Ancestry.com DNA (Indians, native, find, search)

[EB2]

Has anyone ever used their DNA service (or another DNA service from another company)? What is your opinion? Satisfaction?

[ArkansasSlim]

I have no experience with Ancestry DNA but participated in the National Geographic's "The Genographic Project" and gave them permission to share my DNA with "Family Tree DNA". I have received three leads from Family Tree DNA, emailed all three, received a response from one, but could never sort out a connection. Family Tree DNA is a large legit program. Look at them on the Web and they will give you much detail. The cost is similar to Genographic.

[wit-nit]

We did the National Geographic DNA project and found the results to be interesting but not earth shattering. It was all generic general information, nothing that was personally specific about background history. It was basic information that could easily be found on the internet as far as where civilizarion began in Africa.
We gave no permission for them to use our personal information in any public form/forum.
By the way the DNA data was forwarded to and the results processed at ASU in Tempe AZ.

[ArkansasSlim]

The purpose of the Genographic was only to see where our DNA came from and it's migration. It was never intended to be family specific. They did a super job with it in Tempe.

[EB2]

Thanks for the replies.

What Arkansas is referring to is actually exactly what I want. I've been able to get FAR (much more than I EVER expected to) in my genealogical research, but, beyond names, I'd like to see origin/migration patters in my blood line (ideally for as far back as they can go, since I already know a huge amount of blood). It ties in with my subrace interest (not in a racist form, to be clear) - and to figure out exactly where my people come from (besides Africa, like everyone else, way back when).

[Cyanna]

I had my first mtDNA test done by Family Tree DNA. What surprised me was the fact that it came back showing a predominantly European ancestry, when I know for a fact that my mother's maternal ancestors were Native American. There are even photos of them wearing traditional clothing.

So, a second test was performed, which came back with a different analysis from the first, this one showing the typical Native American gene marker.

My first test was a victim of what is known as a phantom mutation. Apparently I am not the only one this has happened to. I just finished reading a book by Edward Ball called "The Genetic Strand - Exploring A Family History Through DNA." Turns out that Mr. Ball's dna tests came back with this phantom mutation on two different tests, with very different results. One test came back with supposed evidence of African genes in the recent past (his family were plantation owners in the South), which could have been conceivable. A second test came back showing Native American ancestry in the recent past. However, a number of other tests were done at different labs and these came back as negative for African or Native American ancestry in the recent past. An interesting aspect of his DNA tests was that he had something very rare to work with, actual hair clippings from ancestors, which had been stored in a secret drawer of an old family heirloom desk.

DNA testing is great, but it is still not always accurate due to the potential for phantom mutations to alter the real sequence.

[ArkansasSlim]

EB2, I don't know if The Genographic Project is still active, but I'm sure you can do a Web search and find out. They sent a "cool" chart showing the migration route[s] of my DNA, and shows where they branched off to different directions. The only disappointment, in my case, was that they did not extend the chart into North America. I subscribed early, so I don't know if they did not have that data at that time, or that's where they (the Project) stopped. I do know they did some collections from some of the American Indians, but I don't know what became of that data.