About us
Just a few years ago, the big excitement in genealogy was the use of computers with the Internet. This gave us the ability to easily correspond with many genealogists who were interested in the same family line(s). However, more importantly, it gave us the ability to conveniently search through a growing number of online genealogical databases without ever leaving the comfort of our homes.
Today, the latest tool for the genealogist is genetic testing (some people are now referring to it as genetealogy). In some cases, in our traditional Betz genealogy, we have had to guess about some of the possible descendant lines for our oldest known ancestors. DNA testing can prove or disprove a descendant line in most cases. In other situations, some of us have literally hit a "brick wall". Again, in some cases, DNA testing can be used to help us get around or over it.
Here are just some of the basic reasons that DNA tests are or will become important to us as Betz genealogists:
1. As we go further back in time, our paper trail (written records) gets fainter and fainter--DNA does not.
2. Much of the documentary evidence that is being posted online is full of inaccuracies, many of the traditionally relied upon “old genealogies” that were written decades ago are full of holes, especially when you get further back in time, and we have made to make assumptions about some older Betz lines, based on what little paper evidence we have--DNA testing should be able to prove or disprove these lines.
3. As more documentary evidence becomes available online, we can use DNA testing to “focus” our efforts on specific DNA-proven lines (in other words, we are not wasting our time on a line that is not even ours).
4. DNA testing can steer us in directions we’d not thought of researching, using the conventional paper trails.
Some experts now believe that the impact of DNA testing on genealogy will be as great (or more so) than the Internet. They see a quantum shift coming in genealogy where (when we have the major Betz family lines DNA tested and proven) someone beginning their genealogical quest may collect what they know about their family. Then the next logical next step for them will be to take a DNA test, to see which Betz line they descend from. Their efforts could then be concentrated on that line and they could search the databases specifically for that line.
There are three basic types of DNA testing. The one of most use to the genealogist is called Y-DNA testing, and it follows only the male or paternal family line (usually along with a specific surname). The second type of DNA testing is called mtDNA (short for mitochondrial DNA) and it traces the maternal (mother's) line only. The third type of testing is Autosomal DNA testing. It is still very controversial, but it purports to determine the “genetic percentage” of certain ethnicities of a person (the percentage amount of African or Native American blood, for example).
It is important to keep in mind that DNA testing for the purposes of proving ancestry is NOT a substitute for traditional family history research. Instead, it is a tool to be used in conjunction WITH your "paper trail" research, to aid in proving or disproving suspected family relationships. You will find that it is definitely an exciting new tool to add to your own genealogy “toolbox.”
If you wish to know more details about DNA testing, please go to http://home.comcast.net/~denneydna/ and select the DNA FAQ button at the lower left. (This is a webpage that was set up for Denny DNA testing but the same rules apply to Betz DNA testing.)
If you are a beginner, I would also recommend a book titled “Trace Your Roots with DNA” by Megan Smolenyak and Ann Turner. There are others (such as “DNA and Family History” by Chris Pomery but for the beginner, “Trace Your Roots with DNA” is easily the best book for beginners in genealogy and DNA testing at this time.
Today, the latest tool for the genealogist is genetic testing (some people are now referring to it as genetealogy). In some cases, in our traditional Betz genealogy, we have had to guess about some of the possible descendant lines for our oldest known ancestors. DNA testing can prove or disprove a descendant line in most cases. In other situations, some of us have literally hit a "brick wall". Again, in some cases, DNA testing can be used to help us get around or over it.
Here are just some of the basic reasons that DNA tests are or will become important to us as Betz genealogists:
1. As we go further back in time, our paper trail (written records) gets fainter and fainter--DNA does not.
2. Much of the documentary evidence that is being posted online is full of inaccuracies, many of the traditionally relied upon “old genealogies” that were written decades ago are full of holes, especially when you get further back in time, and we have made to make assumptions about some older Betz lines, based on what little paper evidence we have--DNA testing should be able to prove or disprove these lines.
3. As more documentary evidence becomes available online, we can use DNA testing to “focus” our efforts on specific DNA-proven lines (in other words, we are not wasting our time on a line that is not even ours).
4. DNA testing can steer us in directions we’d not thought of researching, using the conventional paper trails.
Some experts now believe that the impact of DNA testing on genealogy will be as great (or more so) than the Internet. They see a quantum shift coming in genealogy where (when we have the major Betz family lines DNA tested and proven) someone beginning their genealogical quest may collect what they know about their family. Then the next logical next step for them will be to take a DNA test, to see which Betz line they descend from. Their efforts could then be concentrated on that line and they could search the databases specifically for that line.
There are three basic types of DNA testing. The one of most use to the genealogist is called Y-DNA testing, and it follows only the male or paternal family line (usually along with a specific surname). The second type of DNA testing is called mtDNA (short for mitochondrial DNA) and it traces the maternal (mother's) line only. The third type of testing is Autosomal DNA testing. It is still very controversial, but it purports to determine the “genetic percentage” of certain ethnicities of a person (the percentage amount of African or Native American blood, for example).
It is important to keep in mind that DNA testing for the purposes of proving ancestry is NOT a substitute for traditional family history research. Instead, it is a tool to be used in conjunction WITH your "paper trail" research, to aid in proving or disproving suspected family relationships. You will find that it is definitely an exciting new tool to add to your own genealogy “toolbox.”
If you wish to know more details about DNA testing, please go to http://home.comcast.net/~denneydna/ and select the DNA FAQ button at the lower left. (This is a webpage that was set up for Denny DNA testing but the same rules apply to Betz DNA testing.)
If you are a beginner, I would also recommend a book titled “Trace Your Roots with DNA” by Megan Smolenyak and Ann Turner. There are others (such as “DNA and Family History” by Chris Pomery but for the beginner, “Trace Your Roots with DNA” is easily the best book for beginners in genealogy and DNA testing at this time.