FAQ
What is Y-DNA?
Y-DNA is a specific type of DNA that is strictly paternal (your father's father's father's direct line) which goes back thousands of years unlike the normal autosomal test that most testing companies provide. Only men can take this test, so if you are a woman and want to know your father's Y-DNA line, you will either have to get your father to take the Y-DNA test here at FamilyTreeDNA or get one of his brothers (or your brothers) to take the test.
What is a Y-DNA Test?
Y-DNA Test is the test provided here at FamilyTreeDNA that only connects to other males who match the Y-DNA line you are interested in. Other testing companies say they provide Y-DNA results, but they only provide the Y-DNA haplogroup and do not allow you to see Y-DNA cousin matches. Only FamilyTreeDNA allows you to see your Y-DNA cousins. That's why when researching your male line, it is so important to use FamilyTreeDNA for your testing company.
What is the difference between the Y-25, Y-37, Y-67, Y-111 and Big Y 700 tests?
There are four main differences between these tests. The first is affordability, the second quality, the third, accuracy and the fourth is enough detail to tell us approximately how far back to the Most Recent Common Ancestor (MRCA) and split out ancient (or more recent) brothers into biological branches on the Big Block Tree. FamilyTreeDNA was smart enough to know that most people would not join their Y-DNA testing programs if they had to start out by paying full price for the larger Y-111 or Big-Y tests, so they broke the DNA testing into smaller, more affordable, tests. We recommend the Y-37 to start with. There will be more connections with the Y-25 but many of them will be from so far back there will be no way to tell how they connect. The Y-37 will at least get you close. The Y-67 and Y-111 show more markers and this is especially important in predicting how far back the connection is. For example, the USA Allday family recently matched with a London England Allday. This proved the American family tree was right in saying that our Allday immigrant came from London England in the 1600s. At just the Y-37 level it showed both Allday lines matching and a genetic distance, but once the London Allday upgraded it showed the genetic distance of 8 with a good level of accuracy. Since we estimate our Allday common ancestor in england was at least 400 years, the genetic distance of 8 seems pretty accurate. We can use that number now to see if any names besides Allday match our Y-DNA and determine if they are an Allday or if we are something else ourselves. We had one male that wasn't an Allday hit our Y-DNA with a genetic distance of 4. Since 4 was clearly after the 8, we know that this male's line is really an Allday, whether he recognizes it or not. But, if he is really interested in genealogy, he can then start looking back about 200 years ago and see if any Alldays lived near his male ancestor.
Are the Y-DNA tests ever put on sale?
Yes, during the holidays Father's Day, Mother's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year, significant savings can be found on the test and on upgrades. If you are tight on funds or trying to encourage another male to take the test, this is the best time to do it. Also, there are grants available to pay or help pay for strategically needed research lines.
Can the test be used for other male lines in my tree besides my direct male Allday line?
Yes, but only for those lines. For example, my father's mother's father was a Hutto. Her mother's male line was Brown. If I can find a male Hutto or Brown and they are close enough cousins that I am confident that it is my Hutto and Brown, then I would surely speak with them about volunteering their Y-DNA for the test (and in my case, these two lines are covered already). And remember, since you bought it and they are likely not interested themselves, you should get them to allow you to manage the DNA.
Y-DNA is a specific type of DNA that is strictly paternal (your father's father's father's direct line) which goes back thousands of years unlike the normal autosomal test that most testing companies provide. Only men can take this test, so if you are a woman and want to know your father's Y-DNA line, you will either have to get your father to take the Y-DNA test here at FamilyTreeDNA or get one of his brothers (or your brothers) to take the test.
What is a Y-DNA Test?
Y-DNA Test is the test provided here at FamilyTreeDNA that only connects to other males who match the Y-DNA line you are interested in. Other testing companies say they provide Y-DNA results, but they only provide the Y-DNA haplogroup and do not allow you to see Y-DNA cousin matches. Only FamilyTreeDNA allows you to see your Y-DNA cousins. That's why when researching your male line, it is so important to use FamilyTreeDNA for your testing company.
What is the difference between the Y-25, Y-37, Y-67, Y-111 and Big Y 700 tests?
There are four main differences between these tests. The first is affordability, the second quality, the third, accuracy and the fourth is enough detail to tell us approximately how far back to the Most Recent Common Ancestor (MRCA) and split out ancient (or more recent) brothers into biological branches on the Big Block Tree. FamilyTreeDNA was smart enough to know that most people would not join their Y-DNA testing programs if they had to start out by paying full price for the larger Y-111 or Big-Y tests, so they broke the DNA testing into smaller, more affordable, tests. We recommend the Y-37 to start with. There will be more connections with the Y-25 but many of them will be from so far back there will be no way to tell how they connect. The Y-37 will at least get you close. The Y-67 and Y-111 show more markers and this is especially important in predicting how far back the connection is. For example, the USA Allday family recently matched with a London England Allday. This proved the American family tree was right in saying that our Allday immigrant came from London England in the 1600s. At just the Y-37 level it showed both Allday lines matching and a genetic distance, but once the London Allday upgraded it showed the genetic distance of 8 with a good level of accuracy. Since we estimate our Allday common ancestor in england was at least 400 years, the genetic distance of 8 seems pretty accurate. We can use that number now to see if any names besides Allday match our Y-DNA and determine if they are an Allday or if we are something else ourselves. We had one male that wasn't an Allday hit our Y-DNA with a genetic distance of 4. Since 4 was clearly after the 8, we know that this male's line is really an Allday, whether he recognizes it or not. But, if he is really interested in genealogy, he can then start looking back about 200 years ago and see if any Alldays lived near his male ancestor.
Are the Y-DNA tests ever put on sale?
Yes, during the holidays Father's Day, Mother's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year, significant savings can be found on the test and on upgrades. If you are tight on funds or trying to encourage another male to take the test, this is the best time to do it. Also, there are grants available to pay or help pay for strategically needed research lines.
Can the test be used for other male lines in my tree besides my direct male Allday line?
Yes, but only for those lines. For example, my father's mother's father was a Hutto. Her mother's male line was Brown. If I can find a male Hutto or Brown and they are close enough cousins that I am confident that it is my Hutto and Brown, then I would surely speak with them about volunteering their Y-DNA for the test (and in my case, these two lines are covered already). And remember, since you bought it and they are likely not interested themselves, you should get them to allow you to manage the DNA.