How to differentiate mother and father Ancestors within DNA results
Hi All
I wonder If someone can help shed some light my way. I have recently tested mine and my brother’s DNA, but I still don’t understand how I can make the distinction between mother and father relatives within my matches.
I am originally from Brazil and record keeping there is a bit of a mess and so is record keeping. Is there an idiots proof set of instructions to follow? I uploaded my results to GEDmatch, still need to do my brother’s. Tried to watch the videos from the “Family History fanatics” channel and my head was set spinning!
many thanks for your help!
Elizabeth
Answers
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Hello Elizabeth,
Well, this board is for the Y chromosome, which only men have. You're referring to autosomal testing, which comes from all sides of the family. There are boards here that discuss your question. But briefly, you need some familiarity with you own family in order to begin to sort it out. For example, if a maternal first cousin tests, then you know that others who match on those same genetic markers are related on your mother's side. It sounds simple, and the testing companies make it look simple, but it can get very complex. After all, you do not have just a mother's side and a father's side, you have a mother's, father's, father's, mother's, father's side. By contacting your matches, doing the genealogy, comparing the matched segments to it, and comparing the matched segments to one another, a picture begins to emerge. But one word of caution: the limit is generally 5 or 6 generations. I find that with people who say they can take it back further either 1) *thinks* they have, or 2) have hired a professional.
So, the difficulty in answering your question is that the autosomes aren't labeled Ma or Pa. The relationship has to be inferred through comparative analysis. If you and your brother are half siblings, that's a good start. So would be a parent since you'd match only half to him or her. Otherwise, you need to identify or enlist someone who begins to show that genetic differential.
Now, this is what I like about Y-DNA and why I enjoy teaching about it. The inheritance pattern always (starting from men only) comes from the father's, father's father, going straight up the line. To that degree, the genealogy is already done for you. You merely have to find the names.
And that's not necessarily hard work. (The genetics led to the identity of my ninth generation Cooley. I need now only cross the Atlantic, which is tough.) But it does means a lot of waiting while the right testers come along. This works because the biology of Y descent roughly mirrors the social convention of surname conventions. But because of human nature, there are often kinks in that.
Here's a article I wrote last year called, "Why Every Genealogist Must Understand the Y Chromosome": http://blog.ancestraldata.com/viewer.pl?2019-02-26-YDNA.html
I hope I've provided some help.
MIchael
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Hi Michael
Thank you so much for your reply! I am really grateful to you for talking the time to reply to my question, even when not related with this forum!
I laughed so much that I expected results to be marked “ma and pa”, it was so obvious and I did not see it! Lol
I have plans to test my mum and my uncle, will have to be patient to see what comes.
I am new to FS and genealogy research and thanks to people like you I am managing some progress!
once again, many thanks!
Elizabeth
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Thanks for the thank you. Autosomal analysis takes time and, to do it right, some study. I hope for the best in your research. But don't forget the Y. The right guys in your family have some answers for you in their cells.
Best,
Michael
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As Micheal has said getting cousins and maybe parents tested would help you separate mom and dad's side, plus your knowledge of who is in your family will help. Autosomal DNA test is the cheapest and is a broad DNA test but to help further Y-DNA which is only for males will help you find your dad's side better. Compare companies but I trust Ancestry and 23 and me kits the most.
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Hey Teresa, FTDNA.com is the best place -- almost the only place -- for Y-DNA testing. For example, here are the results for the Cooley DNA Project.
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