Among Friends

[World Traveler]

@Rhema Thank you for your well-reasoned and detailed story. It was very interesting. I am so happy you went ahead with the search and had the test done. 

I was sharing the information on this whole thread with someone yesterday and he said that his youngest son used 23 and Me and was able to find out things that neither he nor his father were aware of. They pursued the information and were able to make sense of some health issues they both had, and for which they informed the doctor and it ended up being useful for the doctor in a diagnosis. I didn't ask what it was, feeling that was private for them. But what a wonderful thing that the DNA was able to assist, but not the blood tests that the doctor had ordered.

I continue to be fascinated by all this.

[ID2]

Nope, I'm not the least bit interested in spending money to find out my DNA. I know mine, directly from my ancestors, the old fashioned way of finding out where I came from. 

[World Traveler]

Thanks to all of you for your input.

I decided to go with National Geographic and also to do 23 and Me. After reading information from all the sites mentioned, I felt the most comfortable with those two for my needs and desires. For the 23 and Me purchase, I went with the additional health search too. It is, of course, more money, but I'll just deduct it from my travel money! ha!

I have a couple of people at work who have decided to go with Ancestry.com, so we are all eager to see how each company handles the information we receive.

Again, thanks so much for your input. It has been a learning experience and I really enjoyed reading everyone's experiences with their DNA test.

[Financialgrl]

I did it through Ancestry.com.  My mother and father were both from German descent so I expected that to be high.  Results came back showing I was 1/4 that but 1/4 Italian/Greek, almost 20% Scaninavian and the rest was much smaller percentages of "Other".  Many friends that did this also got surprises from what they'd expected too.  

[World Traveler]

@Financialgrl Thanks for sharing.

I too expect a high percentage of German and am eager to see the results. The kits should arrive in the mail to me this week, then the long wait (4-8 weeks?). 

[Sue in cincinnati]

My husband and I gave Ancestry.com's tests to each other for Christmas

last year - they were running a special in December for $69.  We received detailed results and some surprises.  My husband always thought he was

50% Scandanavian, but turned out to be 1/3 Irish!  They also match up

your results with possible others, and his 1st cousin (we know her) was

listed as being a possible first cousin, so the results appear to be fairly

accurate - I'm not so sure about the 3rd, 4th cousin and beyond matches....

I expected to be 1/2 English & 1/2 German - found to have only 20%

German, but unexpected others like Italian & Greek.  All in all we had

fun, and Ancestry gives you access to their other information for a

period of time - it was included in the one time testing fee.

Have fun with your results - we did!

[World Traveler]

@Sue in cincinnati Thank you so much for sharing your results. Makes me even more eager to see mine!

Have been tracking the kits from National Geographic and 23 and Me, and it appears they will both be arriving either today or tomorrow. 

I want to share your information with some coworkers, as those who intend to also do it are planning to use Ancestry.com. 

[katiemichelle]

I tested with both Ancestry and 23andme.  The results were pretty much the same with a few small differences.  The advantage to 23andme was receiving a bit of medical information. In addition, you are able to upload results to Promethease ($5.00) or Codegen (free) and recieve extensive information on the genes you carry. 

I found I had many traits for breast cancer, (not BRCA), Melanoma and skin cancer.  In the last five years I been treated for breast cancer, Melanoma and basal cell cancer.

It is important to remember when viewing this medical information, carrying the gene does not mean you will be afflicted with the disease or abnormality.

Many people test expecting Native American DNA, and are disappointed when none shows.  The truth is that many stories of the great grandma being an Indian princess are just that - stories.  I knew that my mother and grandmother were born on Indian reservations in Minnesota.  My Native American DNA showed up in my results, my three children and my two grandchildren.

From my studies of DNA and genealogy I have learned much.  One thing is that almost no one is 100% any ethnicity.  One may be 100% European, but it will not be 100% Italian or any other country.  Because of borders constantly changing and people immigrating, there is almost always a mix of countries.

A poster here stated she had her DNA done and she received 66% from her dad and 33% from her mom.  That is impossible.  You receive 50% of your father's DNA and 50% of your mother's DNA.  Now, you might not receive the same DNA as a sibling may have.  For example, your Dad was 30% Native American; 50% Irish; 20% Asian.  It would be possible for one to inherit NA DNA and not the other; the other could inherit Asian DNA while the first did not.

