Welcome To DIGS The Dallas Genealogical Society DNA Special Interest Copyright 2015 © Mic Barnee mic@micbarnee.com

Genetic Genealogy Standards

This document is intended to provide standards and best pracces for the genealogical community to follow when: • Purchasing • Recommending • Sharing • Wring about the results of DNA tesng for ancestral purposes hp://www.thegenecgenealogist.com/wp-content/uploads/ 2015/01/Genec-Genealogy-Standards.pdf

1: Company Offerings

Genealogists review and understand the different DNA tesng products and tools offered by the available tesng companies and prior to tesng determine which company or companies are capable of achieving the genealogist's goal(s). Comapanies

Companies You may have Major DNA Tesng Companies: Heard of: 23 and Me • Sorenson Ancestry.Com • Naonal Geographic Society Family Tree DNA Sorenson • SMGF originated in 1999 by James LeVoy Sorenson and professor Dr. Sco Woodward. • Mr. Sorenson envisioned the development of a genec genealogical blueprint of all humankind • By 2012, SMGF had collected more than 100,000 DNA samples and familial pedigrees from donors around the world, all of which were available in the Sorenson Database • Inially used blood test, then mouthwash tesng • Used a completed 4 generaon pedigree chart • Y-DNA, mt-DNA, X-chromosome, At-DNA databases • Sold to Ancestry 2012 and Disconnued by Ancestry May 2015 National Geographic Society Geno 2.0 Genographic Project

• Project is a not-for-profit, non-medical, mul-year, global iniave by Naonal Geographic that uses genecs as a tool to address anthropological quesons on a global scale • A research project to elucidate new paerns of human migraon • Focuses on deep ancestry from an anthropological perspecve • Uses advanced DNA analysis to work with indigenous communies and the general public to help answer fundamental quesons about where we originated and how we came to populate the Earth • First phase of the Genographic Project launched in 2005, enlisted a consorum of 11 global regional scienfic teams who, following regional instuonal review scienfic protocols, undertook sample collecon and DNA analysis in their respecve regions • More than 450,000 members of the public have taken part in the first phase of the project by purchasing a Genographic Project DNA Public Parcipaon Kit to trace their own ancient ancestry • A poron of the proceeds from the sales of the Genographic Project Public Parcipaon Kits returns to support the project research as well as the Genographic Legacy Fund, which offers grants for indigenous and tradional community- led language revitalizaon and cultural projects • Building on the science learned from the first phase of the project and using cung-edge technology, the Genographic Project entered its second phase in 2012 • The updated Geno 2.0 Public Parcipaon Kit invites members of the public to take part in this second phase of the Genographic Project to learn unprecedented informaon about their ancestral makeup • Geno 2.0 Kits are $199.99 and for educators at $140 per kit, with free standard U.S. shipping • FTDNA is the actual tesng company Comparing Companies

23 and Me FTDNA Ancestry

Purpose Designed Medical/Genealogical Genealogical/Personal Genealogical/Personal Ancestry Ancestry

Price/Shipping (August $99 Lifeme $99 Lifeme $99 (Plus Subscripon) 2015) $14.95 $ 9.95 $ 9.99

Availability 56 Countries Worldwide US, UK, Ireland, Aus, New Zealand Comparing Companies

23 and Me FTDNA Ancestry

Number of Matches 1,000 Unlimited Unlimited Displayed

Chip Used Customized Illumina Chip Illumina Chip Express Illumina Chip Express

People in Databases 1,000,000 About 150,000 1,000,000 Comparing Companies

23 and Me FTDNA Ancestry

Y-DNA No-Gives Yes-12, 25, 37, 67, 111 No

Mt-DNA No-Gives Haplogroup Yes-HV-1, HV-2, Full Seq No

At-DNA Yes Yes Yes Comparing Companies

23 and Me FTDNA Ancestry Chromosome Browser Yes-Use Family Yes-Use Chromosome NO Available Inheritance Advanced Browser Tool Tool

Chromosome Browser No Yes- Thresholds of: No Adjustable 1 cM, 3 cM, 5 cM, 10 cM

Number Chromosome 5 5 None Browser Comparisons at one me 2.Testing With Consent

Genealogists only obtain DNA for tesng aer receiving consent, wrien or oral, from the tester In the case of a deceased individual, consent can be obtained from a legal representave In the case of a minor, consent can be given by a parent or legal guardian of the minor However, genealogists do not obtain DNA from someone who refuses to undergo tesng

3: Raw Data

Genealogists believe that testers have an inalienable right to their own DNA test results and raw data, even if someone other than the tester purchased the DNA test. Comparing Companies

23 and Me FTDNA Ancestry

Transfer of Raw Data No Yes-From Ancestry and No From another company 23-Me V3 (Nov 2010-Nov 2013)

