How accurate are DNA tests?

[Jwmann2]

Has anyone taken Dna tests with relevant results? I have heard scientists are very skeptical. Since Italians are so tight nit with family, there is no use for many to consider taking these tests, everyone seems to know who everyone is. I am thinking of taking one and was wondering if anyone could share their experience.

[unaBella]

my friend had a DNA test done (the mouth swab) and the results were 97.98% accurate. I think that is about as perfect as you can get.

hope this helps.

~ Christy

[DClocalGirl]

I had my mtDNA tested. My maternal line is from a town near Verona. Unfortunately I am in a very rare pre-European haplogroup N1c so I am having difficulties finding any matches. There is a possiblity that I may be descended from an Italian tribe that existed with the Etruscians and had once settled in my Nonna's village.

DNA testing does not define your geneology, it tells the story of where your ancestors traveled over time. And if you get lucky, you may be able to identify distant relatives you did not know about by matching haplogroup mutations.

Barbara

[ChrisMosca]

I heard that with males there's a part of the DNA that gets passed down to every male in the family and thats why sometimes is better to test a male in the family, is that true?

[Jwmann2]

i heard that they just compare your dna to others and if someone else just so happened to have sent their blood in, you will be a match. However, they do not offer any guarantees that you are related, even within 12 generations. Professional genealogists have told me they are flawed.

[DClocalGirl]

Men inherit both the y (paternal) and mt (maternal) DNA and can be tested for both. However, men only pass down their y DNA to their sons.

Women only inherit mtDNA from their mothers but pass their mt DNA to both their sons and daughters. Only their daughters can pass that mtDNA on however.

The one benefit men have with DNA testing is that they retain their paternal name making tracking families much easier. Unfortunately, maiden names are lost.

I carry the mtDNA of the woman in the photo, my great-grandmother Maria Bergamini. And I can locate other female relatives of hers through my mtDNA mutations in my N1c haplogroup. I find that exciting.

Barbara

[DClocalGirl]

Let's not forget that geneology is flawed as well. Records are missing or modified, verbal information can be inaccurate, and family secrets often go to the grave.

DNA testing is done with a simple cheek swab test. And you are not given any matches with your results. You are assigned to a large haplogroup and possibly a subclade of that haplogroup. You also are given a list of mutations where you differ from a standard.

To find any potential matches you add this information into one of the world wide databases. If I find another N1c in a database, which is hard for me because N1c is rare, then you begin to compare your mutations.

You are looking for someone with all your mutations on the first sequence. If those match then you look at further mutations. It is quite scientific and often not what is expected. But it does work.

[Romano1970]

Sorry to cut in on this. What is the cost for the DNA testing?? And where would you go to get this done??

[DClocalGirl]

No problem.

I used the Genographic Project because it is jointly run by National Geographic and IBM which gives it much research credibility as they are runring a major DNA tracking project in addition to public testing: https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/

A kit costs $99.95 + shipping and handling. They cut you a break if you order two kits.

I found it to be a very informative and fun experience.

Barbara

[ChrisMosca]

how about the one that ancestry.com promotes is that a credible place to take a DNA test from? thanks for answering all these questions.

[Romano1970]

One more thought on this. When you advised that they put your relatives near a certain town, how far back are we talking about here. Do the supply you with a year, a window of years?


I ask because I have place both of my families ( Romano, Ristagno / Nigrelli,Piazza) back to the mid 1800's. From Piazza Armerina and Mussomeli Sicily.

Thanks again

[DClocalGirl]

Just so we all understand, my maternal relatives are from a very ancient town near Verona. Testing did not identify this. My family has always stayed connected. I've been there and visited with my relatives.

What has intrigued Italian experts on DNAForums is that the town of San Giorgio di Valpollicella has documentation and artifacts of an Arusnati civilization which existed with the Etruscans. And since my mtDNA N1c is unusual and pre-European, there is a possibility that I may be of that lineage. Which has not been investigated yet.

This is the fun of DNA results. It doesn't give you anything except a window into where your ancestors traveled, it does not nail down how you got where you are today. For many it does identify potential relatives. But for me, it only gives ideas about where I can look to understand how my maternal relatives ended up in this small town.

[Cetta]

This is such a great thread - thanks for all the conversation about this. I was just thinking yesterday about getting one.

The Etruscans are pretty ancient. I wonder how far back the DNA can take you?

[Romano1970]

Great information DClocalgirl. It would be amazing for me to see, or to get an idea of where my relatives migrated from. With a last name like Romano sometimes it can be difficult to nail things down being that there are sooo many with that last name in Italia.

Have you seen the site where you can enter in your surname and see where all with that last name reside in Italy?? here is the link. Check it out, it is very fun.

http://www.gens.labo.net/en/cognomi/gen ... l?cognome=

Have fun and thank you for the information you have provided to us all.

[DClocalGirl]

The attached file is derived from my Genographic mtDNA testing to give you an idea of expected results. As you can see my N1c haplogroup does not have much information now. Only that it is pre-European and more testing is being done.

Barbara