For many of my mtDNA matches, the person tested has not added their oldest known female ancestor. Some have even put up their oldest known male ancestor. I believe showing the oldest known female ancestor would be helpful. What do you readers of this list think? If yes, maybe some of the FTDNA staff reading this message could get FTDNA to send an e-mail to each person having done the mtDNA test and suggest they record their oldest known female ancestor. Thanks. Tom Howle

Tom, There is a difference between an oldest known female ancestor, and the oldest known female on your maternal line of descent. I inherited my mtDNA from my maternal line great-grandmother, 1856-1926. I know almost nothing about her, except she was maybe German and in the V3c haplogroup. On the other hand, my father's maternal ancestry is ancient, but none of those women will match my mt haplogroup. I list my maternal great-grandmother as my oldest known female ancestor. Marleen Van Horne