Gedcom File Upload Yes Yes Yes Allowed

Gedmatch Uploadable Yes Yes Yes 4: DNA Storage

Genealogists are aware of the DNA storage opons offered by tesng companies, and consider the implicaons of storing versus not storing DNA samples for future tesng Advantages of storing DNA samples include reducing costs associated with future tesng and/or preserving DNA that can no longer be obtained from an individual However, genealogists are aware that no company can guarantee that stored DNA will be of sufficient quanty or quality to perform addional tesng Genealogists also understand that a tesng company may change its storage policy without noce to the tester. Comparing Companies

23 and Me FTDNA Ancestry

Collecon Method Saliva Cheek Swab Saliva

Storage Yes-Indefinite Yes-Min 25 Years Yes-Indefinite

Projects Supported No Yes No 5: Terms of Service

Genealogists review and understand the terms and condions to which the tester consents when purchasing a DNA test. 6: Privacy

Genealogists only test with companies that respect and protect the privacy of testers However, genealogists understand that complete anonymity of DNA tests results can never be guaranteed Most companies state that if a warrant by a police/government official is presented, they will comply FTDNA-Administrators and Privacy

Privacy and confidenality are a key responsibility for a Group Administrator Group Administrators have access to data and contact informaon of the members in the project This access is necessary to assist parcipants in understanding and interpreng their results Family Tree DNA expects Group Administrators to protect members’ privacy and confidenality

7: Access by Third Parties

Genealogists understand that once DNA test results are made publicly available, they can be freely accessed, copied, and analyzed by a third party without permission For example, DNA test results published on a DNA project website are publicly available For this reason, DNA results displayed do not include names of testers

8: Sharing Results

Genealogists respect all limitaons on reviewing and sharing DNA test results imposed at the request of the tester For example, genealogists do not share or otherwise reveal DNA test results (beyond the tools offered by the tesng company) or other personal informaon (name, address, or email) without the wrien or oral consent of the tester Communications Between Matching Testers

23 and Me FTDNA Ancestry

Contacng Matches Request Contact Email Address Provided Ancestry Messaging Messaging System System

Average Response Low Fairly High Medium

Average Level of Fairly Low Fairly High Medium Genealogical Knowledge of Matches 9: Scholarship

When lecturing or wring about genec genealogy, genealogists respect the privacy of others. Genealogists privaze or redact the names of living genec matches from presentaons unless the genec matches have given prior permission or made their results publicly available. Genealogists share DNA test results of living individuals in a work of scholarship only if the tester has given permission or has previously made those results publicly available. Genealogists may confidenally share an individual’s DNA test results with an editor and/or peer-reviewer of a work of scholarship. Genealogists also disclose any professional relaonship they have with a for-profit DNA tesng company or service when lecturing or wring about genec genealogy. 10: Health Information

Genealogists understand that DNA tests may have medical implicaons.

Mt-DNA Full Sequence

Big-Y DNA 11: Designating a Beneiciary

Genealogists designate a beneficiary to manage test results and/ or stored DNA in the event of their death or incapacitaon 12: Unexpected Results

Genealogists understand that DNA test results, like tradional genealogical records, can reveal unexpected informaon about the tester and his or her immediate family, ancestors, and/or descendants For example, both DNA test results and tradional genealogical records can reveal misaributed parentage, adopon, health informaon, previously unknown family members, and errors in well-researched family trees, among other unexpected outcomes. NPE-Non Parental Events

Illegimacy outside Changeling, surrogacy, Anglicisaon of gaelic or Re-marriage: boy taking marriage boy taking sperm donaon, foreign name: man surname of step-father maiden name of mother unintenonal embryo/ taking translated/ baby swap: boy taking phonecally similar surname of mother or name partner

Infidelity within Adopon, incl. ‘hidden’, Formal name-change, Apprence or slave: marriage: boy taking orphan & foster: boy e.g. to inherit land: man youth taking surname surname of mother’s taking surname of taking maiden name of of master husband guardian wife or mother

NPE-Non Paternal Events

Name-change to hide Rape: boy taking Tenant or vassal: man criminal past, surname of mother or taking surname of embarrassing surname, partner landlord or chief or a stage name: man taking unrelated surname

Informal name-change, Informal name changes Anglicisaon of surnames alias, by-name: man the use of aliases and by- occurred in Ireland in the taking name of farm, names, and name 16th century, in the trade or origin changes by tenants, Scosh Highlands in the vassals, apprences and 18th century, and in slaves were prevalent in America in the 18th the 13th-18th through early 20th centuries 13 Different Types of Tests

Genealogists understand that there are different types of DNA tests, including Y-chromosome DNA (“Y-DNA”), mitochondrial DNA (“mtDNA”), Xchromosome (“X-DNA”), and autosomal DNA (“atDNA”) tesng Each test has advantages and limitaons, and can be used in different ways for genealogical research Oen, mulple types of tesng can be or must be used to test a hypothesis Prior to tesng, genealogists determine which type(s) of DNA tesng is capable of achieving the genealogist's goal(s). Comparing Companies

