There is quite a bit of misinformation floating around about the use of molecular (DNA) data. This is certainly not a technology that's in its infancy. In fact for the tracing of distant lineages there are technologies now a available to sample DNA from across the entire genome ("SNP" variation) (one company that does this is "23 and me".) But even the use of more standard techniques such us y chromosome haplotype variation can be invaluable especially when used in concert with the more usual paper trail ancestry research. One example from my own research: documents led me to a suspect for the 3x great grandfather who impregnated an unmarried mum, my 3x g grandmother Gwynne. Turns out that the suspect's surname (Merrilees) was already the subject of a worldwide Y surname study. My Gwynne Y turned out to be an almost perfect match for the Merrilees Y samples, virtually confirming the suspect as my 3x g grandfather (with an extremely high probability). And it is easy forget that mismatches between putative fathers and offspring due to mothers (and fathers) "playing away" is anywhere between about 2 and about 10% per generation in modern populations. Documents would rarely reveal past events of this sort but DNA just might! Darryl (Gwynne, Glen Williams, Canada) -------------------------------------------------- On 2012-10-10, at 12:11 AM, "Edie" <[email protected]> wrote: > Yes I agree, I would rather take the ydna test than the familyfinder as > there are just so many names that do not mean anything. I just cannot be > interested in any of them. Havening said that. I did find a Speed surname > not that common amongst my familyfinder which happens to also be my Great > granny on my maternals sides name. Havent bothered to follow through as yet. > Edie > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Polly Rubery" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 3:10 PM > Subject: Re: [B&S] DNA testing for Family History > > >> Hi Edie >> >> I have two known third cousins once removed (with one a male ROWBERRY and >> the other having a ROWBERRY great-grandmother) take a Family Finder Test, >> just to see how well it worked and it found no matches at all. I'm afraid >> that for all other genes it is a complete lottery what you inherit from >> your >> ancestors - it may be all or nothing. >> >> So I would not advise anyone to take these tests with any hope of proving >> anything....they are also far more expensive than the plain Y DNA and mt >> DNA >> tests which are able to show matches on a scientific basis. >> >> And it is always worth looking to see if there is a Surname Project >> already >> set up for your surname - in some cases they may, as well as offering a >> Group discount on the cost, offer further help with the cost of your Test >> Kit as I do with my ROWBERRY Project. >> Kind regards >> Polly >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Edie" <[email protected]> >> To: <[email protected]> >> Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 4:56 AM >> Subject: Re: [B&S] DNA testing for Family History >> >