Julie, You wrote: > So - if my great grandmother was a Douglass - on my mother's side - if either she or I got tested it would only show Europe, not which clan, etc? I would have to find one of my great grandmother's brothers in order to get that information - correct??> There is a very big misunderstanding here that really must be corrected before you spend any money for DNA testing. DNA is a tool, just like census reports or birth and death records. Nothing more. In fact, census reports, birth/death records will generally tell you more than DNA testing in terms of specific information. If you have two women who had the same maiden name and who lived in the same area at the same time and you are wondering if they are sisters or cousins (whatever) then mtDNA testing could confirm or deny any relationship between the two of them. If you have two men who have the same surname, who lived in the same area at the same time and you are wondering if they are related then Y-DNA testing could confirm or deny a relationship between them. Y-DNA and mtDNA testing will not tell you what country a person was from (it will only suggest) and it will not tell you which clan. Clans were political/family units to which a person might belong for protection purposes or because the surname was the same. DNA testing will not tell you the name/age/etc of your specific ancestor. Generally, people use DNA testing to either confirm a traditional genealogy or to give them direction in which to keep searching. Please don't spend money for DNA testing until you have better determined exactly what you want to know. If that information can be discovered through DNA testing, then go ahead but if not -- you will be sorely disappointed. I know the ListMom for this list and I am sure she would be able to help direct you if you wish to write to her directly (margaret.teat2@verizon.net). Sharon Bryant Admin for Clendenin and Molyneaux DNA projects

thanks - that's kind of what I thought - though I didn't know about the mtDNA being able to do that - and I've gone back to 1600s in CT with my Douglases - and might be able to go back one more in Boston, but other than that it's in the 1500s in Scotland and England - ergo the DNA option. My other major line came as an indentured servant in 1672 to Virginia and we have no idea where he was from... :) thanks for your time julie --------------------------------- Building a website is a piece of cake. Yahoo! Small Business gives you all the tools to get online.

Julie, mtDNA won't tell if two different women are sisters or cousins, but it might rule out the possibility. It might indicate two different women have a common ancestor - a hundred generations ago! The are millions of people in America with the same mtDNA. Bob -----Original Message----- From: varoots-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:varoots-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Julie Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2007 10:57 AM To: varoots@rootsweb.com Subject: [VAROOTS] DNA for Julie thanks - that's kind of what I thought - though I didn't know about the mtDNA being able to do that - and I've gone back to 1600s in CT with my Douglases - and might be able to go back one more in Boston, but other than that it's in the 1500s in Scotland and England - ergo the DNA option. My other major line came as an indentured servant in 1672 to Virginia and we have no idea where he was from... :) thanks for your time julie