mt DNA results

[pdcorlis]

I have been thinking about this for some time. Is there a good spot on the web to up to speed on DNA genealogy?

[gilmore]

I have been thinking about this for some time. Is there a good spot on the web to up to speed on DNA genealogy?

www.familytreedna.com

[bjproc]

i got mine done last year, i'm U2

[CoreyMacLeod]

Ok, question then. Never met my father. I am Corey MacLeod, taking my mother's maiden name. My grandparents were both MacLeods when they met. Haven't found a common ancestor for the two yet. Anyway, what does that mean for me?

[Nick the DSM]

Ok, question then. Never met my father. I am Corey MacLeod, taking my mother's maiden name. My grandparents were both MacLeods when they met. Haven't found a common ancestor for the two yet. Anyway, what does that mean for me?

Yer either an alien from Mars or yer weird.

[gilmore]

Ok, question then. Never met my father. I am Corey MacLeod, taking my mother's maiden name. My grandparents were both MacLeods when they met. Haven't found a common ancestor for the two yet. Anyway, what does that mean for me?

Y DNA traces one's patrilineal ancestry, one's father's father's father, etc.

mt DNA traces matrilineal ancestry, one's mother's mother's mother's mother, etc.

Either can be useful, depending on what you want to know. They are mostly a supplement to doing genealogical research tracing the paper trail backward in time.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Ok, question then. Never met my father. I am Corey MacLeod, taking my mother's maiden name. My grandparents were both MacLeods when they met. Haven't found a common ancestor for the two yet. Anyway, what does that mean for me?

It means that biologically, legally, and heraldicly, you are a MacLeod.

You are in the same legal position as the Earl of Erroll, who took his mother's family name at birth (Hay) to be able to inherit both the Chiefship of Clan Hay and the Earldom of Erroll, while his younger brother took his father's name (Moncrieff) and inherited the Chiefship of Clan Moncrieff.

Does that answer your question, Mr. MacLeod?

[CoreyMacLeod]

It means that biologically, legally, and heraldicly, you are a MacLeod.

You are in the same legal position as the Earl of Erroll, who took his mother's family name at birth (Hay) to be able to inherit both the Chiefship of Clan Hay and the Earldom of Erroll, while his younger brother took his father's name (Moncrieff) and inherited the Chiefship of Clan Moncrieff.

Does that answer your question, Mr. MacLeod?

It answers enough for sure. Thank you.

[lethearen]

Both men and women inherit mtDNA from our mothers. It's not used much in genetic genealogy, for two reasons. We are more interested in tracing surnames, which are inherited patrilineally, usually, so Y DNA, which men get from our fathers, is more useful in that project. Also, mtDNA mutates slowly, relative to YDNA, so those whose test results match yours are much more distantly related. In other words, it doesn't tell us so much.

So from what I understand, if I want to check up on my mother's father's line, I would actually need to get my uncle (mum's bro) to donate a DNA sample and send it off for yDNA testing?

Of course, I really should do my own yDNA, too... my dad was adopted. His biodad was a Laing, which I think is a Scottish name, too. But who knows?

[gilmore]

So from what I understand, if I want to check up on my mother's father's line, I would actually need to get my uncle (mum's bro) to donate a DNA sample and send it off for yDNA testing?

Of course, I really should do my own yDNA, too... my dad was adopted. His biodad was a Laing, which I think is a Scottish name, too. But who knows?

That's right. To get matches on your mother's patrilineal ancestry, you would need to test your maternal uncle's Y DNA.

If I were you I would indeed be interested in discovering my biological patrilineal ancestry. But that's just me. I can't leave well enough alone.