Why DNA?
DNA Genealogy has come a long way in the past few years. Affordable tests are now available that can help you unravel relationships and find living relatives and near-relatives.
The two biggest providers, with the best databases for matching, are FamilytreeDNA and 23andMe, both US companies with wide international presence.
Here are some ideas of what you can do:
Y-DNA Testing - This gives the opportunity to determine which members of your surname are actually related to you. If we take the Moffatt name in Co. Longford, it appears there are perhaps five groups of that name. But are they all unrelated?
mtDNA Testing - This is following the female line, as the mitochondria in an embryo are always provided by only the female. Many possibilities for finding entirely new relations - but note that the databases are not as large for mtDNA.
SNP (Autosomal) Testing - This testing may check up to 1 million or so points across all chromosomes. It is especially effective in finding relations over the past five to ten generations.
Note: DNA can be especially effective when combined with a careful use of paper-based and database resources.
To learn more, visit http://oceanfield.ca