The next revolution in genetic genealogy

The science is simple—linked blocks of DNA across the 22 autosomal chromosomes are matched between two people. The degree of matching yields evidence for the relationship. You have exciting opportunities!

Match with five generations of family

With the Family Finder test you may extend the power of genetic genealogy to all of your ancestors. You can discover connections to descendants of all sixteen of your great-great-grandparents! more info

Adoptees discover their heritage

With the power of an autosomal DNA test, confidently match to male and female cousins from any of your family lines. This can provide you with the clues you need to learn more about your birth parents' families. more info

Organize using FTDNA projects

For over ten years, our project administrators have used our tests to achieve success after success. Whether you choose to start a new Family Finder project or integrate Family Finder testing into your current project, Family Tree DNA has the analytical tools you need. more info

Match with five generations of family

Family Finder & Genealogy

Bennett Greenspan explains how taking the Family Finder test may open doors to the discovery of your close and distant relatives. WATCH NOW.

With our autosomal Family Finder test you may extend the power of genetic genealogy to all of your ancestors. Using a test of your own DNA, you can discover connections to descendants of all sixteen of your great-great-grandparents! The Family Finder test will not only open avenues for traditional research but will help you discover the hidden connections that could explain your family’s migrations.

We place you in control. When you take the Family Finder test, your results are compared against our Family Finder database. Your list of matches is designed to be quickly sorted to allow you to focus on your near or distant cousins. Because email addresses are provided for easy communication with your near or distant cousins you will be able to share research easily. We notify you by email when you have new matches. Your raw data file is freely available for download.

Are you ready for the next revolution in genetic genealogy?

Family Finder & Science

Dr. Bruce Walsh talks about Family Finder and how matching blocks of DNA identify your genetic cousins. WATCH NOW.

Adoptees discover their heritage

With the power of an autosomal DNA test, confidently match to male and female cousins from any of your family lines. This can provide you with the clues you need to learn more about your birth parents' families.

The possibilities abound!

  • Discover Parents, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles.
  • Find Half Siblings
  • Make contact with 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th cousins.

When you take the Family Finder test, your results are compared against our Family Finder database. Your list of matches is designed to be quickly sorted to allow you to focus on your near or distant cousins. Email addresses are provided for easy communication with your matches. When new matches are found, we will notify you by email. Your raw data is freely available for download.

Every adopted person, or those who know that one of their parents or grandparents was adopted, will want to order a Family Finder test to help identify close and distant relatives.

Adoptees & Family Finder

Dr. Bruce Walsh compares Family Finder to the mtDNA and Y-DNA tests. He shows how each can help you understand your heritage and find your relatives. WATCH NOW.

Introducing Family Finder projects

Because this is a novel way of looking for our cousins we are offering a new type of project at Family Tree DNA.

Family Finder projects, will allow for the analysis and comparisons between you and all members of your project. Compare all at once with the Family Finder “Viewer” and other genetic analytical tools.

The new Family Finder test and project tools also integrate with your existing Family Tree DNA project to take it to the “next level”.

Surname projects can use Family Finder to better define branches in a family tree. By using Family Finder testing, close Y-chromosome and mtDNA matches without traditional records may be assigned to a pedigree with greater confidence. Even more exciting, surname projects may now bring female cousins into the project as additional evidence.

Regional projects can discover real relationships. You will be able to explore the lost family connections that are hidden behind migrations. New clues will open avenues for additional traditional paper trail research. Those with close or perfect Y-chromosome and mtDNA matches can now untangle their relationships.

Family Tree DNA & Genetic Genealogy

Dr. Bruce Walsh explains why sound science and a strong community of genealogists are essential for success in genetic genealogy. WATCH NOW.

"This is a homerun"

I figured I'd provide an update since my finding may help others. I just got my Family Finder test results and I matched with a familiar person with the last name of Knight. I know of this person because he purchased a Y 67 marker test for a Jackson relative to help his research on his Jackson line. I matched 66 of 67 markers with the person who provided that sample, not Mr. Knight himself. When I got my Family Finder results that familiar name of Knight showed up again as a suspected 4th cousin match. After a few moments a light bulb went off. If I was matching with my friend who's last name is Knight, it was because of his sample, not that of the person that had provided the Jackson Y (male only) sample.

This means that my connection with Mr. Knight comes from those upline from his grandmother who is a Jackson. In this case, Y DNA first formed the connection to the male Jacksons and then the Family Finder test formed a connection to other Jackson's upline despite the female in the middle of the line. This is a homerun because I now lowered my most common recent ancestor by 1 generation and I'm only missing 2 Jacksons. This leaves me with a Y line of, Me-Father Reeves-GF Reeves-Unknown-Unknown-Jackson.

As the Family Finder database grows I hope to learn more when I match Jackson's at the 2nd or 3rd cousin level. Plus I have no idea who my grandmother was, so forming a 2nd cousin level match on an unknown surname might start to provide some insight. I'm encouraged.

Good luck to all, Bill

What people are saying about the new
Finder test

"Congratulations to FamilyTreeDNA for this exciting new product"

Hi all,

I submitted samples for myself, two second cousins, and a 5th cousin for the new Family Finder atDNA test offered by FamilyTreeDNA.com. My personal test was in the Beta round so I had my results for weeks. My 2nd cousins are in batch 349. The tests were all submitted in the blind. I was very pleased to see the results come in yesterday for one of my 2nd cousins in batch 349 with a solid prediction that he was my second cousin. Using the tools provided by Family Finder's features I then confirmed the relationship. Also the surnames from the GEDCOMs linked to the names are displayed. Many other tools are provided. Very nice. I now plan to use this new test to verify other not so sure 3rd cousin relationships to help solve a mystery in the GG-grandmother level of my tree. Congratulations to FamilyTreeDNA for this exciting new product to help us genetic genealogists unravel the mysteries in our trees and family relationships.

Charles Kerchner

What people are saying about the new
Finder test

"THANK YOU FTDNA for offering this test!"

FTDNA's Family Finder test results from husband and we both match the same person! NOT through the paper trail line per se, but through another line that we hadn't connected via paper before now! And this person whom both my husband and I match also matches another person who is also in my line! This is a fabulous test...for us anyway! Both my husband and I each have 10 matches, 3 close for me and 2 close for him. My first closest is my husband's 2nd closest. And both my husband and I closely match men with the same surname, but we don't know yet if these latter two men are related to each other. AND this latter surname is the surname of my uncle's mother's mother! (My uncle and my mother had the same father, but different mothers).

THANK YOU FTDNA for offering this test!

JC

What people are saying about the new
Finder test