FREE DNA TEST? Why not?
Last Updated on Thursday, 28 May 2009 17:51 Written by Doug Beezley Friday, 15 May 2009 18:59
(Notice: As of today (May 28, 2009), SMGF no longer takes free DNA tests, but has subcontracted that part of their work to genetree.com.)
Some time ago, I had submitted my DNA sample to Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation. It was free... at a time when I wasn't as familiar with DNA testing. Then I forgot about it... until a recent email from Linda. Yes, the catch is, you DON'T get your actual test results. After I looked at it again, I realized that for FREE, it has its value.
When you submit a Y-DNA test, you indicate the surname AND a family tree. When the results show up, your tree is matched against other trees. You don't know your results (though you CAN figure it out) and you don't know the name of the living members of the tree, you DO know what trees are a match. If someone else already establishes your family tree for Y-DNA, you can also get a mtDNA instead. (One test free.)
Here's the NEWS... THE FREE OFFER IS GOING AWAY SOON! (OK... free is gone.)
They are in the process of transitioning to a paid service. I've not been told HOW SOON, so if you like free, do it NOW... CLICK HERE. Questions? This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Here are the "requirements":
At least 18 years old, or at least 7 years old and have parental consent
Can provide names, birth dates, and birth places for myself and my ancestors
All family lines on my pedigree chart end with ancestors born before 1850 or outside the USA
Understand that I am donating my sample for research and will not receive any results back from SMGF
Read the consent form and agree to its terms
If you want to look at the database, you need to create a free signup. Once you do sign in, you can search surnames, or you can search Y-DNA profiles. The system even translates among more than a dozen different testing companies, since each one has different standards.
If you do a search on "Beezley", you will find only ONE result with that spelling. (That's ME.) I also show up with one Beasley near-match. I haven't checked who has that tree, but we can check to see if anyone in our group has this line of ancestors to Georgia.
As I said, you can also INFER your test results easily enough. So you can actually know the 43 alleles even though they don't tell you. Since you can search based on a detailed result pattern, you can start with the default pattern and for any that don't match, just change each number until it does match. If you don't get this, let me know, and I can show you.
SO, give this some consideration, but not for long. DO IT NOW!
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