DNA Paternal Ancestry Test
Trace your paternal ancestry using Y-DNA
All males carry Y-DNA which is inherited along the paternal line. Y-DNA testing allows you to trace the ancestry of your direct paternal lineage (your father’s, father’s, father’s… paternal lineage). Using your Y-DNA test results, you can find out whether you are linked to any other male individual along your direct paternal line; you can search a global database to seek long lost paternal line relatives from around the world; and you can find out which ancient Y-DNA Haplogroup you belong to. Please note that only males have Y-DNA so only males can take the Y-DNA test. Females wishing to trace their paternal lineage must test the Y-DNA of a male relative along their direct paternal line, such as a brother, father, male cousin, uncle, etc.
What do you get when you order a Paternal Ancestry (Y-DNA) test?
You will receive a certificate with the allele values for your Y-DNA STR markers. You will also receive a certificate which confirms which Y-DNA Haplogroup you belong to.
What is the significance of Y-DNA STR markers?
Y-DNA is unique because it is passed down strictly along the direct paternal line (father to son to grandson...) the same way that the surname is passed down from father to son. The paternal inheritance pattern of Y-DNA means that all males who have descended from the same forefather will have exactly the same Y-DNA. Y-DNA STR markers are special markers in the Y-DNA that mutate approximately once every 20 generations. All males who have descended from the same paternal line as you will have the same or very a similar Y-DNA STR marker profile as you.
What can I do with my Y-DNA STR markers?
Using the Y-DNA STR marker results, any two males can compare their Y-DNA STR profiles to see whether they descended from the same paternal line, and if yes, they can even determine how many generations ago they shared the same forefather. You can use your Y-DNA STR markers to compare with other individuals in your tree to confirm a positive linkage, verify new linkages or verify findings from your paper research. You can also use your Y-DNA STR markers to search our global database to find potential male matches from around the world. You can even choose to receive automatic notifications by email whenever a new match is found.
How many Y-DNA STR markers should I test and what is the difference between testing 20, 44 or 101 markers?
The more Y-DNA STR markers you test, the more stringent your comparisons will be when matching against another individual. For example, a 101/101 match with another individual will be a far stronger match than a 20/20 match and can give you a more precise measure of TMRCA (time to most recent common ancestor). TMRCA is a measure of approximately how long you and another person shared a common paternal ancestor. If you have a 20/20 match with another individual, testing of more markers will allow you to see if you continue to match when more markers are compared and provide further clarification of the relevance of the match as well as a more precise TMRCA estimate.
If I test 20 Y-DNA STR markers, can I test more markers at a later date?
Yes, if you test 20 markers, you can choose to test more markers later. However, you may be required to collect a new sample for the additional testing.
