Family Tree DNA Testing Review
As interests in genealogy and ancestry increase, companies who test DNA try to keep up with the demand. One company who has been doing that for over a decade is Family Tree DNA, a company based in Houston, Texas that offers a variety of testing for those interested in genealogy and tracking their family line.
Family Tree DNA is CAP accredited and CLIA-registered for genetic testing. The company has been featured in People Magazine and has received praise for being one of the only DNA companies to ship results to so many countries overseas. Customers can use their results to study maternal or paternal heritage, find out where their family is from, and make contact with living relatives.
What tests are offered at Family Tree DNA?
Family Finder: $99
Result Time: 4-6 weeks
The Family Finder test is exactly what the name implies: a test to help people find unknown members of their family or to determine for sure certain familial relations. This test is great for genealogical purposes.
Father’s Line:
These tests are only for men, and since the Y chromosome is passed from father to son, the Father’s Line tests make it possible to trace paternal family members and ancestry. There are three Father’s Line test, and they are named for the amount of markers they test. The more markers that are tested, the further out the paternal heritage can be linked. Those who want to dig deep into genealogical studies and background should choose the test with the most markers.
Y37: $169
Result Time: 6-8 weeks
Y67: $268
Result Time: 6-8 weeks
Y111: $359
Result Time: 8-10 weeks
Mother’s Line:
The Mother’s Line tests use the Mitochondrial DNA to offer links to maternal heritage. Those who take this test can help determine sibling relationships and track genealogy on the mother’s side. The mtDNA offers a limited testing while the mtFull Sequence tests the full sequence of the DNA from the mitochondria, offering more complete results.
mtDNA: $69
Result Time: 6-8 weeks
mtFull Sequence: $199
Result Time: 6-8 weeks
Why one test over another?
The tests that check for the most markers will offer the most results. Therefore, those wanting to dig deep into their family history should choose a test with many markers to receive a more complete picture of their family line.
Why Family Tree DNA (FTDNA)?
As a division of Gene by Gene, Family Tree DNA was founded for the purpose of helping people get in touch with their pasts through genealogy. FTDNA offers many tests at reasonable prices to help make sure searches into family lines don’t go cold. They have been in business for over 15 years and continue to offer great service to their customers.