- How do I order a certificate of the results? faq id: 299
The first certificate is FREE. Please do not place a certificate order unless you want an additional copy. You may place the certificate order by logging in to your personal page and selecting the "Order Certificate" link in the left side column. Each additional certificate is $10. Only credit card payment is accepted for certificate orders.
- What type of ancestry do I have? faq id: 405
The Y-DNA test traces your father’s father’s father’s direct paternal line without any influence from spouses along that line (see http://www.familytreedna.com/tc.html). The test determines the single ancestral origin, such as Native American, African, Asian, or European. To learn about the origin of your Y-DNA, look at the haplogroup listed in the Y-DNA Haplogroup section. For the paternal line,Haplogroups C3 and Q3 are found in individuals of Native American origin. Haplogroups A, B, and E are found in individuals of African origin. A number of other haplogroups are found in people of Asian and European origins. You can read a description of where your haplogroup is from by going to the Frequency Map at the Haplotree section of your personal page.
- How do I tell if I have Jewish ancestry? faq id: 406
Judaism is a religion and not an attribute that can be defined by a DNA mutation, but we can give you hints about having Jewish ancestry by comparing your results against our database. There are 4 situations we can run into when testing for Jewish ancestry:
• You match only people who are also Jewish on their direct paternal line -- in other words the signature, or "motif," only matches with people who have known Jewish ancestry. The answer in this case is clear.
• Your motif matches both Jewish and non Jewish lineages—the answer is not clear and we cannot guess whether or not your personal lineage is Jewish.
• You match no one of known Jewish origins—the answer is also clear: you are unlikely to have Jewish origins on this lineage.
• You have no matches in our system at all which means that we have never seen your specific results. We will know more about your ancestry when you start matching others.
Look in the Ancestral Origins section to see whether or not the people you match have listed Jewish ancestry. Those in our Jewish database have a listing in the "Comments" column denoting Jewish ancestry.
- What does the Cohen Match badge on my personal page mean? faq id: 407
This indicates that your results match the results associated with Cohanim ancestry, called the Cohanim Modal Haplotype. You can read more about these results and how this haplotype was discovered by clicking on the badge. If you have an oral tradition of being Cohanim, then you most likely are genetically a Cohen. If you have no oral tradition of Cohanim ancestry, but your ancestors were Jewish, then you certainly appear to come from the same genetic pool, and while not being directly descended from the line of Aaron, you could have descended from one of his numerous male relatives. If you do not have any history of Jewish ancestry, your deepest ancestor was most likely part of the Neolithic farming expansion that began about 9,500 years ago from the Fertile Crescent. We believe that our 25 marker test provides enough information to separate the Neolithic farmers from more recent migrations of Jews out of the Middle East which happened in the last 2,000 years. If you match the Cohanim genetic signature you will find the badge below your name and kit number when you first access your results.
- How can I tell if my line is Cohanim? faq id: 408
The first thing to look for is a badge with two hands and the words “Cohen Match” on it in the upper left hand corner when you log on to your personal page. This indicates that you match the set of results associated with Cohanim ancestry, known as the Cohanim Modal Haplotype. If you do not see this, your line is most likely not genetically Cohanim in origin. However, this does not mean that your line is not of Jewish ancestry.
- What does the Niall of the Nine Hostages badge on my personal page mean? faq id: 409
This indicates that your line matches the results associated with the lineage of Niall of the Nine Hostages, a famous Irish warlord. You can read more about these results and how this haplotype was discovered by clicking on the badge. If you match the Niall haplotype you will find the badge below your name and kit number when you first access your results.
- What does the WAMH badge on my personal page mean? faq id: 410
This indicates that your line matches the results associated with the Western Atlantic Modal Haplotype. The WAMH is a group of the most common results found in the most common European haplogroup, R1b. You can read more about these results and what it means to be WAMH by clicking on the badge. If you match the WAMH signature you will find the badge below your name and kit number when you first access your results.
- What does the Genghis Khan badge on my personal page mean? faq id: 411
This indicates that your line matches the results associated with the lineage of Genghis Khan, the famous Mongolian ruler. You can read more about these results by clicking on the badge. If you match Genghis Khan’s signature you will find the badge below your name and kit number when you first access your results.
