About us
A Dual (Y-DNA & mtDNA) Geographical Project.
Project start-up August 30, 2013.
If interested in being a Co-Administrator, contact wlharris.
Sub-groupings of member results by Y-DNA and MtDNA types are indefinitive and speculative. For paternal lines which SNP testing options to choose in seeking a closer terminal SNP remains entirely the responsibility of individual members. Sub-groupings herein are NOT recommendations made by a professional DNA genealogist. Remember, the use of "terminal" in this instance is a misnomer. Even after you've found a "green" terminal SNP by FTDNA standards, there are likely many more terminal SNPs closer down the Phylogenic Tree; so your green subgroup will continually change as you get closer to present day.
4/25/2014 FTDNA released their new Y-DNA Haplotree and stated an intention to begin updating their Y-Tree at least annually. Unfortunately, many long known SNP's and SNP relationships were excluded from the new Tree. Those exclusions, together with FTDNA's system of recommending SNP testing based on results of a member's 37, 25, and 12 marker matches, means many users will ordering SNP's already known to be negative for their specific subgroup ....thereby wasting their money. Further, that level of STR markers is quite broad and would tend to skew towards SNP's existing in the tree. Users are encouraged to join SNP specific groups and to conduct the research themselves rather than place SNP' orders cold directly from the menu. FTDNA also committed to soon instituting the use of short names only and the complete removal of the longer old names for Haplogroups. This is a very good thing since the Haplogroup names are known to change almost daily and FTDNA was continuing to use names deemed obsolete/invalid years back by a majority in the Genetic DNA Community. Many of those groups will continue using names put forth by the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG).
Finer points aside, I believe FTDNA has done a great job of taking on and implementing this massive project. In my view, no other DNA Company would even attempt such an endeavor or be as successful. Certainly, system tweeks and patches will be needed along the way, I just hope FTDNA is nimble enough to stay focused on the issues rather than collecting money. Future version updates will likely correct short-comings in SNP inclusions and inaccurate testing recommendations ... be patient.
Although FTDNA previously committed to enabling Family Finder match capability they ran into unanticipated technical issues. Sub-grouping by FF match will be delayed until they work it out.
Project start-up August 30, 2013.
If interested in being a Co-Administrator, contact wlharris.
Sub-groupings of member results by Y-DNA and MtDNA types are indefinitive and speculative. For paternal lines which SNP testing options to choose in seeking a closer terminal SNP remains entirely the responsibility of individual members. Sub-groupings herein are NOT recommendations made by a professional DNA genealogist. Remember, the use of "terminal" in this instance is a misnomer. Even after you've found a "green" terminal SNP by FTDNA standards, there are likely many more terminal SNPs closer down the Phylogenic Tree; so your green subgroup will continually change as you get closer to present day.
4/25/2014 FTDNA released their new Y-DNA Haplotree and stated an intention to begin updating their Y-Tree at least annually. Unfortunately, many long known SNP's and SNP relationships were excluded from the new Tree. Those exclusions, together with FTDNA's system of recommending SNP testing based on results of a member's 37, 25, and 12 marker matches, means many users will ordering SNP's already known to be negative for their specific subgroup ....thereby wasting their money. Further, that level of STR markers is quite broad and would tend to skew towards SNP's existing in the tree. Users are encouraged to join SNP specific groups and to conduct the research themselves rather than place SNP' orders cold directly from the menu. FTDNA also committed to soon instituting the use of short names only and the complete removal of the longer old names for Haplogroups. This is a very good thing since the Haplogroup names are known to change almost daily and FTDNA was continuing to use names deemed obsolete/invalid years back by a majority in the Genetic DNA Community. Many of those groups will continue using names put forth by the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG).
Finer points aside, I believe FTDNA has done a great job of taking on and implementing this massive project. In my view, no other DNA Company would even attempt such an endeavor or be as successful. Certainly, system tweeks and patches will be needed along the way, I just hope FTDNA is nimble enough to stay focused on the issues rather than collecting money. Future version updates will likely correct short-comings in SNP inclusions and inaccurate testing recommendations ... be patient.
Although FTDNA previously committed to enabling Family Finder match capability they ran into unanticipated technical issues. Sub-grouping by FF match will be delayed until they work it out.