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• - topic General Payment Genographic Project Order Questions Privacy Group Projects -- Participants Group Projects -- Administrators Types of Tests Test Results -- Y-DNA Test Results -- mtDNA Status Questions Newsletter After I Test Once I Receive My Kit Dashboard

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• Why don't I have any high resolution matches?
  First, go to your User Preferences section and make sure the box next to "HVR2 matches" is checked. If it is not, check it and click "Update" at the bottom of the page. Return to your mtDNA Matches section to view the list of matches. If you do not have any low resolution matches, you will not have any high resolution matches. This is becau ...
  faq id: 488 in Test Results -- mtDNA        Keywords: high, resolution, matches, matching
• Why do I have so many matches?
  There are a few results which we find in a very large number of people in a population. The reasons for this can vary. It can be because people with this exact same result-your ancestors-lived thousands or tens of thousands of years ago and by now there are many descendents carrying their signature. On the other hand, you might have a more recent ( ...
  faq id: 489 in Test Results -- mtDNA        Keywords: matches, matching, many
• Why am I matching both men and women?
  This is because mtDNA is passed down only from the mother, but both men and women receive it. This means that both men and women can take the mtDNA test, although no matter who takes the test it will still trace only the maternal line (http://www.familytreedna.com/inheritance-chart.aspx).
  faq id: 490 in Test Results -- mtDNA        Keywords: matches, matching, males, men, women, females
• Why doesn't this show me more recent ancestry and matches?
  The mutations, or changes, in the mtDNA are what allow us to determine a person's ancestral origins because the changes help to set unrelated individuals apart. However, mtDNA does not change very often, and so you might have very similar or the same results to a wide range of people. This varies from result to result. Testing the HVR2 region helps ...
  faq id: 491 in Test Results -- mtDNA        Keywords: ancestry, matches, matching, recent, ancestral, origins
• What does "Unknown Origin" mean?
  The mtDNA Ancestral Origins database is an anonymous search of the database and lists the countries of origin reported to us by the people that you match. If these individuals did not tell us a country of origin, either because they do not know or because they did not want to share it, we entered them as "Unknown Origin." You can change the listing ...
  faq id: 492 in Test Results -- mtDNA        Keywords: unknown, origins, recent, ancestral, ancestry
• Why do some of my matches show "United States"?
  The mtDNA 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 maternal ancestors (http://www.familytreedna.com/inheritance-chart.aspx) came from before any migrations to the Americas. However, some individuals instead enter the country of birth for ...
  faq id: 493 in Test Results -- mtDNA        Keywords: recent, ancestral, origins, native, american, coun
• Why are so many different countries listed?
  The same DNA results tend to be found in a range of countries in an area. Some results are found often enough that they have spread out throughout a very large region or a continent. 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 narr ...
  faq id: 494 in Test Results -- mtDNA        Keywords: ancestral, origins, countries
• What does the "Count" mean?
  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 it says 16, it means that there are 16 people who have tested with us who match your result and have reported England as their maternal country of origin. Higher ...
  faq id: 495 in Test Results -- mtDNA        Keywords: recent, ancestral, origins, count, country, countries
• Why doesn't this show me percentages?
  You received your mtDNA from your mother, who got it from her mother, who got it from her mother, and so on. Since fathers do not pass down their mtDNA in any generation, testing the mtDNA allows us to trace your maternal line (http://www.familytreedna.com/inheritance-chart.aspx), but no other. This means that any ancestry from your father's side, ...
  faq id: 497 in Test Results -- mtDNA        Keywords: percentages, results
• Have I tested just the HVR1 or both the HVR1 and HVR2?
  Look in the mtDNA Results section at the chart in the first section of the page. If you have tested the HVR2 region, this chart will list both HVR1 differences from the CRS and HVR2 differences from the CRS. If it lists only differences for the HVR1 region and the HVR2 region is not listed in the "Pending Lab Results" section (this section only app ...
  faq id: 498 in Test Results -- mtDNA        Keywords: results, tests, tested, hvr1, hvr2, regions
• Should I order the mtDNA Refine test?
  If you answer "no" to any of the following questions, the mtDNARefine test most likely will not help you at this time: Do you want to look for genealogical connections with other people in the database? Do you have several low resolution matches? Do any of your low resolution matches have "(HVR2)" entered next to their names? If you answere ...
  faq id: 499 in Test Results -- mtDNA        Keywords: refinement, ordering
• What will the mtDNA Refine test tell me?
