About DNA testing
We encourage females (and males) to consider doing the mtDNA test offered by http://www.familytreedna.com/.
It is now possible to trace your female (maternal) heritage through comparison of your DNA to others who have – or will in the future – test.
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I am female and another potential relative is male.
How can we make a DNA connection?
There are two ways to answer this genealogical question:
1) Ideally a match would best be done by testing a known male member of
your biological family, (brother, father, paternal uncle or male first
cousin), against the possible male relative. This test would show whether
there is a common male ancestor. This is the Y chromosome test (yDNA).
2) The other method, (not as straight forward), utilizes the mother who
passes her mtDNA to both male and female offspring and this can be checked
using mtDNA or mitochondrial DNA. A match between the mtDNA of a male
potential relative and your mtDNA would mean you have a common female
ancestor. A male’s mtDNA comes only from his mother and is NOT passed on to
his offspring – while every female DOES pass that same mtDNA down to each
succeeding generation. This is our Maternal Match (mtDNA).