Next to genealogy subscription websites, DNA testing is one of the most expensive genealogy tools. You should first read up on how DNA can help your genealogical research--and what it
cannot do. You should also research DNA testing companies to ensure that your results will be useful for your genealogy. The most frugal way to do testing is the most simple: find several relatives who descend from the ancestor in question and pool your money to purchase a test kit in which one of you is tested. Four people chipping in toward a $100 test is only $25 a piece, of course! Make sure the individual being tested is willing to share the results with the rest of the contributors.
This post is part of a ten-part series on Frugal Genealogy, based on my most-requested presentation, "Frugal Genealogy, or How Not to Spend a Fortune on Your Family Tree." Each post in this series will focus on one of ten topics I discuss in my presentation, and I freely share one tip from each topic. If you would like me to speak to your group anywhere in the Pacific Northwest on this or any other subject, please contact me.
8 comments:
Miriam,
Timely post, for me. I've been asked to right up something on Georgia Black Crackers about ancestral DNA. Hope you don't mind me referencing back to your post.
Mavis
Not at all!
Are there more than one websites that have DNA surname projects? ;-)
Don't you have to insure that the relatives you are testing are of the same sex and direct line? Or am I missing something...
Bill, Cyndi's list has a page of Surname DNA Studies and Projects. I hope this is helpful!
Maritoole, you are absolutely right! You have to make sure you're testing a person from the correct line and who's the correct gender (depends on which test)! This is the part that falls under what I mentioned on what you should read up on and research before testing.
The the of my post, though, is that you can minimize the cost of an expensive DNA test by sharing the cost among interested family members. Several people can be interested in the results, and one person gets tested.
Thanks for dropping by!
Enjoyed both the tips and discussion. Posted a FF on this blog along with the Georgia Black Crackers. Hope I represented you well.
Kathleen Brandt
a3Genealogy
Thanks so much, Kathleen!
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