Figure on about 8
weeks from the time you order your kit and you
will be prepared for the wait.
What does my result mean?
When you receive your test results, you will see a table with a string of numbers in the boxes. Each number represents one of the markers on the strand of y-DNA that was tested. Now you want to understand what these numbers mean in comparison to other people's test results.
There are several possible results. Here are a few of them and what they mean:
1. You do
not
match any of the other results in the
project: This means that YOU do not share a
common ancestor with any of the other men tested
so far in the project. If you believe that your
pedigree is completely accurate and
that there have been no "non-paternity" events
in your line, it also means that your ancestral
line does not share a common ancestor with any
of the men tested so far in the project However,
you'll need a confirming result from a second
man to be certain on this point. (If you find
and test a man descended from a different son of
your earliest ancestor, and if the two of you
match - you'll know the DNA of your most recent
common ancestor. You'll also know the DNA of
every ancestor between you and that common
ancestor.)
2. You have 12/12 matches: One or more of
these that have not been upgraded to 25 markers
might be meaningful, but there is no way for you
to determine this.
3. You matched another participant at
12/12, but now one of you has upgraded to 25 or
37 and you no longer match: If a man on your 12
marker matching list who fails to stay
close to you at 25 markers can be discarded as a
random match.
4. You have no close matches at either 25
or 37 markers: That indicates that your result
is unusual at the 25 and 37 marker level and you
can be quite interested in a close match with
any man (whatever the surname) at 25 or 37
markers. These should eventually show up.
5. We encourage you to recruit the most
distant surname relative you can find and
convince him to be tested so that you can
identify and confirm the dna profile of your
surname line.
What are "markers"?
DNA testing for
Genetic Genealogy focuses on a
specific part of the
y-chromosome on the DNA strand. There are particular places that
the lab looks at (similar to addresses on a
street) where patterns repeat over and over. The
lab counts the number of times the pattern
repeats, and that is your count for that marker.
By comparing these counts (the number you see
for each address on your test results), you can
see how closely you match others who have been
tested.
What determines a "match"?
In the simplest case,
analyzing results can be a review of the number
at each marker to
confirm a perfect match (say 25/25). However, in
most cases, there will some matches and some
mismatches. Results are evaluated by counting
the number of exact matches and the number of
mismatches. (If the mismatches are one number
apart, they are considered a “one step”
mutation. If they are two numbers
away, they are considered a “two step” mutation,
etc. Typically, a two step mutation is counted
as two mismatches. In these cases, contact the
testing firm for guidance.)
Most researchers want to know if they are
"related" to another person or family. Here are
some guidelines to help you understand your
results when comparing them to other results:
For those who tested at 12 markers:
-
Matches of less than 9/12 – the two participants do not share a common ancestor*
-
Matches of 9/12 - there is a tiny chance that the participants share a common ancestor. You'll need to test at 37 markers to find a true shared genetic match that starts with such a low match. (The author has not yet seen a 9/12 become an accepted genetic match - but has heard of one case)
-
Matches of 10/12 – there is a small chance that the participants share a common ancestor. Increase to 25 markers and re-evaluate
-
Matches of 11/12 and 12/12 – there is an improved chance that the participants share a common ancestor. Increase to 25 markers and re-evaluate
-
CAUTION: a 12/12 match - even with the same surname - can be a random match. If a solid paper trail connects the 12/12 match, you can be reasonably certain of shared ancestry, but without the connecting paper trail - you can only be sure by upgrading to at least 25 markers
For those who tested at 25 markers:
-
Matches of less than 21/25 – the two participants do not share a common ancestor*
-
Matches of 21/25 & 22/25 – there is a small chance that the participants share a common ancestor. Consider all of the traditional genealogy insights and try to obtain more participants to represent the affected families. Upgrade to 37 markers
-
Matches of 23/25, 24/25 & 25/25 – there is a high probability that participants who share a surname share a common ancestor. If there is no shared paper trail, a comparison at 37 or 67 markers can be useful
-
You may also refer to the chart prepared by Family Tree DNA: Click Here
For those who tested at 37 markers:
-
Matches of less than 31/37 – the two participants do not share a common ancestor*
-
Matches of 31/37 and 32/37 - the two participants have a small possibility that may share a common ancestor from the early days of surnames. This is an area with little clear insight. An upgrade to 67 markers is encouraged
-
Matches of 33/37 - some researchers consider this to be a match and some don't. If there is a shared common ancestor - it will be more than a few 100s of years ago. Upgrade to 67 markers for additional clarity
-
Matches of 34/37, 35/37, 36/37 & 37/37 - the participants share a recent common ancestor
-
You may also refer to the chart prepared by Family Tree DNA: Click Here
For those who tested at 67 markers:
-
Matches of less than 60/67 – the two participants probably do not share a common ancestor*. This is still being studied - but unless your match is nearly 60/67 and you have some reason to believe there is a shared ancestor since the advent of surnames - you should consider your near miss as "no match"
-
Matches of 60/67 and 61/67 - the two participants may share a common ancestor from the early days of surnames. This is still being studied
-
Matches of 62/67 and better - researchers consider these to be a match - indicating a shared common ancestor
-
You may also refer to the chart prepared by Family Tree DNA: Click Here
*We mean a common direct paternal ancestor within the historical period of surnames."
