This page has been created to promote the relatively new science of DNA testing as an aid to family history research. DNA testing is becoming an increasingly important factor in determining relationships between different branches of a family.
Humans have 46 chromesomes grouped into 23 pairs. One pair deals with the sex chromesomes. A male has one Y and one X chromesome. The Y is inherited from his father and his X is from his mother. A female has two X chromesomes, one from each parent. These chromesomes are passed down unchanged from one generation to another, except very occasionally there is a slight change. It is this change that can help one to estimate the genetic gap between individuals and also how closely they are related.
I believe I am being correct in stating that a male's mother's father or a female's father's father does not show up on the normal 'Y' and 'X' DNA test. The origin of the male's Y chromesome goes without saying, however his X chromesome would come from his mother. Is this chromesome from her father or mother? Maybe specific DNA tests can be indicate this. Testing is usually organised on either the 'Y' (father, father father), or X (mother, mother, mother). This form of testing is ideal in our patronymic society where the male usually carries his father's surname. A few years ago a test was carried on the Y chromosome of men with the surname of Sykes. 70% of the males had identical Y DNA pattens. The assumption was that there had to be a common ancestor for the majority of Sykes'.
Different organisations offer different tests. I went with Ancestry.Com and chose their more complex STR-DNA 43 Markers test.
The location lines are standard figures for all who take this particular test, while the value lines are one's own chromesome values. However this appears to be Ancestry.com's arrangement. The results of individual organisations has however not been standardised. According to Ancestery.Com, my forefathers haplotype (in the male line only ) are from the R1b group, the major group of Western Europe. However, when I compared my own results with a friend, who had been tested sometime before by 'Oxford Ancestry Ltd', neither 'R1b' nor 'haplotype' was sited. Indeed the arrangement and approach of the two tests were so completely different that we were unable to draw any comparisons. The science is still very young and there appears to be no common standard between the different groups offering these tests. I suspect therefore that the results of closely related individuals can only find each other if they happen to apply to the same organisation.
Hopefully by publishing my own DNA test results, I may encourage others to do the same.