About us
New Group Administrator needed. Due to health problems I will be unable to continue to manage this project. If you are interested in being administrator (may do it together with another family member if you like) please contact me at aledoux@comcast.net.
The LeDoux DNA Surname Project is proud to be included in the new field of "genetic genealogy". DNA testing is becoming a useful tool for genealogists and can now provide a means of connecting LeDouxs within the USA and abroad. All spellings of the LeDoux name, worldwide, are welcome to join the LeDoux DNA Project. We seek to identify LeDoux family lines & relationships in America & Europe.
Researching a surname may give us good but not infallible information about the origin of a family. However, DNA-testing can give us concrete evidence for identifying and separating family lines. Y-chromosome DNA testing is especially helpful because the male Y-chromosome is handed down, father to son, unchanged through the generations, except for rare mutations which, in themselves, can be helpful indicators of branching. The accessibility and affordability of family DNA testing is doubtless the greatest technical advance in the history of genealogical research because -- at long, long last -- we have a tool to break down those brick walls!
Since the Y-chromosome is passed down through an unbroken male lineage (father to son to son, etc.), you must be a male with the LeDoux surname or spelling variation to participate. In order for a female to participate, she must recruit a male on her father's side --her father, brother, male cousin, uncle, etc.
Your genetic test kit will arrive in the mail. The kit consists of a cheek scraper, a collection tube and instructions. You simply rub the inside of your cheek a number of times with a special swab, put the swab back into the envelope, and drop it in the mail. Simple as can be. Participants are identified on the Project web site not by name but by the number assigned to your test kit. (Unless you choose to have your name with your kit.)
If you're interested in being a part of the LeDoux DNA Project, we require you to submit a small genealogy report starting with your earliest known LeDoux/Le Doux ancestor. Please don't let this requirement keep you from being tested. We are just interested in knowing who your grandpa was and as far back as you know. This lets us put you with the right "branch" and the right LeDoux tree. This information will be placed on the site with your kit number.
It may be that you are new to genealogy and haven't found an ancestor earlier than the 1900s. No problem. Hopefully by taking advantage of the knowledge of the primary researchers of the various LeDoux families, we can help you make the connection to the correct tree with the information you furnish. The report does not have to be generated with special software. A simple narrative will do. Example: My grandpa was John Doe, He married Jane Smith. His Father was Jim Doe. He married Jenny Jones and so on, as far back as you know. Under the News tab at the top of this page you will see examples of the type of information we are looking for.
As your project administrator, I am committed to protecting your privacy. If privacy is a concern for you, you will only be identified as a "descendant of ?" and your kit number. (We can go back as far back as you feel comfortable)
If privacy is not a concern, your name may be listed with your kit number, if you prefer.
HOW TO JOIN
To join this project, please contact the group administrator or use the "Join this Group" link on the top left of this page. If you join the group and order your test kit, FTDNA gives a significant price break. Family Tree DNA offers many tests including Y-DNA 12 markers for $99.00. If possible, LeDoux DNA Project recommends that you begin with the Y-DNA 25 marker test ($148.00) or the Y-DNA 37 marker test (189.00). With at least 25 markers tested, you will be better able to compare your data with other participants. But you may always upgrade at a later date.
We also welcome LeDoux DNA submissions from those who have tested through other projects or companies. As a member of FTDNA you are allowed to join two projects.
Group administrator: Ann Mosley LeDoux
..........................aledoux@comcast.net
Disclaimer
I have no financial interest in this project nor do I have any association with www.familytreedna.com. I am only interested, like others in this group, in furthering my genealogical research.
...........................................................................................DNA EXPLANATION ..........................................
For those of you who are not familiar with DNA testing, let me give you a simplified explanation. It's a little bit silly but you will get the general idea...
If you can, imagine Edward LeDoux born in 1735 carrying around a photo ID of his unique DNA numbers in his pocket. For illustrative purposes, let’s say the card has 8 numbers on it: "3, 8, 5, 7, 1, 9, 12, 22." This photo ID is unique and proclaims to all the world: “I AM A LeDOUX”.
Assume this Edward had five sons and 2 daughters. When each of his five sons are born, he looks at that son and says “Here you go, YOU ARE A LeDOUX” and gives him an exact copy of his card (he does not give this card to his daughters). So all 5 sons are now carrying around a copy of the card their father Edward gave them.
When these 5 brothers have boys of their own, they look at each of their sons and say, "Hey bud, here is your card: "3, 8, 5, 7, 1, 9, 12, 22. YOU ARE A LeDOUX”. This card is passed down and passed down through the generations. Twelve generations down the road, a grandson born in 2007 could pull out his card and it will look exactly like the same unique card that his grandpa Edward LeDoux, born 1735, gave to his sons. BUT….