- Where did my ancestors come from? faq id: 412
There are two places to look for the answer to this question. The first is your haplogroup, which is identified and described for you in your Y-DNA Haplogroup section. The second place to look is in our Ancestral Origins database. In this section we list the countries of origin reported to us by others who have the same or similar results as you. This list does not represent places where your ancestors have been so much as places where your DNA signature can be found today. It can provide a guide to the possibilities of where your ancestors come from. If you have few matches, this list will not be statistically representative, and you will need to wait until more people are added to the database (several thousands are added every month).
- Why do I have matches with different surnames? faq id: 413
There are two reasons you may have a match with someone with a different surname. It may be that you are distantly connected, from a time before surnames were in common use. You may see a large quantity of different surname is the 12-marker matches section. Or, it may be that there was a surname change on one of the lines. This can happen for many reasons such as an adoption or false paternity event, or the surname itself may have been changed, just to name a few possibilities. In this case, you may see those matches in the 25, 37 or 67 marker matches. For those matches at a higher number of markers, contacting your matches is a great way to learn more.
- What does it mean if I match someone with the same surname as me? faq id: 414
This means you might have a relevant match. Because the Y-chromosome is passed down from father to son just like last names, the Y-DNA test often follows a surname. If you share a common last name with your match you might share a common ancestor as well. The best way to find out is to contact your match.
- What should I do with my matches? faq id: 415
Your matches - especially the matches at 25, 37 or 67 markers - are important links to possible clues about your own family tree, so it is a good idea to contact them and respond to their inquiries. You can view the names and email addresses of your matches on the Y-DNA Matches section. You will receive an email notification from Family Tree DNA every time you receive a new match.
- Why do I match someone with a surname from my mother’s side? faq id: 416
This is a coincidence. The Y-DNA looks only at your direct paternal line (www.familytreedna.com/tc.html). No ancestry from your mother’s side or anyone outside of your direct paternal line is reflected by the Y-DNA test.
- What is a one-step mutation, two-step mutation, etc? faq id: 417
Each step is one mutation, or difference, and is one step further from an exact match. For example, if someone matches you on 11 of 12 markers tested, this person is a one-step mutation from you and probably still shared a common ancestor with you, but in a more distant time-frame than an exact 12 of 12 marker match. A two-step mutation would be a 10 of 12 marker match and would be even more distant. A two-step mutation might also mean that one marker has mutated twice. You can learn more about what these matches mean by checking the FTDNATiP report on your Y-DNA Matches section or by checking here: http://www.familytreedna.com/reading-and-comparing-test-results.aspx.
- What is genetic distance? faq id: 418
Genetic distance is the number of differences, or mutations, between two sets of results. For example, if two men test DYS # 393 and one of them scores a 12 and the other is a 13, but their results are otherwise identical, there is a genetic distance of one and they are a one-step mutation match. However, if the first man scores an 11 and the second scores a 13, then there are two mutations on the same marker, so the genetic distance is two.
- What do my matches mean? faq id: 419
A match or near-match with another person in our database, especially in the 25, 37 and 67 markers level, means that you and that person most likely shared a common ancestor within a genealogical time-frame. You can use the FTDNATiP report to learn how you might be connected or check here for more information: http://www.familytreedna.com/reading-and-comparing-test-results.aspx
- Why do I have so many matches? faq id: 420
If you have a large number of matches you may have a more common Y-DNA signature in our database. This can mean that your lineage has survived and reproduced well, and as a result, many people share the same signature. As our database continues to grow you may continue to receive additional matches.
You might choose to test additional markers to refine your list of matches to those that are more relevant, meaning those with whom you share a common ancestor in a more recent time.
- Why don’t I have any matches? faq id: 421
If you do not have any matches, you may be the first person with your particular Y-DNA sequence in our database. This can mean that your result is relatively rare and that, as a result, few people have it. It can also mean that no one else from your particular lineage has happened to test yet. In both cases, the good news is that our database is constantly growing. As the database grows, you will continue to be compared against new results and will be notified of new matches by email.