Many think that because they have a paper trail it is the honest truth.  The truth is, in history as now, there are many NPE's, non-parental events.  Sadly many, many people have found out that usually the father, sometimes the mother are not actually the birth parent.  I cannot believe the number of times I have seen this happen.  DNA does not lie, but many lies and secrets from the past have come to life.

In closing, I have enjoyed my new found knowledge and would urge anyone interested to test.  In continuing my studies of DNA and genealogy I am learning new things every day.

[Moonchilde]

---

@katiemichelle wrote:

I tested with both Ancestry and 23andme.  The results were pretty much the same with a few small differences.  The advantage to 23andme was receiving a bit of medical information. In addition, you are able to upload results to Promethease ($5.00) or Codegen (free) and recieve extensive information on the genes you carry. 

I found I had many traits for breast cancer, (not BRCA), Melanoma and skin cancer.  In the last five years I been treated for breast cancer, Melanoma and basal cell cancer.

It is important to remember when viewing this medical information, carrying the gene does not mean you will be afflicted with the disease or abnormality.

Many people test expecting Native American DNA, and are disappointed when none shows.  The truth is that many stories of the great grandma being an Indian princess are just that - stories.  I knew that my mother and grandmother were born on Indian reservations in Minnesota.  My Native American DNA showed up in my results, my three children and my two grandchildren.

From my studies of DNA and genealogy I have learned much.  One thing is that almost no one is 100% any ethnicity.  One may be 100% European, but it will not be 100% Italian or any other country.  Because of borders constantly changing and people immigrating, there is almost always a mix of countries.

A poster here stated she had her DNA done and she received 66% from her dad and 33% from her mom.  That is impossible.  You receive 50% of your father's DNA and 50% of your mother's DNA.  Now, you might not receive the same DNA as a sibling may have.  For example, your Dad was 30% Native American; 50% Irish; 20% Asian.  It would be possible for one to inherit NA DNA and not the other; the other could inherit Asian DNA while the first did not.

Many think that because they have a paper trail it is the honest truth.  The truth is, in history as now, there are many NPE's, non-parental events.  Sadly many, many people have found out that usually the father, sometimes the mother are not actually the birth parent.  I cannot believe the number of times I have seen this happen.  DNA does not lie, but many lies and secrets from the past have come to life.

In closing, I have enjoyed my new found knowledge and would urge anyone interested to test.  In continuing my studies of DNA and genealogy I am learning new things every day.

---

Truth ^^^

Most people have their DNA tested without understanding what these widely available tests can and will tell them, and what they can’t tell them. People assume they can find out anything and everything they’d ever want to know, and assume that every family story ever told was 100% accurate; neither are true for the vast majority of people getting tested.

One of the biggest misconceptions is about Native American ancestry. If you’re going back to a great-grandparent or further and that was your only NA relative, chances are good it will never show up in your DNA.  Women’s DNA results are not as all-encompassing as testing a male (brother, father, cousin) as well, so it depends on where in the family the NA is.

I had a Cherokee great-grandmother, but I don’t know if she was full or half. It never shows up in my testing, and the counselors at 23 and me and FTDNA have said that it doesn’t show up with single ancestors much more than it does show up. 

There’s more to Native American genes in that a couple of tribes encourage all their members to test with one company, so they will have a larger data base to pinpoint gene results and they can “advertise” that they can pinpoint this ancestry; perhaps, IF you are one of those tribes and IF there is more than one ancestor on both sides of the family, but otherwise, likely not.

And yes, there are certainly those with Black or Hispanic (or both) ancestry who got the story started way back (generations ago) that they were actually NA. There’s no reason for a current descendant to ever know the truth, until and unless they are tested.

[World Traveler]

@katiemichelle Thank you so much for your post. It was a very clear account of your experience and other information that I found interesting and helpful. I have printed it out and given it to a few people at work who also agree that it is helpful.

I received my two kits yesterday, so this weekend I plan to sit down and read all the information that came with them, do the test, and send them in. Then the long wait. 

A few of the people at work have been joking around about pitching in together and paying for one kit and then all contributing to the test! That would really be an interesting report to read, right? ha!

Thanks again for taking the time to respond.