Finding Our Way through the DNA Maze

By TCGS Member, Connie Estep

Genetic genealogy uses DNA testing along with traditional genealogy, but it cannot replace

traditional methods. It can add an incredibly useful dimension to traditional genealogy. Margie Beldin and Marianne Orton titled their April meeting program “A Taste of Genealogy.” Their “taste” led us through more science than many of us have seen in years!

The reason for so much science is that there are three kinds of genealogy tests available. To find what we are looking for we need to know what each test can and cannot do. There are also limits to what the tests can find. The more we know about the science behind DNA, the better we can tailor it to our research needs. DNA testing is just one more tool in our genealogy research toolbox.

There is much more to absorb about DNA than can be done in an evening program but Margie and Marianne provided a handout to help that process. It includes sources for written and video formats. If you missed the meeting you will find the handout on the TCGS website (click here to go to the “Meetings and Events” page).

Ethnicity testing is available from all three tests. Autosomal DNA (atDNA) not only suggests your ethnicity but could possibly also find relatives within five generations (for relatives that are also in the database). This test is for both the mother’s and the father’s lines.

Testing of mothers’ lines is done from mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Unlike the autosomal, it doesn’t stop at five generations but goes all the way back to deep ancestry. It is the same for fathers’ lines, done from Y chromosome testing (Y-DNA, or guY-DNA).

Something to remember is that we only get half our DNA from each parent. If it is still possible to have your parents tested that is of prime importance. If that is not an option find a sibling or cousin to test or your mother's sisters or your father's brothers. The more people tested in your family the better the results will be because DNA must be compared with others’ DNA to find the links in our ancestry. Testing of the maternal and paternal lines requires direct descendants. If you are female, you would need yourself for your mother’s line and your brother for your father’s. If no siblings are available then aunts, uncles, cousins are another option. Grandchildren would also work but there would be even less of your parents' DNA.

Testing is available from Ancestry, Family Tree DNA, and 23andMe. See the handout (click here to go to the “Meetings and Events” page) for links to their websites. The meeting was well attended with 61 people.