How does DNA testing assist in family research?

Question

I am new to Wikitree and would like to know how DNA testing can assist family research. I am aware of "markers" on DNA, what would be the benefits of having DNA testing done? Heather D

Answer 1

Heather, check out this video from one of our top resident experts, Peter Roberts.

• https://plus.google.com/events/cpubtc6suhe8uuun1iqs7ijhs88

 

Also see WikiTree's blog posts about DNA. 

• http://www.wikitree.com/blog/category/about-wikitree/dna/

 

Answer 2

Hi Heather,  Please take a look at our DNA Project and particularly the Choosing a Test section:  http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Project:DNA   

For Smiths, the yDNA tests have been invaluable in straightening out the tangled family lines.  With yDNA, we know that this guy is genetically related to this line, but not all the other Smith lines in our project.  So the yDNA allows us to focus our research on one particular family line and pretty much ignore all the other Smiths as unrelated.