How do I compare my results to other people?
Once your results
are available, you'll be able to go into your
personal page at
FTDNA and do a search for yDNA
matches. You'll always see all of the other
results in your surname - and at that time,
you'll be able to select a preference that
allows you to compare against all others of all
surnames who opt in to the FTDNA internal
comparison. (When your results are back, we'll
post them on your surname project’s Results
page.)
You'll also be able to upload your results to
Ysearch (FTDNA's public database - open to all)
and see who you match there.
FTDNA will send you automated messages when you
have a match (either with only your
surname project members or to their
internal "opted-in" database) - depending on
your selection.
In addition, you can compare your mtDNA results at Mitosearch.
How do I upload my results to Y-Search from FTDNA?
Go into
your personal page at FTDNA and click on “Y-DNA
matches”, then look in the middle of the page -
at the bottom of the box called "Additional
possibilities for searching matches". There is a
link to "Click here to upload to Ysearch.org"
What is
Y-Search?
Y-Search is the
largest worldwide public Y-DNA database with the
most extensive number of markers. It
allows people who have tested with the different
companies to make their results available for
comparison. Click
here to go
to Y-Search.
What is a "lineage"?
Results included in a "Lineage" share a recent common ancestor since the advent of surnames (circa 1100 AD)
o On the Surname Project Results Page, Lineages are grouped and share a color.
o The
result in the Lineage row shows the projected
markers for the Lineage's common ancestor
(Lineage
Haplotype)
o Each man should match the Lineage result at least 23/25 to be considered a satisfactory match
o Each place where a man does not match the Lineage haplotype is shown in a contrasting color
o Where the ancestral marker cannot be projected, a question mark is shown instead
o When 12 marker
results are shown in a Lineage group - this is
preliminary. An upgrade to at least 25 markers
is needed to confirm that this 12 marker result
actually shares the Lineage common ancestor.
o Results shown in a general grouping do not share a common ancestor if they are shown in a different color.
o A 12 marker
match may be shown in the same color, but will
not be declared as a Lineage until two results
are
matching at least 23/25.
What is the Earliest Known Ancestor (EKA)?
As the name
suggests, this is the person who is the farthest
back of your family tree that you have been able
to trace through a paper trail. When your
results are returned at Family Tree DNA, you
will be given your own personal page. There will
be an orange tab on that page that is marked
"Setup Preferences". Click on that and you will
go to the page that lets you select your
preferences in how you want your matches set and
displayed. Scroll to the bottom of the page for
the section marked "Displaying the
Most Distant Known Ancestor" . There you can fill in your earliest
known ancestors. When we know the
EKA
of a participant, we use that name in displaying
test results on the "Results" page.
What is
a
line leader?
A
Line Leader is responsible for all of
the research and information on his family.
Ideally, this is all of the descendants of an
immigrant, but reality will tell you what the
family span actually is. As you and others start
matching (and not), you will break into genetic
groups working together to understand the full
story of your family. Hopefully, this will
extend to families whose paper trails connect
into the Home Country, which will give you a
fresh research focus. You'll be the lead in
deciding how to include newly found cousins and
will work to resolve the inevitable conflicts
that rise. The better you are in making everyone
feel valued and included, and in sharing the
work, the stronger your research group will be.
