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It is my guess that everyone has heard of, or knows something about, DNA testing by now. It is mentioned with regularity in the newspaper these days with regards to criminal cases. Most of us that watch police dramas on television have seen a bad guy getting the inside of his cheek swabbed for a saliva sample. And from that saliva sample, specific markers, or chemicals, in his DNA structure will be tested, that pertain only to him, to see if they match human samples left at a crime scene. This is a wonderful tool for prosecuting criminals.
But, how many of us are aware of DNA testing for genealogy purposes? Everyone involved in genealogy research is familiar with the ‘paper trail’. We’ve all had our share of visiting court houses and libraries, and reading microfilm, and tromping through cemeteries. And probably all of us doing research have hit the ‘brick wall’ with one or more of our tree branches. We may even have a possible ‘cousin’ that we know of that we can’t connect to our tree through a paper record. This is where DNA testing could come in handy. Also, we can use DNA results to prove or disprove an old family legend. The genetic markers that are tested for genealogy purposes are different than the markers tested for criminal purposes.
Our fathers have a Y and an X chromosome, and our mothers have two X chromosomes. If a newborn has a Y chromosome from the father, and an X chromosome from the mother, this newborn will be a boy. If a newborn has an X chromosome from the father, and an X chromosome from the mother, this newborn will be a girl. In boys, that same Y chromosome gets passed from father to son, generation after generation. So, when a son has his Y-DNA markers tested for genealogy purposes, he is also testing his father’s markers, his father’s father’s markers, his father’s father’s father’s markers, and so on.
As an example, your great-grandfather passed on his Y chromosome to all of his sons, who passed it on to all of their sons, and so on. So, your male cousins, second cousins, and so on, that share your surname, will all share the same results from Y-DNA testing. The odd marker result may differ due to a mutation in that marker. As you can see, the genetic markers that are tested for genealogy purposes pertain to all the males in the same family.
There is a quality DNA project that started in April 2000 called Family Tree DNA, out of Houston, Texas. Originally they used the lab at the University of Arizona for all their testing, but now have a second lab in Houston running tests, as well. Inside this project, genealogy researchers like you and I have started up surname groups and geographical groups to help each other achieve a common goal.
A test kit can be ordered, and paid for by credit card, on-line. The cost will be in US dollars. Family Tree DNA mails a test kit to your home address, you swab the inside of your cheek, and you return the test kit through the post back to the lab. The lab offers 12 marker, 25 marker, 37 marker, 67 marker and 111 marker tests, along with a BigY700 test. It is recommended that at least a 37 marker test be purchased. Once your test kit is received back at the lab, it should take approximately 2 months for the results to be culled from your sample. Family Tree DNA will set up a personal page for you on their website, that you will access with your test kit number and a password, so you can privately monitor your test’s progress, your test’s results, and see others in the project with whom your results match, among other things.
There is nothing to be concerned about regarding privacy issues. No one can learn anything about you personally with this information.
So, Urquhart gentlemen, please consider using Y-DNA testing as one of your genealogy tools. Let's expand the size of our surname in the Urquhart group, and hope for matches to help us expand our family trees. Please click on the JOIN button, on this webpage, or visit Family Tree DNA’s website, at: www.familytreedna.com
But, how many of us are aware of DNA testing for genealogy purposes? Everyone involved in genealogy research is familiar with the ‘paper trail’. We’ve all had our share of visiting court houses and libraries, and reading microfilm, and tromping through cemeteries. And probably all of us doing research have hit the ‘brick wall’ with one or more of our tree branches. We may even have a possible ‘cousin’ that we know of that we can’t connect to our tree through a paper record. This is where DNA testing could come in handy. Also, we can use DNA results to prove or disprove an old family legend. The genetic markers that are tested for genealogy purposes are different than the markers tested for criminal purposes.
Our fathers have a Y and an X chromosome, and our mothers have two X chromosomes. If a newborn has a Y chromosome from the father, and an X chromosome from the mother, this newborn will be a boy. If a newborn has an X chromosome from the father, and an X chromosome from the mother, this newborn will be a girl. In boys, that same Y chromosome gets passed from father to son, generation after generation. So, when a son has his Y-DNA markers tested for genealogy purposes, he is also testing his father’s markers, his father’s father’s markers, his father’s father’s father’s markers, and so on.
As an example, your great-grandfather passed on his Y chromosome to all of his sons, who passed it on to all of their sons, and so on. So, your male cousins, second cousins, and so on, that share your surname, will all share the same results from Y-DNA testing. The odd marker result may differ due to a mutation in that marker. As you can see, the genetic markers that are tested for genealogy purposes pertain to all the males in the same family.
There is a quality DNA project that started in April 2000 called Family Tree DNA, out of Houston, Texas. Originally they used the lab at the University of Arizona for all their testing, but now have a second lab in Houston running tests, as well. Inside this project, genealogy researchers like you and I have started up surname groups and geographical groups to help each other achieve a common goal.
A test kit can be ordered, and paid for by credit card, on-line. The cost will be in US dollars. Family Tree DNA mails a test kit to your home address, you swab the inside of your cheek, and you return the test kit through the post back to the lab. The lab offers 12 marker, 25 marker, 37 marker, 67 marker and 111 marker tests, along with a BigY700 test. It is recommended that at least a 37 marker test be purchased. Once your test kit is received back at the lab, it should take approximately 2 months for the results to be culled from your sample. Family Tree DNA will set up a personal page for you on their website, that you will access with your test kit number and a password, so you can privately monitor your test’s progress, your test’s results, and see others in the project with whom your results match, among other things.
There is nothing to be concerned about regarding privacy issues. No one can learn anything about you personally with this information.
So, Urquhart gentlemen, please consider using Y-DNA testing as one of your genealogy tools. Let's expand the size of our surname in the Urquhart group, and hope for matches to help us expand our family trees. Please click on the JOIN button, on this webpage, or visit Family Tree DNA’s website, at: www.familytreedna.com