Genealogy DNA Testing Services

A comparison of DNA Testing companies by a customer

Update August 7, 2010

Family Finder is a new test by FamilyTreeDNA that completely changes DNA research.    Rather than limiting searches to father-son-father-son lines (YDNA) or mother-daughter-mother-daughter lines (MtDNA), Family Finder connects with ALL of your ancestors up to 6 generations back (and in many cases more).

We have 23 pairs of chromosomes.     In the past genealogical tests have focused on the Y chromosome in males which passes unchanged (except for occasional mutations) from father to son but not to females.     Females have a similar test via the mitochondrial DNA which passes from a mother to her children.      However, of a person's 16 great great grandparents only 2 can be found with the YDNA and MtDNA tests from a single person.

The other 14 were left unaccounted for in DNA testing.

Along comes Family Finder which now accounts for DNA from all 16 great great grandparents, 32 great great great grandparents, and so on.   The further back you go the less likely you are to find a match.    Each generation we receive a random mix, about 50/50 of our parents DNA.   When you get back 5 generations you have about 3% of each 3rd great grandparent's DNA.    However because the mix is random you can carry anywhere from 0% to 5% or more of any particular 3rd great grandparent.     Hence you likelihood of matching a distant cousin decreases every generation.  

Finding a Match

When you get your results from FamilyTreeDNA they provide you a listing of all those who have matches with you.    However, you don't know which of your ancestors you share based on the DNA alone.    FamilyTreeDNA asks participants to provide a listing of their families surnames and those lists are provided along with the e-mail contact for each match.     You just scroll through the surnames to see which ones match your family surnames.     Then you e-mail the person to determine which ancestor in that line you have in common.

Furthermore, once  you have more than one match from the same ancestor you can narrow down which DNA segment represents that ancestor -- a very powerful tool to have.

Example

My 7th great grandparents were George and Mary Boone (grandparents of the frontiersman Daniel Boone).    Among my Family Finder matches was a lady who listed Boone as one of her surnames.     I e-mailed her and it turns out she was descended from Daniel Boone's brother, Edward Boone.  Our common ancestors are our 7th great grandparents, George (b. 1666) and Mary (Maugridge) (b. 1669) Boone.

Family Finder doesn't stop there.   It tells us which DNA we share in common -- in other words which DNA comes from George and Mary Boone.  We now have a marker that can be found among the thousands of living descendants of George and Mary Boone -- many who may not have known of their Boone connection.   

FamilyTreeDNA also allows customers to form Family Projects which provide additional tools for comparisons among family members.    How much does FamilyTreeDNA pay me to write such a glowing report?    Nothing.    I'm just a customer -- a paying customer.    

Recommendations

Because the efficacy of the test diminishes with each generation, I recommend testing your parents or grandparents, if possible.     In my case, my family tree brick walls are on my father's side, so I had take the test rather than me.      I also contacted a 93 year old descendent -- only 4 generations from my 5th great grandfather.    I purchased a test for her.    

It's not how old the person but how many generations they are from the ancestor that matters.     As there can sometimes be a separation of 20+ years between siblings, it's possible that 2 people of the same age will be of different generations.

Make sure and post your family surnames on your results page.    Definitely e-mail all who match with you to try and determine your common ancestor.     You may not see a matching surname but find that they have ancestors from the same small area that you do.   In that case a little digging will likely yield a new direct ancestor in your family tree.

Update November 15, 2007

This page is getting a bit dated.   New companies are emerging, mainly the 3 noted below.   National Geographic's Genographic Project is teamed up with FamilyTreeDNA.   By doing so the database is growing at a very rapid speed.    FamilyTreeDNA still remains the best company, far and away, to test with.     If things change in the future, you can always add your results to any new database that may emerge.   So far I have had 2 matches from Family Tree DNA's database, 1 from National Geographic (which showed up in my FamilyTreeDNA matches page), and zero from all the other databases.   That's not an accident, it is a function of the database size which is crucial.

Sorenson DNA [added November 15, 2007]

The Sorenson database is a noble cause but it partners with GeneTree, which is a less than professional company (see below).      The problem is you really want to know your markers, not just your matches on their database.   

Ancestry.com [added November 15, 2007]

Their database is small.   You can test through them and then enter your results on www.ysearch.org  But why do that when you can test directly at www.familytreedna.com and have your results compared with all of ysearch plus all FamilyTreeDNA's results.   

EthnoAncestry.com [added November 15, 2007]

I have used them for my S21 test and they did the job.   However, that service is now offered by FamilyTreeDNA, which also offers the broadest range of other tests so there is little point now in paying the higher price for a separate EthnoAncestry test when it can be accomplished cheaper and without a new sample from FamilyTreeDNA.

 

Services I've Ordered and My Feedback

Oxford Ancestors  
(see: Why I do not recommend Oxford for my personal experience with Oxford)

YDNA tests: 

Positive: The 10 marker test compared accurately with the marker results from other companies.   The send a colorful print out of the results. 
Negative: 10 markers are really not enough especially given the number now available through GeneTree and especially FamilyTreeDNA.    If you find a match from Oxford, you will want to retest with a higher number of markers through one of the other two companies.