You can also upload your results to Ysearch. Ysearch is a public database that allows individuals who have tested with different companies to compare results. This provides additional possibilities for finding matches. To upload your results to Ysearch, go to the Y-DNA Matches section and click the link labeled "Click here to upload to ysearch.org."
- How do I tell how closely I am related to a match? faq id: 422
You can use FTDNATiP, Family Tree DNA’s Time Predictor, to help you determine how closely you are related to a match. Look to the right of your match’s email address on the Y-DNA Matches section and you will see a dark blue button with an orange pedigree line running through it. Click on this to determine how likely you and a match are to share a common ancestor. You can learn more about the FTDNATiP here: http://www.familytreedna.com/faq-tip.aspx
- Should I email my match? faq id: 423
Especially in the case of high resolution matches (Y-DNA25, 37 or 37, and mtDNAPlus) if you think that there is a possibility that you can pinpoint your common ancestor between you and one of your matches, or even if you just want to try to find a common ancestor, by all means, contact them. Don’t be shy about emailing your matches. They provide their email addresses because they want to be contacted!
- What do I do if one of my matches emails me? faq id: 424
In order to maximize the amount of information you can access, it is important to be in touch with the people in your list of matches. If you are contacted by a match, you may want to email them back, try to determine if you can pinpoint a common ancestor, and perhaps share genealogical information with them. Even if to tell that there is no possibility for the two of you being related, as a matter of courtesy you may consider e-mailing back.
- Why isn’t my name in my matches list? faq id: 425
Your name is not listed because you are not being compared against yourself. Only the names of others will be listed in your matches.
- What is FTDNATiP? faq id: 426
Family Tree DNA’s Time Predictor is a program used to calculate estimates of Time to the Most Recent Common Ancestor (TMRCA). It is the world's first calculator that incorporates mutation rates specific to each marker. This greatly increases the power and precision of estimates. You can learn more about FTDNATiP by clicking on the 'TiP' link from your Y-DNA matching page.
- Why are there more matches in the Recent Ancestral Origins section than in the Y-DNA Matches section? faq id: 427
The Recent Ancestral Origins section compares you against the entire database and lists what others with similar results to you have entered for their country of origin. This includes research participants who are not FTDNA customers and are not listed on the Y-DNA Matches section. You may also have some matches that have not signed the release form or chosen not to compare against the entire database or on that number of markers. They will also not be listed on your Y-DNA Matches page. As a result, it is possible to have a different number of entries on the Recent Ancestral Origins section and the Y-DNA Matches section.
- Why do some of my matches show “United States”? faq id: 428
The Recent Ancestral Origins section lists the country of origin reported to us by the people that you match. This country of origin is meant to be the country your paternal ancestors (http://www.familytreedna.com/tc.html) came from before any migrations to the Americas. However, some individuals instead enter the country of birth for themselves or a more recent ancestor. You should treat these entries as "Unknown Origin" unless your Y-DNA test result indicates Native American ancestry on your paternal line.
- Why are so many different countries listed? faq id: 429
Similar DNA results tend to be found in a range of countries in the same geographic area. Some results are common enough that they have spread out throughout a very large region or a continent over the millennia. If, for example, you match people from countries located throughout Europe, you happen to have a DNA result which is found in all of these places. The best way to narrow down the list is to test more markers until th results yield only a small range of countries. This can help determine which matches are most relevant to you.
- Why isn’t my ancestor’s country of origin listed? faq id: 430
The Recent Ancestral Origins section is a comparison of your results against others in the database. It lets you see what others with similar results to you entered for their country of origin. If you entered a country of origin it will be listed on the pages of the individuals with similar results to you.
- What does the “Count” mean? faq id: 431
The “Count” column represents the number of people of this description in our database whom you match. For example, if under the "Country" column it says England and under the "Count" column says 16, this means that there are 16 people who have tested with us who match your result and have reported England as their paternal country of origin. Higher counts may mean a higher chance that your ancestors come from that region, but keep in mind that more people with ancestry from some countries may have tested than from others. Therefore it's important to see the number behind the country name that lists how many people from each country have reported to us where they are from. You will also see a % on the far right of this page, which tells you how common your DNA signature is from each of the countries that you have matches.
