Suzie The tests appropriate (right now) are the mtDNA (mitochondrial dna) test, which is like the yDNA test for males. It follows the sex-line backwards in time. So, it is helpful in following your maternal line back. The fact that Americans rarely include the mother's name in naming patterns, makes this difficult, but sometimes when you get back to an unnamed female, you may find others who match that will give that female a name. These two tests work because in both cases, they deal with dna that is passed "whole" and not mixed with the other parent. Both men and women have the same mtDNA, only men have the yDNA. If you have a male cousin/uncle from your "surname line" of interest, you might want to see if that person is willing. I've paid for three kits for men to do males lines of mine. In one case, with only ONE hit, we (the other testor) were able to connect a line in Virginia back to the 1600s. Thanks to some really good records work that had been done, I was able to see where my "guy" fit in to their "guy." The other test that people speak of is the autosomal DNA test (FamilyFinder on FamilyTreeDNA). This test uses other parts of the chromosome makeup that are mixed and matched when conception takes place...half from Mom, half from Dad. IF enough people who are related do the test, the lab is able to isolate common elements and give a good clue about relationship. This is being upgraded all the time. IF you choose to do this (I'd do both, if I were you), you want your 3 sons, 1 daughter, and every living relative you have to take the test. Go for the oldest living relative you can find. I know that the ads make this seem sooooo very easy, but from personal experience I can tell you that not everyone goes from liederhosen to kilts after these tests. They only work as "hints" for finding records (yes, work), and if a "small" family, or one uninterested, there won't be many hits. The other problem is what is called "endogamy" where the number of close cousin marriages imply much closer connection than exists. Yes, the biological connection is close, the "family" connection, maybe not. I manage one kit from an Ashkinazi Jew relative, whose ancestors in the US go back before 1850, who shows "immediate" family members from Eastern Europe. And, I get probably six hits a week, and letters from folks asking "how are we related." So, my advice? Find a way to learn about this while you are awaiting the processing of the kit. A recommendation is a blog by Roberta Estes at https://dna-explained.com/. Hope this helps. Pat Dunford | -----Original Message----- | From: roots-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:roots-bounces@rootsweb.com] | On Behalf Of Suzie Ditmars via | Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2016 1:02 PM | To: ROOTS@rootsweb.com | Subject: [ROOTS-L] DNA | | Considering a DNA test and would like suggestions for the BEST. | I am female with no siblings- need the test for women. | Also have 3 sons and 1 daughter. What would the best be for them? | Suzie Ditmars | ===== | If you would prefer digest mode to mail mode, drop a note to roots- | admin@rootsweb.com and ask for the digest... | | ------------------------------- | To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ROOTS- | request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the | subject and the body of the message

I've had the full sequence mtDNA test done at FTDNA and while it is "interesting" in learning about the ancient origin of your straight maternal line (mother's mother's mother's side on back---very bottom line of your pedigree) it is NOT at all helpful in finding cousins, connecting to recent generations, or adding to your tree. Only autosomal DNA testing can do that. Joan Young jyoung6180@aol.com -----Original Message----- From: Kith-n-Kin via <roots@rootsweb.com> To: 'Suzie Ditmars' <suziejazzaroo@gmail.com> Cc: roots <roots@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thu, Jul 28, 2016 7:28 pm Subject: Re: [ROOTS-L] DNA Suzie The tests appropriate (right now) are the mtDNA (mitochondrial dna) test, which is like the yDNA test for males. It follows the sex-line backwards in time. So, it is helpful in following your maternal line back. The fact that Americans rarely include the mother's name in naming patterns, makes this difficult, but sometimes when you get back to an unnamed female, you may find others who match that will give that female a name. These two tests work because in both cases, they deal with dna that is passed "whole" and not mixed with the other parent. Both men and women have the same mtDNA, only men have the yDNA. If you have a male cousin/uncle from your "surname line" of interest, you might want to see if that person is willing. I've paid for three kits for men to do males lines of mine. In one case, with only ONE hit, we (the other testor) were able to connect a line in Virginia back to the 1600s. Thanks to some really good records work that had been done, I was able to see where my "guy" fit in to their "guy." The other test that people speak of is the autosomal DNA test (FamilyFinder on FamilyTreeDNA). This test uses other parts of the chromosome makeup that are mixed and matched when conception takes place...half from Mom, half from Dad. IF enough people who are related do the test, the lab is able to isolate common elements and give a good clue about relationship. This is being upgraded all the time. IF you choose to do this (I'd do both, if I were you), you want your 3 sons, 1 daughter, and every living relative you have to take the test. Go for the oldest living relative you can find. I know that the ads make this seem sooooo very easy, but from personal experience I can tell you that not everyone goes from liederhosen to kilts after these tests. They only work as "hints" for finding records (yes, work), and if a "small" family, or one uninterested, there won't be many hits. The other problem is what is called "endogamy" where the number of close cousin marriages imply much closer connection than exists. Yes, the biological connection is close, the "family" connection, maybe not. I manage one kit from an Ashkinazi Jew relative, whose ancestors in the US go back before 1850, who shows "immediate" family members from Eastern Europe. And, I get probably six hits a week, and letters from folks asking "how are we related." So, my advice? Find a way to learn about this while you are awaiting the processing of the kit. A recommendation is a blog by Roberta Estes at https://dna-explained.com/. Hope this helps. Pat Dunford | -----Original Message----- | From: roots-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:roots-bounces@rootsweb.com] | On Behalf Of Suzie Ditmars via | Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2016 1:02 PM | To: ROOTS@rootsweb.com | Subject: [ROOTS-L] DNA | | Considering a DNA test and would like suggestions for the BEST. | I am female with no siblings- need the test for women. | Also have 3 sons and 1 daughter. What would the best be for them? | Suzie Ditmars | ===== | If you would prefer digest mode to mail mode, drop a note to roots- | admin@rootsweb.com and ask for the digest... | | ------------------------------- | To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ROOTS- | request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the | subject and the body of the message ===== If you would prefer digest mode to mail mode, drop a note to roots-admin@rootsweb.com and ask for the digest... ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message