MatriLine™:

This test is for those curious about which of the so-called "Seven Daughters of Eve" their maternal line descends from.    Oxford delivers the results which are cute on an antidotal level.   However, we all ultimately share the same ancestors (about 800 years ago)**   In my opinion, genealogical exploration beyond 400 years is of little real significance and becomes more an exploration of human history.   Why? Because at that point we have thousands of ancestors and, second, even the best paper trail that far back is dubious.   If you have read the Seven Daughters of Eve you can enjoy knowing that you are likely related to all those daughters described (note that the descriptions/stories in that book are not perfectly accurate depictions of people of those times, though the book is entertaining.)  The test is essentially meaningless.

 

GeneTree

YDNA tests:

Positive: The 24 Marker test compared accurately with the marker results from other companies.
Negative: If you want to test the maximum number possible, you will need to go to FamilyTreeDNA.com  (however, by combining these results with the FamilyTree 37 marker will have 40+ markers to compare -- useful in some situations.)

AncestryByDNA 2.5:

A test that I believe is similar or exactly the same is the DNAPrint that FamilyTree used to offer.   This test has some purpose if you suspect some recent racial mix in your family history.    However, if you can look back 4 or 5 generations and be certain that your ancestors are, say, European then the test will most likely tell you nothing.   I, however, was originally told that I was 16% African.   A surprise.   I had my parents tested, they both came back 100% European.   After reviewing my results they found an error in the computer program that analyzes the results.   My tests then concluded that I was 100% European.    Thought I might have an interesting story in the family history for a while there, but no such luck.   To the credit of FamilyTree and the lab conducting the test, they followed up on my case thoroughly and when the mistake was apparent they corrected the error and promptly refunded the entire cost.  

Siblingship Test:

Positive:  They are one of the only companies out there that provide the test.
Negative: Their conclusions are inaccurate and they do not stand by them or respond to inquiries. see Why I do not recommend GeneTree.com

FamilyTreeDNA

YDNA tests:

Positive: They test the most markers, 37.   You can scale the testing, starting at only 12 markers.  Thus you don't pay for testing all the markers unless you choose to.   They also provide the best on-line results.     They also actively remain on the forefront of new DNA tests specifically related to genealogy.  The owner is accessible and responsive, as are the employees.

Negative: I did have a labeling problem from them once, where they sent tests for my mother and father with only kit numbers attached and no names assigned.    When I returned them I marked the names down but the results posted had them transposed.   They immediately corrected the problem upon notification.

DNAPrint:

No longer offered, that I can tell.   See AncestryByDNA 2.5 above.

 

Conclusion

Like most things, DNA testing is a human endeavor subject to human error.   It is however, a wonderful tool for genealogists in confirming ancestral paper trails or building bridges over gaps in the ancestral paper trail.    If you receive a result that does not make sense, question it.   Before delving too deeply in the possible historical errors be sure that your DNA results are correct and that they are correctly interpretted.

Fortunately I can highly recommend one company, FamilyTreeDNA.    (No, I don't get anything from them in return for my recommendation).    The other two with whom I've worked have provided mixed results.   Considering the cost both in money and in time and effort to take the tests and deal with incorrect results, I would not recommend using Oxford or GeneTree.   Both companies have failed to provide accurate results and to remedy or even follow up on them.   I consider GeneTree's failure to be the most egregious see:  Why I do not recommend GeneTree.com

 

Who am I?  I am Gary Miller.   I have been researching my family history for 15 years and have ordered 30+ DNA tests from the above companies.   I hold a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara in Statistical Sciences and a Masters Degree in Actuarial Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara.   My profession is computer science and investment.   My hobby is genealogy.   This website is an account of my personal experiences with the above companies.   I am not employed or paid by any DNA testing company.   I do maintain a few personal surname groups with FamilyTreeDNA.com, as a customer.   

Statistical Questions:

1.  How many children should a man and each of direct male paternal descendants have in order to insure the survival of his YDNA for 1,000 years?   ie. If he has 10 children, odds are he will have about 5 males and 5 females.   If those 5 males have 10 children each, he should have 25 direct male paternal descendents.   

2.   If DNA results on a 12 marker are able to identify 8th cousins (MRCA (most recent common ancestor) of 10 generations) and the average number of direct male descendents doubles each year (each male has 2 sons who have 2 sons and so on) then how many independent (MRCA > 10) Miller lines are there today in the U.S., given that there are 1,054,450 Millers in the U.S. today?  Answer around 2,000?    If so we are 10% of our way there with 200 participants so far.   (Of course those 200 are not all from independent lines and the assumption of each male having 2 sons is a wild guess.   Most likely some generations had more and some less or none. Plus there's the problem of including only those in the U.S. today.   Nonetheless, it does show that even with a name like Miller the goal of representing most Miller lines is surmountable.    Plus the 12 marker test can provide meaningful results beyond an MRCA of 10.)

*To obtain these rates sign up under a Surname Group.  http://www.familytreedna.com/surname.asp  (If you don't find your surname consider creating your own Surname Group.    Otherwise prices are about $50.00 more per test.

** see pages 44-49 of Mapping Human History by Steve Olson (an excellent book).

created December 2004

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