- What does the number in parentheses mean on my Recent Ancestral Origins Page? faq id: 432
This column represents the total number of people in our database that have entered this country as tier country of origin. For example, if under this column it says (180), it means that there are 180 people in the database who have tested with us and entered this country as their paternal country of origin. You may see that some countries have many more entries than others.
- What does “Comments” mean on my Recent Ancestral Origins page? faq id: 433
The “Comments” column on your Recent Ancestral Origins Page provides a space for additional ancestral information. For example, one may denote tribal origin, region within a country, or Jewish origin in this field. This can help give you additional information about your matches when available. Family Tree DNA does not show you what you are not, rather we use this column to tell you what your likely origin is, therefore if you are wondering if you are Native American on the lineage tested but the comments and countries indicate Europe as your matches country of origin then you are not Native American on this direct lineage.
- What is my haplogroup? faq id: 434
You can find your haplogroup assignment in the Haplotree section of your Family Tree DNA personal page. Most of the time we can confidently predict your haplogroup with no need for a haplogroup test. If your haplogroup has not been tested, you will see the words My Predicted Haplogroup: (i.e. R1b1b2) as your prediction and also the scientific 'Shorthand' ( i.e. R-M269). If your haplogroup has been tested then you will see My Confirmed Haplogroup which has the same nomenclature as mentioned in the prior sentence. If we are unable to predict your Haplogroup then you qualify for our SNP Assurance program and we will be re-running your sample to provide you a haplogroup designation at no charge. This usually takes about 3 weeks. A description of your haplogroup is listed by clicking the link 'Migration Map' on your Haplotree page and then clicking on the letter we have predicted your lineage to descend from. For a more detailed explanation of haplogroups, please check here: www.familytreedna.com/understanding-haplogroups.aspx. A more general section on Haplogroups please see: http://www.familytreedna.com/snps-r-us.aspx
- Is my haplogroup predicted or confirmed? faq id: 435
To determine whether your haplogroup has been predicted or confirmed with additional testing, check the Haplotree page (from your personal page) and at the top of the chart you will see 'My Predicted Haplogroup' or 'My Confirmed Haplogroup'. If your haplogroup is being tested you will see either a notation of 'Testing in Progress' or an orange bar titled “Haplogroup”. If your haplogroup has not been tested you will not see this information. In most cases, it is not necessary to confirm your haplogroup with testing as we can usually predict it with an exceptionally high degree of confidence.
In order to provide our customers with the highest level of haplogroup confidence, Family Tree DNA provides a SNP Assurance Program.
In this program, if we cannot predict a person’s Y-DNA haplogroup with extreme confidence that would allow can you to join the National Geographic’s Genographic Project, we will automatically perform a Backbone SNP test in order to identify the haplogroup assignment. When a haplogroup is in doubt the Backbone SNP test will be ordered automatically after the initial Y-DNA test results are posted.
You can learn more about the SNP Assurance Program here.
- Why do I see more than one haplogroup listed on the Haplogroup page? faq id: 436
Information is automatically displayed for your comparison for every haplogroup that is identical or close to your Y DAN profile. Because of evolutionary convergence you have have multiple haplogroups 'near' you, genetically, however you can only be part of one haplogroup. As a result, you will sometimes see multiple haplogroups displayed even though you only belong to one haplogroup. To determine which haplogroup you belong to, look at the line 'My Predicted or My Confirmed Haplogroup'. This is the haplogroup that is relevant to you.
- Don’t we all go back to Africa? faq id: 437
Yes, all of our Y-DNA lineages trace back to a common ancestor who lived in Africa over 60,000 years ago. Some lineages migrated out of Africa about 60,000 years ago, while others remained. Lineages that historically remained in Africa include Y-DNA haplogroups A, B, and parts of E. Lineages that historically migrated out of Africa developed into the other haplogroups.
