My daughter has studied genetics for many years. She researched the sites and said this one seems to give the most for the money. http://www.familytreedna.com/ There are two basic test. 1. Mitochondria (mtDNA) is only done through the female line. Female's Mother's mother's mother's mother's mother's mother (back hundreds of years) Male's Mother's mother's mother's mother's mother's mother (back hundreds of years) A child can not test his or her father's mother's line. 2. Y-DNA: By testing the Y-DNA, males can determine the origin of their paternal line. Note that the Y-DNA strictly checks the paternal line, with no influence of any females along that line. Male's father's father's father's father's father's father (back hundreds of years) Women can not take this test. Both test can show if you have Indians or blacks in your line. The next choice is how many markers to buy, 12, 25 or 37. The more the better. So far there are 11 Kilgore males that have taken the test and are registered on the site. Anyway, go to the site. There is a tutorial. _________________________________________________________ OK now that we have covered the basics I have to cover one other point. Accuracy The test are accurate. They tell you what your genetic connection, however that isn't necessarily the line you think it is. People fooled around in the old days just as much as they do today. They also took kids in with no formal adoption. Women were raped. Etc. Anthropological research has shown that world wide, young wives tend to cheat on old husbands and women cheat more when they are most fertile. I have a cousin that did not find out she was adopted until she was about 55. She would have never known except another cousin told her. Her parents died without telling her. When they first started the Y test, they wanted subjects that absolutely KNEW who their fathers were. For example, the man looked just like his father. His mother was a saint. His parents were married for years before he was born. Of those men who KNEW who there father was... 1 out of 7 were wrong. Those are mighty high odds. When I reminded someone of this in another group, one man told me that my family may be full of sluts, but his wasn't! He was serious and really nasty about it. My guess is that based on his reaction, he has always questioned his genetic relationship to his father. Whatever, he didn't need to be so nasty. I certainly didn't say he was illegitimate. I just think people need to realize that they may discover more than they want to know. Let me give you an example of how this can work. 2 descendants of Henry Walker born 1820 both take the Y test. The test shows they are closely related and have the same ancestor. Does that mean that they are both out of Henry? Maybe. It could be that there was a smooth talking, really handsome stud, named Frank, living near Henry. Henry had no idea that Frank fathered all but one of Henry's children and half the other children in the same town. Another of Henry's descendants takes the test and he doesn't match the the other two. They say he isn't related to Henry. The fact is that he could be the only one related to Henry. Since we can't test Henry directly, we have to go with the odds. The more people that take the test the more accurate the group results. Clear as mud? * *