As a convention, we show the Line Leader on the row with the Earliest Known Ancestor and Branch Leader at the row where their responsibility begins, while DNA tests are shown attached to the last generation of the family display in the pedigree.
Probably,
there will be Branch Leaders, focusing on
distinct branches. If your family is like mine,
you'll have a large collection of families with
the same DNA who don't know how they are
connected. In this situation – someone will need
to become Lineage Leader. In larger families, we
group pedigrees on the Patriarch page by
Lineage.
Can I correlate my
mtDNA results to others in my
maternal line?
There really isn't a
way to correlate mtDNA to a line, as every woman
who marries into a surname family carries a
different mtDNA. You will learn your
haplogroup, which tell you which 'branch of woman' you
descend from on your mother's side. In addition,
you will be told of the mutations that are
present. These allow you to locate those with
whom you share a maternal heritage. However,
this is too far in the past to be able to link
paper trails. A number of folks have started
mtDNA projects to increase the learning, and
there is a lot of hope for the potential.
Worldfamilies.net site with
more information about mtDNA
FamilyTreeDNA site with more
information about mtDNA
Can I remove my test results
from the database at some later time?
Yes. Just like an
email list, if you decide that you want your
data deleted from the database, you may email
FTDNA, they will look up your ID number, and ask
that it be deleted from the Database.
What is a haplogroup?
A group of
similar haplotypes that share a common ancestor
with a
SNP mutation. Because a
haplogroup consists of similar haplotypes, this
is what makes it possible to predict a
haplogroup. A
SNP test confirms a haplogroup.
Haplogroups are assigned letters of the
alphabet, and refinements consist of additional
number and letter combinations, Example:
R1b1. Y-chromosome and
mitochondrial DNA haplogroups have
different haplogroup designations. Haplogroups
pertain to your deep ancestral origins dating
back thousands of years.
For a description of the migration patterns and
ethnic origins of each group, take a look at
Charles Kerchner's webpage:
http://www.kerchner.com/haplogroups-ydna.htm
Haplogroups (Haplo)
is a grouping by deep ancestry (think 1000s and
10,000s of years). Men with the same Haplogroup
do share a common ancestor - but he lived a long
time ago. Haplogroup matches give you an idea of
where men with your dna result report as their
origins.
Haplogroups are distinct separations. I is
totally different than R. An R1b is very
different that an R1a, but an R1b, R1b1 and
R1b1c are just different levels of reporting
detail and do go together. I and either I1a or
I1b can go together but I1a and I1b cannot.
Why are
haplogroups shown in different colors on the
results page?
If the participant was SNP tested, his
haplogroup will show in green. If he has not
been SNP tested, FTDNA may have made an estimate
of his haplogroup based on his 12/12 match to
someone who has been SNP tested. In this case,
the haplogroup will show in red, indicating that
it is an estimate.
Will my results be automatically compared to other surnames?
Once your kit is
returned, you have access to your personal page
at FTDNA, giving you access to some info.
However, you do not have access to most parts of
the FTDNA structure until your results are in.
Joining additional projects and comparisons
outside the project are not automatic.
Once your results are returned, you have much
more access and options. You will be able to
adjust your preferences, determining whether you
compare to results outside of the project. You
can also list your earliest known paternal
ancestor (relates to your yDNA test) and your
earliest known maternal ancestor (relates to
your mtDNA test - if you have one) At this time,
you may join additional projects, such as a
second surname project, a geographic project, a
y-haplogroup project, and if applicable - a
mtDNA haplogroup project. (these are all in
addition to your original surname project). You
can also upload your results to Ysearch and
upload a
gedcom.
How do I present my results on the internet?
Each testing company has a password-protected page for presenting the results of the Surname Project. Family Tree DNA has a free-access page for their projects. For some surname projects, this is sufficient. It is certainly an easy way to start. Many Surname Projects present their results on a dedicated site or on free pages that they arrange. Surname projects at World Families Network have a Results page as part of the project's 6-page website. The results are shown there, identified by a code identity number and the earliest known ancestor (if known), with results that match grouped by color, and eventually separated into lineages.