- What is the Y-DNA Haplogroup Chart? faq id: 438
The Y-DNA haplogroup chart is a graphic representation of the Y-DNA phylogenetic tree. (A Phylogeny is a theoretical diagram of how evolution took place for a specific species). It shows the Y-DNA haplogroups according to the Y Chromosome Consortium’s classification. Haplogroup names and major clades are labeled with large capital letters. Sub-designations are then added with numbers foloowd by small letters (ex. R1b1b2) Mutation names are given along the branches of the tree. The chart is 25” x 38” and can be ordered from the “Order Tests & Upgrades” link form your personal page. You can view this full color chart here: http://www.familytreedna.com/pdf-docs/2009-Y-Chromosome-Phylogenetic-Tree.pdf
- What do the letters and numbers under “SNP Tests” mean? faq id: 439
If you have tested your haplogroup or deep clade, you will see a series of letters and numbers listed under the “SNP Tests” category on your Haplogroup and Y-DNA DYS Values pages. These are the individual mutations that define the haplogroups you were tested for. If you see a plus (+) sign after a SNP, then that indicates that you are positive for that SNP. If you see a (-) sign after a SNP, then that means that you are negative for that SNP and do not belong to that haplogroup or deep clade. Your haplogroup or deep clade designation will be listed on the top of the dynamic chart on your Haplotree page.
- What do the numbers in the Y-DNA DYS section mean? faq id: 440
The numbers found on this page are the key to comparisons made between males in our database. The Y-DNA markers are displayed in this section. You will see that the first column is for the loci, the second for the DYS number (that's Designated Y chromosome Segment) and the third for alleles (which are the values we use for comparison). This is how we present the results that are determined from your sample. The loci is the location within the Y-DNA 12, or 25, 37 or 67 markers that we test, and the DYS number is the name assigned to that particular location on your Y Chromosome that we have tested. Everyone who tests will be tested for the same loci and DYS numbers. The allele values, which represent your results, are the numbers that are unique to you and are used in the comparison against others.
- What is a locus? faq id: 441
Loucs come from the Latin word for 'place'. When testing participants’ Y-DNA, the lab examines the same locations in the Y-DNA sequence for everyone. These locations are called loci.(Locus is singular whereas Loci is plural) You can have 12 loci tested, 25 loci tested, 37 loci tested or 67 loci tested. Whichever test you have, those same locations will be tested for everyone who chooses that same test.
- What is a DYS number? faq id: 442
The DYS number (that's Designated Y chromosome Segment) is the name for the marker at a particular location. Location #1, the first location that is tested, is named DYS # 393.
- What is an allele? faq id: 443
An allele is a DNA sequence that repeats at a certain location (or place) on the Y chromosome. The allele value is the number of times the sequence repeats. Pronounced uh-LEEL. For example if the repeat is GATA and you find GATAGATAGATAGATA then the allele's value is 4 in this example and it's used to compare your value to other men who have ben tested for this location on their Y Chromosome.
- Why is my haplogroup listed in red on the Surnames Projects web page? faq id: 444
Your haplogroup is listed in red because it has been predicted by comparing your 12 marker results to a database of individuals who have had additional testing to confirm their haplogroup assignment. Because males who share the same allele values share a common male ancestor, and this ancestor can only belong to one haplogroup, males who have the same or very similar Y-DNA typically belong to the same haplogroup. Your haplogroup is shown in red because the haplogroup assignment was determined using this predictive method. If it's listed in green, or if you are shown next to someone who is listed in green on the Surname project web site then that other persons Y DNA has been confirmed.
- Why is my 389-2 result different in Family Tree DNA from the Genographic Project? faq id: 446
Marker 389 is a special marker because we can test it in two parts, both of which are very useful for genealogy. The first test looks at the first part of marker 389, and we call the marker tested 389-1. The second test looks at the entire marker, including the first section. In order to find out the results for the second half of the marker by itself, we must subtract the result for the first half from the result of the whole marker.
There are two ways to display the result of the second test on marker 389. In both cases, the name for the marker is 389-2. The first way to display the result is by showing the result from the original test, which is the total for the entire 389 marker, including the first section. This is how Family Tree DNA displays the result.
The second way is to show the result only for the second section that is tested by subtracting the 389-1 score from the original second test score. This is how the Genographic Project displays the result.