Now here is where the fun comes in. Though it is a rare occurrence, one of these “card carrying” LeDouxs may change a single number on the card when he gives it to one of his sons. For example say that Edward gives four of his sons the same copy of the card he was given:
“3, 8, 5, 7, 1, 9, 12, 22”.
But to the 5th son, he changes one of the numbers on the card and gives him a card that looks like this: “4, 8, 5, 7, 1, 9, 12, 22”. Now when this 5th son has boys of his own, he gives them the changed card that he was given: “4, 8, 5, 7, 1, 9, 12, 22” And his boys will pass this changed card to their sons on down through the generations. The card still says “I AM A LeDOUX”, but… it is just a little bit different.
Every number that is on the card represents a "marker" on our DNA that has been tested. We do not know when these changes (also called mutations) in a father's markers will occur. They are unpredictable and occur randomly every so many generations depending on which marker it is. Some markers rarely ever change (called slow moving) and some markers are more susceptible to change (called fast moving). Family tree DNA chooses a mix of fast and slow moving markers to test. On average, mutations in any given marker used in genealogical DNA testing are estimated to occur only once every 500 generations.
These mutations establish genetic signatures, called haplotypes, which define particular branches within a family tree. In terms of genealogy, mutations (or changes) in markers are a good thing! The mutation, known as a marker, acts as a beacon; it can be mapped through generations because it will be passed down from the man in whom it occurred to his sons, their sons, and every male in his family for many thousands of years.
For example, if John Doe LeDoux contacts us and says "I don’t know my ancestors any further back than my grandpa. Oral history in my family says we came through Canada. The paper trail has run cold.” If we test his DNA and his eight markers come back looking like this: “4, 8, 5, 7, 1, 9, 12, 22” By comparing his results with the DNA markers of other men with proven ancestry to each of the 5 sons, not only can we tell him that "Yes, you are a LeDOUX of our line!” but we can tell him: “You descend from Edward’s 5th son”, because it is his branch that carries that "change". Although it can not tell him which of the descendants of the 5th son he belongs to, he now knows where to focus his research.
Also, because of the marker that has changed, Family Tree DNA can use the statistics associated with that marker to estimate when John Doe LeDoux’s “most recent common ancestor” occurred with another LeDoux match.
In addition, if his DNA comes back looking like this: “4, 8, 5, 7, 2, 9, 12, 23”, we can tell him: “Sorry but you are not a LeDoux of our line”. But perhaps he will match another LeDoux family that we have tested.
You will find links to more scientific explanations of DNA testing on the FTDNA home page.
The LeDoux DNA Surname Project is proud to be included in the new field of "genetic genealogy". DNA testing is becoming a useful tool for genealogists and can now provide a means of connecting LeDouxs within the USA and abroad. All spellings of the LeDoux name, worldwide, are welcome to join the LeDoux DNA Project. We seek to identify LeDoux family lines & relationships in America & Europe.
Researching a surname may give us good but not infallible information about the origin of a family. However, DNA-testing can give us concrete evidence for identifying and separating family lines. Y-chromosome DNA testing is especially helpful because the male Y-chromosome is handed down, father to son, unchanged through the generations, except for rare mutations which, in themselves, can be helpful indicators of branching. The accessibility and affordability of family DNA testing is doubtless the greatest technical advance in the history of genealogical research because -- at long, long last -- we have a tool to break down those brick walls!
Since the Y-chromosome is passed down through an unbroken male lineage (father to son to son, etc.), you must be a male with the LeDoux surname or spelling variation to participate. In order for a female to participate, she must recruit a male on her father's side --her father, brother, male cousin, uncle, etc.
Your genetic test kit will arrive in the mail. The kit consists of a cheek scraper, a collection tube and instructions. You simply rub the inside of your cheek a number of times with a special swab, put the swab back into the envelope, and drop it in the mail. Simple as can be. Participants are identified on the Project web site not by name but by the number assigned to your test kit. (Unless you choose to have your name with your kit.)
If you're interested in being a part of the LeDoux DNA Project, we require you to submit a small genealogy report starting with your earliest known LeDoux/Le Doux ancestor. Please don't let this requirement keep you from being tested. We are just interested in knowing who your grandpa was and as far back as you know. This lets us put you with the right "branch" and the right LeDoux tree. This information will be placed on the site with your kit number.
It may be that you are new to genealogy and haven't found an ancestor earlier than the 1900s. No problem. Hopefully by taking advantage of the knowledge of the primary researchers of the various LeDoux families, we can help you make the connection to the correct tree with the information you furnish. The report does not have to be generated with special software. A simple narrative will do. Example: My grandpa was John Doe, He married Jane Smith. His Father was Jim Doe. He married Jenny Jones and so on, as far back as you know. Under the News tab at the top of this page you will see examples of the type of information we are looking for.
