yDNA Testing
Males from several of my lines have had their yDNA tested: Vaughn, Phillips, Prince, and Chambless. DNA testing can prove that a family is not related to you at all, and can prove that a family is related to you within a certain number of generations. There are several levels of testing to show different aspects of a person's heritage. The genealogical DNA testing does not test markers related to disease; that is a different kind of DNA test, and much more expensive. This page gives a broad overview of genealogical DNA testing in layman's terms. For a more scientifically concise explanation, do a search on the web to choose from literally thousands of sites.
How this Works
The first task is finding a male family member with the correct surname. Try to find the male who is the furtherest generation back (this may also be the oldest male). For example, use the uncle rather than the nephew if possible, or the grandfather rather than the grandson. Does your grandfather have any brothers, or uncles or cousins with the same surname still living? These would be first choice for testing. Alternately, go further back on the family tree, then go down a different branch, perhaps one of those males would agree to do the test.
The male relative then contacts one of the DNA genealogy testing companies (we used FamilyTree DNA). The company will mail a "kit" containing swabs and a container. The male rubs the inside of his cheek with the swab for a certain amount of time, then puts it in the provided container, and mails it back to the company. No blood is needed for this test.
I'm working with a surname line now where the gentleman does not have a computer and is not computer literate. Email is required, and the ability to log onto a website, so we are still working out the details of handling this situation.
Cost
Next, decide how to pay for the yDNA test (the most useful one costs approximately $250). If you're a female, perhaps offer to pay half or take up a collection at the next family reunion. When I pay 1/2 on a test, I ask that all the test results be shared with me. If you get the cheapest test trying to save money, later you will have to upgrade to get any useful genealogical data. Check out the Surname Project for the surname you wish to test - they usually have discounted pricing.
Tests
12 marker test - this is the cheapest test, but also the least useful. It will show a match with thousands of people, most of whom do not have your surname. If you're only wondering whether you are European, Asian, or African, it will meet that need, and will identify your "Haplotype". It shows some basic lineage, such as you came out of Europe, or out of Scandinavia, or Asia, or Africa. A match on this test shows that sometime around 1100 you were related to others who match these 12 markers exactly. Actually, the experts say around 30 generations, but I've done a rough calculation to find the year. Most people who buy this test end up "upgrading" to one of the more useful tests. Costs about $120 at ftDNA.
25 marker test - this is one step up from the 12 marker test, and may provide some useful genealogical information if you have your family tree researched for many generations. My rough calculation is that if you have an exact match with another male, the two of you had a very close common ancestor around the1500's. The experts say within 13 generations. Costs about $125 at ftDNA.
37 marker test - another step up from the 12 marker test, and it does provide some useful genealogical information. My rough calculation is that if you have an exact match with another male, the two of you had a very close common ancestor around the early 1700's. The experts say within 7 generations. Costs about $170 at ftDNA.
67 marker test - this is the best test to get, and also quite expensive. It is supposed to show you had a close common ancestor around the late 1700's to early 1800's, where most of us hit our proverbial "brick wall". The experts say within 6 generations. Costs about $270 at ftDNA.
111 marker test - recently arrived on the market. It's so new, I'm not sure what situations this would resolve. By all means, if you have the money to spare, take this test, and never have to upgrade. (of course, until the "latest and greatest new test" arrives on the market!) Few have taken this test thus far, and it is much more expensive than the 67 marker test. Costs about $360 at ftDNA.
Upgrades - Each test builds on the previous test, for example, markers 1-12 are tested in the first test, then markers 13-25 are tested, then markers 26-37, then 38-67. For example, If you already have the 37 marker test, and upgrade to the 67 marker test, only markers 38-67 are actually tested in the upgrade, since you already have the test results from the first set of markers, 1-37. But keep this in mind - if you had no matches on the 25 or 37 or 67 marker test, you will have no matches when you upgrade, either. The upgrade merely takes the matches you already know about, and narrows down their relationship to you much closer; or may prove the person who matched on the 25 marker test is actually very distant and not close at all. How could this be? Say, for example, you have several 25 marker exact matches - are you kin? An upgrade could show that the next markers in the sequence mostly match - or don't match at all.
Note the way they use "generations" to find a "most recent common ancestor" (MRCA) - this is why you want the oldest person/ oldest generation in your family taking the test. It's 7 generations back from the grandson, or 7 back from the grandfather, depending on whom gets tested. None of these estimates are exact, the experts cite them as "probabilities" and "percentages", for example, if 35 of 37 markers match, there is a "95% probability that the MRCA was no longer than 14 generations back".
My recommendations is for everyone to purchase the 67 marker test (or 111 if you have that kind of money to spend) and be done with it, particularly if you've run into a brick wall around the early 1800's. Each test will receive about a $20-30 discount if done through a Surname Project.
Surname Project
Within several weeks or a couple of months after mailing the cheek swab to the DNA company, the results will be mailed to the testee, and posted on the Surname Project web page if permission has been given to do so. Only the "kit number" and the marker results are posted - the person's name who took the test is never posted publicly on these sites. If your results match someone else of your surname, you will be placed in a group on the results page of the Surname Project site with people closely related to you. If an exact or close match is found, the tested men may want to contact each other via email and share their research (if they have given permission to allow others to contact them.) Most sites post a basic pedigree chart for each kit # so others can determine if they are related.
Testing Results for my lines
Well we have some "oopsies" now that DNA has been tested. It turns out that our Phillips and Chambless lines haven't always had those surnames. The name change / paternity event happened prior to 1800, so it will be a miracle if we actually figure out the true story.
Note on Haplogroups - THEY KEEP CHANGING. When you think you've figured out where you fall on the DNA tree, they change your number, or even move you to a different branch. Even ISOOG has a difficult time keeping up!
