Category Archives: Family DNA Projects

Family DNA studies have all the buzz in the genealogy world. The study of Genetic Genealogy was founded by Bennett Greenspan in 1999 with the formation of Family Tree DNA. There are several companies out there doing this research now.

What is involved in getting a DNA test? It typically takes ordering a test kit, swabbing one’s saliva, sending the kit back in and waiting about a month for results. Cousins are matched up if they’ve stated that they want to correspond with other cousins.

What can participation in these projects do for you? When you find new cousins to share family tree research with, your exchange can lead to breakthroughs in discovering whom your ancestors are. One cousin might be further back than you in their research. The test won’t tell you who your common ancestor is, but often when you share information, you can figure that out. DNA sample comparisons can also determine which family tree theories are likely correct and which simply aren’t. You can stop wasting time on theories that aren’t correct. Testing will also tell you the ancient patterns of your origin and what major regions of the world your ancestors migrated through. It certainly spices up the genealogical exchanges.

Some companies in this area have a great advantage over others. In particular take the time to look at FamilyTreeDNA.com, the original company that brought us “Genetic Genealogy”.