As your project administrator, I am committed to protecting your privacy. If privacy is a concern for you, you will only be identified as a "descendant of ?" and your kit number. (We can go back as far back as you feel comfortable)
If privacy is not a concern, your name may be listed with your kit number, if you prefer.
HOW TO JOIN
To join this project, please contact the group administrator or use the "Join this Group" link on the top left of this page. If you join the group and order your test kit, FTDNA gives a significant price break. Family Tree DNA offers many tests including Y-DNA 12 markers for $99.00. If possible, LeDoux DNA Project recommends that you begin with the Y-DNA 25 marker test ($148.00) or the Y-DNA 37 marker test (189.00). With at least 25 markers tested, you will be better able to compare your data with other participants. But you may always upgrade at a later date.
We also welcome LeDoux DNA submissions from those who have tested through other projects or companies. As a member of FTDNA you are allowed to join two projects.
Group administrator: Ann Mosley LeDoux
..........................aledoux@comcast.net
Disclaimer
I have no financial interest in this project nor do I have any association with www.familytreedna.com. I am only interested, like others in this group, in furthering my genealogical research.
...........................................................................................DNA EXPLANATION ..........................................
For those of you who are not familiar with DNA testing, let me give you a simplified explanation. It's a little bit silly but you will get the general idea...
If you can, imagine Edward LeDoux born in 1735 carrying around a photo ID of his unique DNA numbers in his pocket. For illustrative purposes, let’s say the card has 8 numbers on it: "3, 8, 5, 7, 1, 9, 12, 22." This photo ID is unique and proclaims to all the world: “I AM A LeDOUX”.
Assume this Edward had five sons and 2 daughters. When each of his five sons are born, he looks at that son and says “Here you go, YOU ARE A LeDOUX” and gives him an exact copy of his card (he does not give this card to his daughters). So all 5 sons are now carrying around a copy of the card their father Edward gave them.
When these 5 brothers have boys of their own, they look at each of their sons and say, "Hey bud, here is your card: "3, 8, 5, 7, 1, 9, 12, 22. YOU ARE A LeDOUX”. This card is passed down and passed down through the generations. Twelve generations down the road, a grandson born in 2007 could pull out his card and it will look exactly like the same unique card that his grandpa Edward LeDoux, born 1735, gave to his sons. BUT….
Now here is where the fun comes in. Though it is a rare occurrence, one of these “card carrying” LeDouxs may change a single number on the card when he gives it to one of his sons. For example say that Edward gives four of his sons the same copy of the card he was given:
“3, 8, 5, 7, 1, 9, 12, 22”.
But to the 5th son, he changes one of the numbers on the card and gives him a card that looks like this: “4, 8, 5, 7, 1, 9, 12, 22”. Now when this 5th son has boys of his own, he gives them the changed card that he was given: “4, 8, 5, 7, 1, 9, 12, 22” And his boys will pass this changed card to their sons on down through the generations. The card still says “I AM A LeDOUX”, but… it is just a little bit different.
Every number that is on the card represents a "marker" on our DNA that has been tested. We do not know when these changes (also called mutations) in a father's markers will occur. They are unpredictable and occur randomly every so many generations depending on which marker it is. Some markers rarely ever change (called slow moving) and some markers are more susceptible to change (called fast moving). Family tree DNA chooses a mix of fast and slow moving markers to test. On average, mutations in any given marker used in genealogical DNA testing are estimated to occur only once every 500 generations.
These mutations establish genetic signatures, called haplotypes, which define particular branches within a family tree. In terms of genealogy, mutations (or changes) in markers are a good thing! The mutation, known as a marker, acts as a beacon; it can be mapped through generations because it will be passed down from the man in whom it occurred to his sons, their sons, and every male in his family for many thousands of years.
For example, if John Doe LeDoux contacts us and says "I don’t know my ancestors any further back than my grandpa. Oral history in my family says we came through Canada. The paper trail has run cold.” If we test his DNA and his eight markers come back looking like this: “4, 8, 5, 7, 1, 9, 12, 22” By comparing his results with the DNA markers of other men with proven ancestry to each of the 5 sons, not only can we tell him that "Yes, you are a LeDOUX of our line!” but we can tell him: “You descend from Edward’s 5th son”, because it is his branch that carries that "change". Although it can not tell him which of the descendants of the 5th son he belongs to, he now knows where to focus his research.
Also, because of the marker that has changed, Family Tree DNA can use the statistics associated with that marker to estimate when John Doe LeDoux’s “most recent common ancestor” occurred with another LeDoux match.
In addition, if his DNA comes back looking like this: “4, 8, 5, 7, 2, 9, 12, 23”, we can tell him: “Sorry but you are not a LeDoux of our line”. But perhaps he will match another LeDoux family that we have tested.
You will find links to more scientific explanations of DNA testing on the FTDNA home page.