Many people have posted that they have tested their DNA for research into their genealogy. From what I’ve read on this forum many of them have not researched which DNA company to use. They automatically go to AncestryDNA because it is affiliated with Ancestry.com.
I would like to suggest that before you spend a considerable amount of money on DNA research, you check out the three main genealogy DNA companies. The largest database belongs to FamilyTreeDNA. They have been offering their service the longest with high integrity and service. The second testing company is 23andMe which offers health information along with genealogy research. The last one is AncestryDNA which piggybacks on Ancestry.com. Ancestry.com is a huge database which collects free genealogy information and sells it to you.
Cece Moore, The Genetic Genealogist writes: "The first step is to determine your testing goals. Do you have a general curiosity about genetic genealogy or is your focus more specific? For example, please consider the following questions:
• Are you primarily interested in researching your surname?
• Are there specific brick walls that you wish to target with the use of DNA testing?
• How far back in your family tree are these brick walls?
• What is the ancestral pattern back to these brick walls, i.e.- mother’s mother’s mother or father’s mother’s mother’s father?
• Are you ready for a long-term project or do you desire quick answers?
• Are there adoptions in your family tree that you would like to explore?
• Is your primary interest receiving a percentage breakdown of your overall ancestral origins or “ethnicity”?"
For further information and an unbiased report to help you decide which is best for your research purposes:
http://isogg.org/wiki/Beginners'_guides_to_genetic_genealogy
https://www.geni.com/blog/dna-testing-for-genealogy-getting-started-par…
http://www.dna-testing-adviser.com/DNA-Testing-Guide.html
Linda Romero
Here I will break down what FTDNA, AncestryDNA, 23andme, FGC, Yseq.net can do and can't do and what kind of testing each company does.
1. Only FTDNA does Y-DNA STR testing and allows matching in it's large database which is the very best way to possibly find a recent common ancestor in the direct paternal line. At least 67 markers are needed to be sure the match is not a coincidence due to convergence. 111 markers are best though. Sometimes, but rarely, two people with a common ancestor in the past 500 years won't match at 37 markers but will match at 67 markers. So if a person is interested in the Y-DNA to possibly prove or disprove a common ancestor in the direct paternal line then the Y-DNA67 is the minimum test a person should get but they can start with a Y-DNA37 and upgrade later. There have already been a lot of people at FTDNA that have proven either common ancestry with their Y-DNA or proven that they are unique and do not match anyone.
2. Only FTDNA, Yseq.net and FGC do
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Using DNA for genealogy