Basically, converting between the two is easy: simply add together the two 389 values from the Genographic Project to get the 389-2 value for Family Tree DNA, or subtract the 389-1 value from 389-2 from the Family Tree DNA results in order to get the 389-2 value for the Genographic Project.
- What does each marker mean? faq id: 447
The markers themselves do not have any particular meaning. The value of testing these markers comes from comparing them to a database. Family Tree DNA has the largest database of this kind in the world. Males with the same or similar results share a common male ancestor in the past. The more markers tested and the stronger the profile between tow people to more recently these two people likely share a common male ancestor.
- What is a SNP? faq id: 448
A SNP, or Single Nucleotide Polymorphism, is a change in your Y-DNA sequence at a location other than those in the 12, 25, 37, and 67 marker tests. SNPS are unique to specific haplogroups so SNP tests such as the Backbone and Deep SNP tests are used to identify haplogroups and their subclades respectively. Haplogroups, defined by SNP's are the branches of the tree of mankind.
- What are mutations? Are they bad?! faq id: 449
Mutations are natural copying errors. A good analogy is to think of a copy machine which is making many copies of a page. Every once in a while it will make a mistake; an 'e' might look more like an ''o, for example. This is a "mutation." If you then take that page with the 'o' and copy it, it will pass on its "mutation" to all of its descendent copies.
These Y-DNA mutations do not provide medical or physiological information, but they can help you learn more about your ancestry.
- How many generations ago does the Y-DNA test trace? faq id: 450
Because Y-DNA is passed down from the father to the son intact for many generations, the answer is that the test can cover both recent and distant generations. On the recent side, the Recent Ancestral Origins section will point towards possible countries of origin. If you have few matches, this list will not be statistically representative, and you therefore will need to wait until more people are added to the database (several thousand are added every month).
The Y-DNA test also identifies the haplogroup, which represents your deep ancestral origins (think tens of thousands of years ago).
- Why doesn’t this show me percentages? faq id: 451
You received your Y-DNA from your father, who got it from his father, who got it from his father, and so on. Since mothers do not have Y-chromosomes to pass down in any generation, testing the Y-DNA allows us to trace your paternal line (http://www.familytreedna.com/inheritance-chart.aspx), but no other. This means that any ancestry from your mother’s side, father's mother’s side, grandfather's mother’s side, and so on, is not represented in your Y-DNA. As a result, tracing this line can only lead to one origin, and doesn't provide any breakdown of various ethnic origins that may have come from other ancestors of yours.
- How many markers have I tested? faq id: 452
You can determine how many markers you have results for by going to the Y-DNA DYS Values section. Here you will see the results for all the markers you have tested. If you have a Pending Lab Results section check here to see if you have other markers that are in the process of being tested. Outstanding results are also listed on the Pending Results link on your personal page.
- What is a Deep Clade test? faq id: 453
A haplogroup test will test a single SNP to determine which haplogroup, or major branch of the Y-DNA phylogenetic tree, your paternal line belongs to. For a more detailed explanation of haplogroups, please check here: http://www.familytreedna.com/understanding-haplogroups.aspx.
Once your haplogroup is known or predicted, you can use a Deep SNP test to identify the other SNP mutations that occurred in order to find your twig on the Y-DNA tree. You can read more about Family Tree DNA Deep SNP tests here: http://www.familytreedna.com/deepclade-haplogroup-tests.aspx.
- What is a Y-DNA Backbone test? faq id: 454
A Backbone test determines which haplogroup, or major branch of the Y-DNA tree, your paternal line belongs to. It tests the “backbone” of the tree or the SNPs that determine the major branches. For a more detailed explanation of haplogroups, please check here: http://www.familytreedna.com/understanding-haplogroups.aspx.
In order to provide our customers with the highest level of haplogroup confidence, Family Tree DNA provides a SNP Assurance Program.
In this program, if we cannot predict a person’s Y-DNA haplogroup with extreme confidence that they can join the National Geographic’s Genographic Project, we will automatically perform a Backbone SNP test in order to identify the haplogroup assignment.
