Rebecca 23andMe only test SNPs - single nucleotide polymorphisms. The Y-DNA test at Family Tree DNA tests STRs - short tandem repeats - repeating sequences of DNA. STRs are different types of markers and can't be compared with the SNPs tested by 23andMe. You will only get a Y-DNA haplogroup designation from a 23andMe test. You won't have any STRs to compare with people who have tested with Family Tree DNA or any of the other testing companies. FTDNA test SNPs in their deep clade tests. Is your husband British? Another important consideration is the geographical distribution of the database. About 95% of the 23andMe testees are American which is not of much help if you are British because there is generally no hope of finding a paper trail connection with a fifth cousin of colonial American ancestry who doesn't know where in the UK their line originates. FTDNA have a much more international database because of their links with the Genographic Project and their participation in Who do you think you are? Live at Olympia in London, but it will take quite a few years for their database to grow in size to get any meaningful matches unless you're very lucky. Your best option at this stage is to get the father to take a 67-marker Y-DNA test. This page in the ISOGG Wiki might be of interest: http://www.isogg.org/wiki/Family_Finder_versus_Relative_Finder Debbie Kennett

Thanks, Debbie. That article is an excellent resource. The news that FTDNA plans to allow 23andMe results to be uploaded for a small fee has clinched my decision. I am not sorry I tested at 23andMe. The medical information is fascinating, and I have no complaints about their customer service. And I have found many matches in their large database, some quite important to my research. Still, to compare family members I need to have all their data in the same database, and this is the way to get that. Rebecca -----Original Message----- From: Debbie Kennett <debbiekennett@aol.com> To: y-dna-projects@rootsweb.com Sent: Tue, Oct 26, 2010 12:47 am Subject: Re: [Y-DNA-projects] Choosing a testing company Rebecca 23andMe only test SNPs - single nucleotide polymorphisms. The Y-DNA test at Family Tree DNA tests STRs - short tandem repeats - repeating sequences of DNA. STRs are different types of markers and can't be compared with the SNPs tested by 23andMe. You will only get a Y-DNA haplogroup designation from a 23andMe test. You won't have any STRs to compare with people who have tested with Family Tree DNA or any of the other testing companies. FTDNA test SNPs in their deep clade tests. Is your husband British? Another important consideration is the geographical distribution of the database. About 95% of the 23andMe testees are American which is not of much help if you are British because there is generally no hope of finding a paper trail connection with a fifth cousin of colonial American ancestry who doesn't know where in the UK their line originates. FTDNA have a much more international database because of their links with the Genographic Project and their participation in Who do you think you are? Live at Olympia in London, but it will take quite a few years for their database to grow in size to get any meaningful matches unless you're very lucky. Your best option at this stage is to get the father to take a 67-marker Y-DNA test. This page in the ISOGG Wiki might be of interest: http://www.isogg.org/wiki/Family_Finder_versus_Relative_Finder Debbie Kennett ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to Y-DNA-PROJECTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

One minor point... You *will* get a haplogroup determination when Y-DNA STR tested at FTDNA. If your haplogroup cannot be deduced from your haplotype with 100% confidence, they will run a free backbone SNP test: http://www.familytreedna.com/faq/answers/default.aspx?faqid=8#515 Diana > -----Original Message----- > From: y-dna-projects-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:y-dna-projects- > bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Debbie Kennett > Sent: Monday, October 25, 2010 7:47 PM > To: y-dna-projects@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [Y-DNA-projects] Choosing a testing company > > Rebecca > > 23andMe only test SNPs - single nucleotide polymorphisms. The Y-DNA test at Family > Tree DNA tests STRs - short tandem repeats - repeating sequences of DNA. STRs are > different types of markers and can't be compared with the SNPs tested by 23andMe. > You will only get a Y-DNA haplogroup designation from a 23andMe test. <snip>