23 and Me FTDNA Ancestry Y-DNA No-Gives Haplogroup Yes-12, 25, 37, 67, 111 No

Mt-DNA No-Gives Haplogroup Yes-HV-1, HV-2, Full Seq No

At-DNA Yes Yes Yes

X-Chromosome Yes Yes No Comparing Companies

23 and Me FTDNA Ancestry # Y-Chromosome SNPs 2329 None 885 (Labeled as Chromosome 24)

# mt-DNA Chromosome 3154 None None SNPS

# X-Chromosome SNPS 19,487 18,091 17,604 (Labeled Chromosome 23) plus 440 SNPs labeled Chromosome 25

At-DNA Chromosome SNPS 577,382 708,092 682,549 14: Y-DNA and mtDNA Tests

Genealogists understand the current recommended minimum YDNA and mtDNA tesng standards, guidelines for which are currently being draed and will be found at www.GenecGenealogyStandards.com when completed Genealogists are aware that even aer an inial mtDNA or Y-DNA test, addional tesng (e.g., addional markers and/or sequencing) might be necessary in order to achieve the genealogist's goal(s). 15: Limitations of Y-DNA Testing

Genealogists understand that Y-DNA test results reveal relaonships among testers through their direct paternal lines However, idenficaon of the exact relaonship or most recent common ancestor (“MRCA”) cannot be determined by YDNA test results alone. 16: Limitations of mtDNA Testing

Genealogists understand that mtDNA test results reveal relaonships among testers through their direct maternal lines However, idenficaon of the exact relaonship or MRCA cannot be determined by mtDNA test results alone

17: Limitations of Autosomal DNA Testing Genealogists understand that autosomal DNA test results, alone, can be used to confirm or deny first degree relaonships with certainty (parent/child or full siblings) Genealogists understand that analysis of genealogical relaonships beyond the first degree requires the combinaon of DNA test results and tradional genealogical records

18: Limitations of Ethnicity Analysis

Genealogists understand that ethnicity analysis is limited by the proprietary reference populaon database and algorithm ulized by the tesng company, and thus understand that esmates can vary Genealogists further understand that because individuals do not possess DNA from all ancestors, an ethnicity esmate can neither be predicted nor evaluated based solely on a genealogical family tree. Ethnicity Analysis 23 and Me FTDNA Ancestry Yes, using Ancestry Biogeographical Composion, Yes, using the My Yes, using the Genec Ethnicity ancestry analysis Global Similarity, Ancestry Origins feature feature Finder features

Chromosomes painted Yes, using Ancestry according to ethnic or Composion's No No regional Chromosome View

Overall Rang of Overall rang: 7 Overall Rang: 3.5 Overall Rang: 3 Biogeographical Analysis Ancestry Composion My Origins Brish Isles Over- esmated for rated on a 1-10 scale Overall European Lacks specificity, people with Connental Europe Predicons not opmal parcularly for ancestry with 10 being Europe excellent and 1 being European ancestry predicons poor tend to be inaccurate

Ethnicity Analysis 23 and Me FTDNA Ancestry

The Ancestry Composion feature Consistently overesmates offers a map view which displays the Central European and one's ancestral components from Scandinavian ancestral various regions of the world as of components for people 500 years ago whose ancestors were from Overall accuracy the Brish Isles and sophiscaon Split view for those who also have one or both parents who have been Lacks specificity, parcularly The ancestral component of the tested by 23andMe, and a for Europe. from the Brish Isles is biogeographical breakdown by chromosome. overesmated for people ancestry whose ancestors were from Overall accuracy is reasonably good connental Europe Predicons in Europe not opmal Ancestry Finder provides Overall, the European breakdown of one's ancestry by ancestry predicons tend to country. be inaccurate. 23 and Me Ancestry Composition 23 and Me Chromosome Paint FTDNA –My Origins Ancestry Ethnicity Estimate 19: Interpretation of DNA Test Results

Genealogists understand that there is frequently more than one possible interpretaon of DNA test results. Somemes, but not always, these possible explanaons can be narrowed by addional tesng and/or documentary genealogical research. Genealogists further understand that any analysis of DNA test results is necessarily dependent upon other informaon, including informaon from the tester, and that the analysis is only as reliable as the informaon upon which it is based 20:DNA as Part of Genealogical Proof

Genealogists understand that no single piece of evidence, including evidence gathered from DNA tesng, alone constutes genealogical proof. Establishing genealogical proof requires thorough research in reliable relevant records, complete and accurate documentaon and source citaon, analysis and correlaon of all evidence, resoluon of conflicts caused by contradictory informaon, and a soundly reasoned wrien conclusion For more informaon, see the Genealogical Proof Standard (www.bcgcerficaon.org ). Genealogical Proof Standard

The Genealogical Proof Standard

Reasonably Exhausve Search

Complete and Accurate Citaon of Sources

Analysis and Correlaon of the Collected Informaon

Resoluon of Conflicng Evidence

Soundly Reasoned, Coherently Wrien Conclusion