How to Find Ancestors With DNA Fingerprinting
The ease of DNA testing in the twenty-first century makes it an increasingly important tool in genealogical research. There are now several companies that specialize in this type of work and link potentially related individuals through impressive databases. To search for relatives and ancestors in this way, it is best to have a solid grasp on your own family history, as it is DNA plus the "paper tree" that can make connections.
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Instructions
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Start with your family tree and identify which family lines it will be possible to trace through your DNA. Y-STR testing is useful for surname research, as the Y-chromosome is passed directly from father to son. Mothers pass mtDNA to all their children. Men, therefore, can be tested for both mtDNA and Y-DNA; women only for mtDNA. A third type of test, autosomal DNA, examines the entire strand of DNA and can be useful for identifying any relative, as cousins inherit similar blocks of DNA.
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Ask siblings, cousins and distant relatives, who may descend more directly from the line you wish to trace, to participate in your project by providing a DNA sample. For example, if you are female and want to trace your paternal line, you can have your brother, if you have one, or any male descendant of your paternal grandfather tested.
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Order a DNA testing kit. A list of companies can be found under Professional Services and DNA Testing on Cyndislist.com. Costs start at about $160 (as of January 2011), and increase, depending upon the amount of sequencing done to your sample.
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Check your results against the company's database. Most family history DNA companies will provide a list that shows who else in their database has the same or similar DNA fingerprints. A contact email for these individuals should be provided.
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Start with the people whose DNA matches are the closest to yours and introduce yourself. State that you found them in the company's database and provide information on how you think you might connect. For example, if you are searching your own mtDNA line, share your maternal ancestry back several generations and briefly state the ancestor puzzle that needs solving.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep in mind that for mtDNA matches, the surname will change every generation. With the exception a non-paternal event, surnames should remain the same for Y-STR matches.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit dna image by Allyson Ricketts from Fotolia.com
