL your ancestors, both male and female, but this is extremely difficult, expensive, and time consuming; and requires a wide pool of known ancestors to start with. In practice, it is only used for tracking inherited diseases, or other forensic investigations. OC

Anyone tried the Genographic project? It is supposed to be anonymous, but you still get your own personal genetic analysis!

I saw that one, its $99.95, think thats about £50? Not sure. Its run by National Geographic(.)com. The kit includes the following elements: • Buccal swab kit • Multimedia DVD • Exclusive National Geographic Genographic Map • 'Quick Start' card • Genographic Project Brochure • Self-addressed envelope • Confidential Genographic Project ID Number (GPID) The purchase price also includes the cost of the testing and analysis.

nudge for RS

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Thanks Brenda

I sent off for a free one 2 yrs ago, was conected to the Mormons. I decided not to do it, as the small print said:
We cannot guarantee not to share your DNA with other parties.
You forfeit all rights to the given sample.
If we find you are not directly related to your family we will not inform you.
You will not be kept informed of developments.
We cannot guarantee it will not affect your insurance.

So not much point really, God knows who they'd sell it to.

LOL, just realised my message from July 2007 is here, thought it was a new thread lol.

DNA testing has become a powerful ally to people trying to trace their ancestry.

The Family Tree DNA lab carries out the genetic testing side of the BBC family history documentary Who Do You Think You Are?

A recent study conducted at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, found that a striking percentage of men in Ireland (and quite a few in Scotland) share the same Y chromosome, suggesting that the 5th-century warlord known as "Niall of the Nine Hostages" may be the ancestor of one in 12 Irishmen. Niall established a dynasty of powerful chieftains that dominated the island for six centuries.

The study mentions that just one of the O'Neill dynasty chieftains who died in 1423 had 18 sons with nearly a dozen women and claimed 59 grandsons.*

Niall of the Nine Hostages received his name from the taking of hostages as a strategy for playing mental havoc upon his opponent chieftains. He is known in folklore as a raider of the British and French coasts. Supposedly slain in the English Channel or in Scotland, his descendants were the most powerful rulers of Ireland until the 11th century.

Modern surnames tracing their ancestry to Niall include (O')Neill, (O')Gallagher, (O')Boyle, (O')Doherty, O'Donnell, Connor, Cannon, Bradley, O'Reilly, Flynn, (Mc)Kee, Campbell, Devlin, Donnelly, Egan, Gormley, Hynes, McCaul, McGovern, McLoughlin, McManus, McMenamin, Molloy, O'Kane, O'Rourke and Quinn.

Journal reference: American Journal of Human Genetics (February issue)

For more information visit http://www.familytreedna.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FamilyTreeDNA, also http://www.dnaexplain.com
'Trace Your Roots With DNA' by Megan Smolenyak and Ann Turner (Amazon.com)

An objective view of DNA testing is 'Genealogy by DNA: Can it deliver?' is at http://www.genpage.com/genealogyDNA.html. Its conclusion states:

'... the answer to 'can genealogy by DNA deliver?' is a qualified 'Yes'. Just be sure you have a clearly defined objective; more than one objective is fine. Do your homework and learn the limitations of Genealogy research utilizing DNA testing. And be sure you are using the right test to answer your questions.'

(This site is published under a Creative Commons licence which allows free republication, though there is a contradictory note from the article's unidentified author. I've taken the risk of flagging it here because it's informative and fair. )


*Note: There is a problem with the link to the more complete genetic signature of Irish chieftain Ui Naill at www.ysearch.org: http://www.ysearch.org/research_comparative.asp?uid=G4EF6&vallist=M5UKQ
However, unless you are a genetic biologist it's unlikely you would have understood the tables anyway.