When a haplogroup is in doubt the Backbone SNP test will be ordered automatically after the initial Y-DNA test results are posted.
You can learn more about the SNP Assurance Program here: http://www.familytreedna.com/snp-assurance-program.aspx.
Members will still have the option to order a Backbone SNP test if they choose from their personal pages.
- Do I need a haplogroup test? faq id: 455
Most individuals do not need a test to confirm their haplogroup. In some rare cases, a Y-DNA signature may be unique in our database. You can determine your haplogroup information from the Haplogroup section.
In order to provide our customers with the highest level of haplogroup confidence, Family Tree DNA provides a SNP Assurance Program.
In this program, if we cannot predict a person’s Y-DNA haplogroup with sufficient confidence that they can join the National Geographic’s Genographic Project, we will automatically perform a Backbone SNP test in order to identify the haplogroup assignment.
When a haplogroup is in doubt the Backbone SNP test will be ordered automatically after the initial Y-DNA test results are posted.
You can learn more about the SNP Assurance Program here: http://www.familytreedna.com/snp-assurance-program.aspx.
Members will still have the option to order a Backbone SNP test if they choose from their personal pages. Deep Clade testing can be very valuable for those who are not certain of there deeper ancestry and is the logical next step once your placement on one of the major branches of the tree has been determined.
- How do I test my haplogroup to determine the sub-branch of the tree of mankind i descend from?? faq id: 456
If you decide to test your haplogroup you can order the test either online or over the phone at 713-868-1438. To order your test online, go to the Haplotree section or to the link that says Order Upgrades and Refinements from your personal page. Here you will be able to read about the available test as well as order this test for yourself.
In order to provide our customers with the highest level of haplogroup confidence, Family Tree DNA is now providing a SNP Assurance Program.
In this program, if we cannot predict a person’s Y-DNA haplogroup with sufficient confidence that they can join the National Geographic’s Genographic Project, we will automatically perform a Backbone SNP test in order to identify the haplogroup assignment.
When a haplogroup is in doubt the Backbone SNP test will be ordered automatically after the initial Y-DNA test results are posted.
You can learn more about the SNP Assurance Program here: http://www.familytreedna.com/snp-assurance-program.aspx.
Members will still have the option to order a Backbone SNP test if they choose from their personal pages.
- Should I test more markers? faq id: 457
You should test more markers when you want to compare additional markers against others with similar results to you. The additional markers do not provide information about the geographic or deep origin of your paternal line. They are used to compare against others and refine your matches for genealogical purposes. They can also help refine the matches in your Recent Ancestral Origins section. If you do not have many matches at this time or many matches that have tested more markers, you may still choose to test more markers. That way, as the database grows and you gain additional matches, you will be prepared to make more refined comparisons.
- I tested with the Genographic Project; why are you offering me the haplogroup test? faq id: 464
Our system is automatically programmed to offer a haplogroup test or Deep SNP test to individuals whose haplogroup has not yet been tested. Because the Genographic Project was able to predict your haplogroup with high confidence, it was not necessary to perform a haplogroup test on your sample. However, the haplogroup or Deep Clade test is made available to you if you wish to have your sample tested to confirm a sub-haplogroup assignment.
- What is the SNP Assurance Program? faq id: 505
In order to provide our customers with the highest level of haplogroup confidence, Family Tree DNA provides a SNP Assurance Program. In this program, if we cannot predict a person’s Y-DNA haplogroup with sufficient confidence that they can join the National Geographic’s Genographic Project, we will automatically perform a Backbone SNP test in order to identify the haplogroup assignment. When a haplogroup is in doubt the Backbone SNP test will be ordered automatically after the initial Y-DNA test results are posted. You can learn more about the SNP Assurance Program here: http://www.familytreedna.com/snp-assurance-program.aspx. After the haplogroup has been assigned the customer can decide if upgrading to the Deep Clade test makes sense for them.
- What is the likelihood of a non paternal event or false paternity? faq id: 567
We believe that the rate of unannounced adoption or false paternity is about 1-2% per generation. When confirming your lineage we recommend that you test yourself and your most distantly related male ancestor to verify the line back to the common male ancestor.