Where can i go to have a geneology dna test done

Question

i would like to find out what (if any) other mixtures i hav in my blood. My parents are haitian, but my maternal grandfather was said to have had chinese ancestry and even looked very much like he had asian blood. And the last name on my paternal side is "sinal" which i heard is portuguese? I am very confused. PLease help if you have any answers to my question or any institutions in nyc that i can go to to get atest done. (I prefer an actually confrontation than websites) Thanks in advance

Answer 1

http://dna.ancestry.com/welcome.aspx

Paternal Lineage Test (Y-Chromosome 33) — Recommended

Find genetic cousins and learn about ancient paternal ancestry. This is the recommended test for genealogy. For male participants only. $149

Advanced Paternal Lineage Test (Y-Chromosome 46)

Thirteen additional markers provide a more precise comparison with other participants who also have the advanced test. For male participants only. $199

Maternal Lineage Test (Mitochondrial DNA)

Learn about the ancient ancestry and early human migrations of your maternal line forbearers. For both female and male participants. $179  

Answer 2

Call your local Court Clerk and ask who they use for DNA testing. I have found that they are most reliable and fairly reasonably priced.

Answer 3

http://www.familytreedna.com/

Answer 4

From 'Which ? Computing'....

Corporate Press Releases Genetically defective testing

03 June 2008

  

Expensive online DNA testing services won’t unlock the secrets to your past and are a waste of money, reveals Which? Computing.

In an undercover investigation, Which? Computing submitted the same two DNA samples to four web-based DNA testing companies* that claim to reveal samplers’ ancestry and chart their heritage.

The computer magazine paid between £75 and £510 for services which provided little more than a piece of paper mapping their origin. One company, 23andMe, seemed to be hedging its bets when it said that the DNA sample came from somebody of Polish, Arab or Irish decent.

Worryingly, there were discrepancies in results for the male volunteer from two companies, DNA Solutions and Oxford Ancestors. A DNA blueprint is unique, so both companies should have given the same results.**

Which? Computing also discovered privacy issues in the small print. Companies could store samples of DNA for up to 20 years, share data with other organisations that conduct similar research and share results online.

There isn’t a code of practice or regulatory body for this kind of DNA testing. The Human Genetics Commission believes such testing ‘should be subject to an appropriate level of oversight’ and is paying particular attention to how long companies keep DNA samples.

Sarah Kidner, Editor, Which? Computing says:

“Interest in genealogy has increased massively due to programmes like ‘Who do you think you are’ but people need to be wary of DNA testing services. It’s unlikely that any of the information we received would help in researching a family tree. In fact, the results are so vague it’s almost the equivalent of telling someone what their star sign is.”

- Ends –

Notes to Editor

* Which? Computing sent the same two DNA samples (one male, one female) to four DNA testing companies: Ancestory.co.uk, DNA Solutions, Oxford Ancestors and 23andMe. The companies involved put the samples through either a Paternal Lineage Test (Y chromosome) or Maternal Lineage Test (Mitochondrial DNA) which gives the blueprint of a person’s DNA (DNA markers). Prices varied from $149 (£75) for a Paternal Lineage test with Ancestry.co.uk to $999 (£510) for extensive DNA analysis from 23andMe. The results were analysed by a genetics expert.

** The results imply that the two sets of results refer to different people. Oxford Ancestors said they use a different coding system “because it lends itself to comparison to published academic data and research.” As a result, some markers would be labelled differently. The genetics expert said: “While there wasn’t an error in this case, this confusion reflects that the underlying methodology is not standardised and can therefore be prone to error.”

Answer 5

DNA tests will not give you specific ethnicities but something like Northern European, East Asian etc.

Also, only Y & Mitochondrial are used as they go back in a straight line virtually unchanged. That is a very small part of your total DNA

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 coming down from all your ancestors.  It is what determines your physical characateristics such as pigmentation, bone structure, height etc.  It is the only DNA that relates a female to her father or anyone to the spouses and their families of those in their direct Y & Mitochondrial lines.

If you get back to your 6xgreat grandparents, barring any duplicates, you are directly descended from 510 individuals.  It pyramids.  Of those 510, you get your mitochondrial DNA from only 8 and if you are male you also get your Y DNA from only 8 but you get your autosomal DNA from all 510.

The oldest company doing Genealogy DNA testing is FamilyTreeDNA.Com. out of Houston, Texas.  They do the DNA testing for the National Geographic Project.

Another group that will do it for free is SMGF. They won't send you a report but will put the results on their website.  It took about 6 months for them to put mine there.  They have contracted with GeneTree to interpret the results and I got mine done for $19.50.  You have to have a signon with GeneTree but that is free.

Just put FamilyTreeDNA or SMGF in your search engine to pull up the sites.

Answer 6

PBS.org has this African Life thing.  You don't need to be black. It's a donation of $350 and they send you not only the DNA kit, but you get the DVD's too.  Which I found very interesting.  Anyways, they use the midochondrial (I'm sure I spelled that wrong) DNA strand to find out where you are from. Well, where your female ansestors are from.