For those who joined this list in the last couple of days, here's a brief rundown (I hope).
There are a few different companies for DNA testing. For various reasons, Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) was chosen. FTDNA allows for administrators (all volunteers) to create projects and monitor them and help out members. A project was created for Portugal, the Azores, Madeira, Cape Verde, and Brazil (spelled as Brasil). To encourage people to join projects, FTDNA has a slight discount when a DNA test is ordered through a project. Here's a brief run down on the 3 types of testing that are used in genealogy. Y-DNA: Isolates one line: The father's father's father's line, all the way back. All men. A male must take this test, as only men have a Y chromosome. The top of a man's pedigree chart. If a 37 or 67 markers test is ordered, you have the potential to make genealogical matches. If you are not a male, you will have to find a male relative to take this test. mtDNA: Isolates one line: The mother's mother's mother's line, all the way back. All women. Either men or women can take this type of test. The bottom of the pedigree chart. Most information obtained from mtDNA is anthropological in nature. It's hard to get a genealogy match unless you happen to have a rare mutation. Autosomal DNA (Family Finder): Covers ALL your lines on your pedigree going back about 200 years from your birth. So if you were born in the 1940s, this could find relatives who descend from a couple born in the 1740s. You need to have a pretty good pedigree without too many unknowns (like a Sarah Elizabeth ____, Mary Margaret ____, etc). My dad is half Portuguese and I have more success with his Family Finder than I do with my mom's. My mom's lines have a lot of Sarah Elizabeth ____ and Mary Margaret ____ as well as a lot of lines stopping in the early 1800s, so it's harder for me to connect her with others, but I keep chipping away. It's takes more time on hers. I can figure out my dad's a little more easily as he's half Portuguese and his lines are pretty well documented back to the 1730s. Cheri Mello Family Tree DNA Administrator Azores DNA Project -- For options, such as changing to List, Digest, Abridged, or No Mail (vacation) mode, log into your Google account and visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Azores. Click in the blue area on the right that says "Join this group" and it will take you to "Edit my membership." --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Azores Genealogy" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to azores+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to azores@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/azores?hl=en.