Phillips Surname DNA Project Results - our family is kit #SMGF15 on FamilyTreeDNA. This line is branch I-DF29, Haplogroup I-M253 (formerly i1a) and has its highest frequency in Scandinavia, Iceland, and northwest Europe according to ISOGG. In Britain, haplogroup I-M253 is often used as a marker for Viking or Anglo-Saxon "invaders." There has been little research on this haplotype, with most researchers focusing on the much more numerous R1b haplotype. This great color coded Haplogroup I map was found on Wikipedia. Marker DYS462 is a 12, indicating our ancestors may have originated in the southern part of the mapped area, perhaps Denmark.
DNA shows that my Phillips line matches 100% the Ruble line, and the only Phillips we match are "ours". One of my cousins has written a genealogy book with a speculation of how this happened. I'm not yet convinced with the exact details due to our different ways of reading the records, but it's a very interesting speculation. She has given a copy to some libraries, and I know there is a copy in the Alabama Room at the Anniston Public Library. "Who Are Those Ancestors of Mine?" by Beverly Vee Phillips Gross. Very good book, with a lot of family stories and research.
Vaughn Surname DNA Project Results - our family is kit #142551. We may also be an exact match for kit #157825, since my research shows our most likely ancestors are the same. This line is Haplotype R1b1b2, a subset of the R1b marker which is the most frequently occurring haplogroup in Western Europe. According to Wikipedia, the R1b type is 70% or more in north and western England, northern Spain, northern Portugal, western France, Wales, Scotland. In Ireland and the Basque Country its frequency exceeds 90%. Our subset is defined by the presence of the M269 marker.
Prince Surname DNA Project Results - our family is kit #168644. We were recently notified of an exact 67 marker match, and there are several close matches with only 1 or 2 marker differences. This line is Haplotype R1b1b2, just like the Vaughn line.
Chambless DNA Results - our family is kit #204675. Unfortunately, there is no Chambless surname project at this time, and no matches for our surname. The Chambless DNA results were included in the Western North Carolina Project on ftDNA. This line is Haplotype R1b1a2.
When the Chamness DNA test was taken, three Chamness men "expected" to match. They didn't match, at least each other. Our line didn't match any other Chamness families in the USA except our own known family from the St. Clair County area of Alabama. However, my known cousins matched the Grigsby family, and due to a DNA variation in one of the descendants of "Immigrant John Grigsby", it was proven that our line descends from "Tennessee John" Grigsby, though we don't know which son of his we belong to. All descendants of Tennessee John carry a specific STR marker ( STR DYS458 = 16 ). The Grigsby family came over on the Mayflower, and there is a huge group of family members in the National Grigsby Family Society researching their roots. If you think you "may" be a Chambliss who is a Grigsby, contact the society, or me, and let someone know. There is a quick, cheap DNA test that checks this STR marker, and if you match, you're ours! Chamness men can order a JFS0012 SNP test from yseq.com to test. Don't get stuck on the spelling; our Chamness family goes by Chambless, Chambliss, Chamblis, Chamlis, Chamless, and possibly other variations.
Testing Companies
FamilyTreeDNA - this company has quickly become the top choice for yDNA testing. Testing outside of a project is more expensive than testing as part of a Surname Project, so be sure to find your surname project before ordering the test. ftDNA provides a means of closely matching males to contact each other, if they have each given permission. If you have your test done elsewhere, ftDNA will sell you a "conversion kit" for about $150.
Ancestry.com - 33 or 46 marker tests cost $99-149. Must be a paid member of Ancestry and logged in to view results.
National Geographic Genographic Project - this DNA project's purpose is mapping the migratory history of the human species. It appears to use something similar to the 12 marker test to identify Haplotypes, and doesn't provide genealogically useful information. They stopped selling Geno kits on May 31, 2019 and are no longer processing results.
mtDNA
Females cannot participate in yDNA testing. The yDNA test goes back through only the male line, your father's father's father's father, etc. Females can only participate in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) testing. This tests back through the mother's mother's mother's mother's line, etc. Both males and females can take this test. However, at this time, it doesn't seem that the mtDNA test provides any useful genealogical information. My limited understanding is that it will provide information similar to the yDNA 12 marker test. Even with an exact match, there's no way of knowing whether the relationship represents a recent ancestor or one who lived many generations ago. Until they can do more with it, it appears to be a waste of money.
atDNA
This is currently the most popular test, as it shows your matches and matches in common. Men and women can take the test and both get a tremendous amount of useful information, particularly if your matches have pedigree trees to browse and see how you are are related. Testing companies allow downloading of your own raw DNA so you can upload to various other companies for additional matching or reports.
This is not a testing company. Each testing company "does their own thing", testing various markers, but none have the same list of markers. Your raw DNA results can be downloaded from all the major testing companies, and uploaded to various websites so you can see even more matches (FamilyTreeDNA, MyHeritage). Some (Ancestry and 23andMe) will not let you upload any other test results. To help people match with those who have taken tests at other companies, GEDMatch is a central location for anyone to post DNA test results. You can see matches regardless of testing company. You can also add your GEDCOM, and see other peoples data, if they make their data public. Most of the site is free, but there are a few premium features that can be purchased by the month or year.
This is not a testing company. You can upload your raw DNA information, and they will create reports related to medical conditions found in your DNA. Basically they do a lookup, matching your DNA markers to the research found in SNPedia, and present it in easy to understand reports. This report should probably be done every 6-12 months, as the DNA findings and understandings are rapidly expanding. I have a sneaking suspicion that the larger testing companies are keeping an eye on this, and will start removing markers that are useful for these reports, in their undying efforts to force people to buy their "medical markers" test.