  The mtDNA Refine test allows us to look for high resolution matches with other individuals, who would be the people in the database who are most likely to share a common ancestor with you in a genealogical time frame.
  faq id: 500 in Test Results -- mtDNA        Keywords: refinement, high, resolution, HVR2
• Should I order the upgrade to the mtDNA full sequence test?
  There are several reasons that a person might wish to test the full mitochondrial DNA sequence. - to determine the most extended haplogroup assignment according to currently published research, including the ability to refine the haplogroup assignment further as more research is published without the need for further testing. - to identify wh ...
  faq id: 501 in Test Results -- mtDNA        Keywords: mega, full, sequence, upgrade, refinement
• What will the mtDNA full sequence test tell me?
  There are several reasons that a person might wish to test the full mitochondrial DNA sequence. - to determine the most extended haplogroup assignment according to currently published research, including the ability to refine the haplogroup assignment further as more research is published without the need for further testing. - to identify wh ...
  faq id: 502 in Test Results -- mtDNA        Keywords: mega, full, sequence, upgrade, refinement
• What "Daughter of Eve" do I descend from?
  The "Daughters of Eve" are fictional names given to some of the haplogroups. Because those are fictional names with no scientific relevance, and as such cannot be compared in the scientific literature for your benefit, Family Tree DNA follows the accepted scientific nomenclature for haplogroups. The "Daughter of Eve" names begin with the same lette ...
  faq id: 503 in Test Results -- mtDNA        Keywords: eve, daughters, haplogroups
• What is the SNP Assurance Program?
  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 orde ...
  faq id: 504 in Group Projects -- Administrators        Keywords: SNP, assurance, haplogroup
• What is the SNP Assurance Program?
  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 ...
  faq id: 505 in Test Results -- Y-DNA        Keywords: snp, assurance, program, haplogroup
• A member of my project tested before you implemented the SNP Assurance Program. Will you confirm his haplogroup?
  In most cases, if a previously tested member qualifies for the SNP Assurance Program we will confirm his haplogroup.  We have already  redrawn DAN form most clients who qualified prior to this program.  If they don't have a results it usually means hat the DNA sample wasn't sufficient to run the SNP Assurance program on the sample.
  faq id: 506 in Group Projects -- Administrators        Keywords: snp, assurance, program, haplogroup
• What is an mtDNA test? What will it tell me?
  An mtDNA test looks at your female-inherited mitochondrial DNA. Because mtDNA is passed from a mother to her children with no input from any spouses along the way, this test will look at your direct maternal line only. You can view an illustration here: http://www.familytreedna.com/inheritance-chart.aspx. The mtDNA tests provide information regard ...
  faq id: 507 in Types of Tests        Keywords: maternal, mitochondrial, mtDNA
• Should I order the mtDNA HVR2 refinement test?
  The mtDNA Refine test allows us to look for high resolution matches with other individuals, who would be the people in the database who are most likely to share a common ancestor with you in a genealogical time frame.  It will usually also  reduce the least likely matches that you have in the database.  If you have many HVR1 matches usually the upg ...
  faq id: 508 in Types of Tests        Keywords: mtDNA, mitochondrial, maternal, hvr2, hypervariabl
• What will the mtDNA Full Sequence test tell me?
  There are several reasons that a person might wish to test the full mitochondrial DNA sequence. - to determine the most extended haplogroup assignment according to currently published research, including the ability to refine the haplogroup assignment further as more research is published without the need for further testing. - to identify wh ...
  faq id: 509 in Types of Tests        Keywords: mtDNA, mega, full sequence, maternal
• What is a Y-DNA test? What will it tell me?
  The Y-DNA test looks at DNA of the Y-chromosome which is passed from father to son and is only found in males. Because yDNA is passed from father to son with no input from any spouses along the way, this test will look at your direct paternal line only. You can view an illustration here: http://www.familytreedna.com/inheritance-chart.aspx. Females ...
  faq id: 511 in Types of Tests        Keywords: Y-DNA, paternal
• Why should I order additional Y-DNA markers?
  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 simply used to compare your results against the results of others and to further refine your matches. They can also ...
  faq id: 512 in Types of Tests        Keywords: markers, Y-DNA, paternal, upgrade, refinement
• Should I test my Y-DNA haplogroup?
  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 Haplotree section. In order to provide our customers with the highest level of haplogroup confidence, Family Tree DNA provides a SNP Assurance Program. In this ...
  faq id: 513 in Types of Tests        Keywords: haplogroup, SNP, Y-DNA, paternal
• What is a Deep Clade test?
  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 Clade t ...
  faq id: 514 in Types of Tests        Keywords: clade, SNP, haplogroup, deep