On Jun 18, 2011, at 2:00 AM, glamorgan-request@rootsweb.com wrote: > I was about to get DNA tested to see where I came from. LOL. I'm going to be doing the same thing. As I understand it, the test alone won't tell you where you're from--like everyone else your DNA is from everywhere. Given all the migrations, shipwrecks, invasions, dalliances and wanderings astray I bet 100% irish probably means the same thing as 100% American. It's like an 'American' automobile: parts from everywhere, not to mention the raw materials and engineering talent that gave it form What the DNA test does is identify common traits or markers which are unique to your particular family line. The idea is to find other people who have undergone DNA testing and whose markers match yours and trace your line that way. In my case there are a number of Wright family lines from southeastern Virginia and I'm trying to associate myself with one of them. Preferably the one who married into the Washington family, of course, but unlikely. You may have some luck sniffing around the web and finding out more about exactly what happens. Most of what I read was so laced with jargon, it went in one ear and out the other. I still don't understand the actual techniques of matching up markers and all the statistical significance, but I think once I have something specific it'll be easier. Christopher Wright P.E. |"They couldn't hit an elephant at chrisw@skypoint.com | this distance" (last words of Gen. .......................................| John Sedgwick, Spotsylvania 1864) http://www.skypoint.com/members/chrisw/
Hi, The male Y-DNA worked for me. When I started my research in 1999 I had 3 bits of information about my 2nd great grandfather. Two were irrelevant. The fact that he was born 15 Mar 1775 in England was documented didn't help. Needed to know where. In 2003 a cousin and myself had our Y-DNA tested in hopes that we would eventually match someone with a paper trail back to England. At the end of 2008 we found a match that linked back to Northamptonshire where we found him in the parish records. The Y-DNA on its own won't tell you where your family came from but if you find a match you may be able to determine the location. Thanks Bruce