What DNA test is best the one that gives percentages of race or the MTDNA one?

Question

The ancestybydna 2.5 gives you the percentages. The MTDNA mitricondria tests tells you were all your ancestors came from? I am a genealogist of 10yrs. and confused at which one would be more beneficial to my research. I have been reading online and people are directing others to familytreedna.com , saying the regular MTDNA test are the best.

Answer 1

To add to the previous poster's comments, this might help a little.

A DNA test can show, approximately, your ancestors trail through the world since the evolution of your first ancestor, because you are female a test of your Mtdna will not show any paternal line at all, only the possible origin of your mother, her mother, your great grandmother etc., etc. You do not carry your father's Y-DNA and, either he, your brother, father's brother, or your father's father, or a male cousin on your father's side, would need to be tested to show your father's genetic origins.

DNA cannot tell you which country you originated in, only the probable area, or areas of the world your ancient ancestors passed through during their evolution.

Human cells contain 23 pairs of chromosomes: 22 pairs of autosomes, and one pair of s*x chromosomes. Females carry a pair of X chromosomes that can swap, or recombine, similar regions of DNA during meiosis. However, males harbor one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, and significant recombination between these dissimilar s*x chromosomes does not occur. Therefore, the non-recombining region of the Y chromosome (NRY) remains largely unchanged over many generations, directly passed from father to son, son to grandson, and so on, along with genetic variations in the NRY that may be present. Scientists can use genetic variations, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), on the Y chromosome as markers of human ancestry and migration.

It is very effective and the best companies will retest until they get a conclusive result.

If you have, say, just the first 12 markers tested($149 with FTDNA), that will give an indication of where you originated, the more markers you test on, the more information is gained ( for mtdna, your suggested geographic origin and your maternal deep ancestral ethnic origin, $129 with FTDNA) if you test on the maximumum of, say 67 markers ($349 with FTDNA), it is possible then to find a match to someone else carrying your own, or a different surname, and to prove a link where perhaps no "paper trail" exists. It can therefore pinpoint a place in which your ancestors probably lived in recent history but DNA does not, obviously,

have a surname attached to it, surnames have only been used for around 700 years and of course your DNA originated 10s of thousands of years ago. You can also have a SNP test which will help show the migratory pattern of your ancient ancestors, having said that, you can join a Surname project (e.g. with FTDNA) and receive discounted prices on your tests.

I recommend that you make yourself aware of the various tests available, and the costs with each testing company.

Plus, check out what help and service is available to you with each company after you have tested.

I used Family Tree DNA ,they were the first in the field (founded in 1999), have the largest data base, and do the testing for the National Geographic's Genome project, their "after sales" is excellent and I consider they are the best, but you have to make your own decision on that.

http://www.familytreedna.org

Answer 2

No it will not give you all your percentages.

Y DNA is passed from father to son only.

Mitochondrial DNA is passed from mother to both sons and daughters but only the daughters pass it on to their children.

Most  of your DNA is autosomal.  You get it 50-50 from both parents.  It determines your height, pigmentation etc.  

Y & Mitochondrial are used in genealogy as they go back in a direct line virtually unchanged.  But neither will provide you with the DNA from the spouses of the direct Y & Mitochondrial lines and their families. It really is a minute part of your total DNA.   Autosomal also is the only dna that relates a female to her father.

If you get back to your 6xgreat grandparents, barring any duplicates, you are directly descended from 510 individuals. It pyramids.  Of those 510 individuals, you get your mitochondrial DNA from only 8 and if you are a male you will get your Y DNA from only 8 but you get your autosomal DNA from all 510.  Genealogy DNA companies are working to use autosomal but it is more complicated.

However, if your Y & Mitochondrial helps match you with other family trees, then you will probably discover spouses and parents of those direct lines.

Answer 3

From Ancestry:

Can a Maternal Lineage DNA Test Show Me Anything Besides My Ancient Ancestry?

Yes. It can be used to find maternal genetic cousins. It's true that maternal lineage tests-taken using a sample of your mitochondrial DNA (or mtDNA)-show your ancient ancestry (as does the Y-DNA, or paternal lineage, test). Your maternal lineage tests will give you more than just your ancient ancestry. As with your paternal lineage tests, you will also get back a DNA profile. You will also get a list of other users in the database who have a matching profile, as well as those who don't.

Your Maternal Lineage test results are compared against each profile in the DNA Ancestry database and against every new test that is added. Participants who match your maternal results will share the same haplogroup and could be related at a very distant level. Those participants whose results differ from yours are definitively not maternally related to you.

From FamilyTree DNA:

The Maternal DNA test is available for both males and females, to uncover information about your mother, and her female ancestors.

A single test allows you to verify:

- if 2 females are possibly related

- your suggested geographic origin

- your maternal deep ancestral ethnic origin

I'd say either one would be good, though people prefer FamilyTree DNA. I've had great success with it, though I'm doing my maternal side with Ancestry as they have a 1/2 sale now.

The place to upload mitochondrial DNA results is www.mitosearch.org.  www.ysearch.org is for yline results.