DNA testing for geneaology

[Jen]

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[carnation]

One of my brothers and I had it done. We knew it was legitimate because even though we only provided them with code names, they gave us the names of people we're related to (people we know) who had had the test and knew what relation they were! And they also linked us to more distant relatives.

It confirmed that our ancestry was mainly from the UK (especially Ireland) with some recent African-American and Native American. We will be unlikely to be able to trace the last 2 but we do have contact information for 4th to 6th cousins who are full black and NA. I bet they would pass out if we showed up at the door and told them we were cousins!

[Benzgirl]

I think it would be interesting. On my dad's side, my uncle traced us back to the 1500s in Switzerland and Germany and he visited the family church (looks like a one-room school house) in a village in Switzerland that dates back about that far.

My mom's side, we can only go back to the mid 1800s in what is now Greece (Macedonia when my grandfather lived there) and Bulgaria. So much of grandfather's family, including his parents, never left the area so it's a bit of a mystery.

I might do it for kicks and giggles now that you have me thinking about it.

[AGDee]

Call me paranoid (because I work in Information Security), but I will not voluntarily do that because I do not want that information to be made public. Doesn't it also come with information about possible genetic predisposition to some medical conditions? In the event that Obamacare is reversed someday, I do not want that information known because I think insurance companies will start to refuse providing insurance to people with "bad" genetic makeup.

And, eventually, someone will want that information and will hack into that database and get it all.

Yep. Call me paranoid.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by AGDee

Call me paranoid (because I work in Information Security), but I will not voluntarily do that because I do not want that information to be made public. Doesn't it also come with information about possible genetic predisposition to some medical conditions? In the event that Obamacare is reversed someday, I do not want that information known because I think insurance companies will start to refuse providing insurance to people with "bad" genetic makeup.

And, eventually, someone will want that information and will hack into that database and get it all.

Yep. Call me paranoid.

I don't think it's that paranoid, if it indeed come with info on predispositions. I think people don't really know whether or not they want that info themselves.

[Shellfish]

I've had the Ancestry test done, and the results are pretty user friendly, unlike the Family Tree DNA test that my sister ordered for my dad about 9 years ago. Any way you could smuggle one across the border?

The Ancestry results don't break down by specific countries--many are grouped together, such as "Europe West," which includes Germany, France, and the Benelux countries. Poland and Latvia would both fall under Europe East.

The results in terms of family matches are amazing, because some would be my 5th or 6th cousins according to the family tree I've constructed, so my research was confirmed.

[candygirl200413]

Personally for me, I'm super lucky/fortunate to know exactly where in Uganda my mom and dad ancestry started. But I always wondered if maybe JUST maybe we have something else in us!

[SoCalGirl]

I'd be curious to know if there really is any NA roots or if it's just family lore but I too have concerns about privacy.

[StealthMode]

Through my dad's side, we have ancestors from Madagascar and Guinea Bissau. I also have Cherokee from my mother's side. Very cool.

[carnation]

The one we used offered us the option to only use code names. We didn't have to register or otherwise identify ourselves.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by carnation

The one we used offered us the option to only use code names. We didn't have to register or otherwise identify ourselves.

Which one did you use again? I've had an Ancestry one that I could do for free, but like everyone else, I question the security issues.

I've traced most of my roots back to at least the 1600s, but there's one ancestor who just may be a loose cannon, so the DNA part intrigues me.

[etadrisophila]

How about this for unintended consequences of genetic testing:

http://www.vox.com/2014/9/9/5975653/...23andmehttp://