DNA more specific

Question

'Our family did DNA for genealogy purposes and for fun.  There are other DNA tests that give more detail about origins.  We have one relative whose dad is Mexican (Aztec southern area  nearly to southern border). His dad's profile is that of a perfect Aztec profile image. Our relative's ancestry report gives him 20% Native American which is considered very high.   He would like to do another test that might be more specific on which Native American heritage.  He has in mind traveling to that area in the future.  That is why he is trying to get more specific. Do you have a test YOU WOULD RECOMMEND?

Answer 1

Well I would first have to ask depending what line of the family he gets that heritage from. If its the fathers side I would probably try a ydna  as that follows the fathers side if I understand correctly the other option is a autosomal DNA however I believe that only goes back roughly 5 generations  

Comments

For common reference: https://gcbias.org/2013/11/11/how-does-your-number-of-genetic-ancestors-grow-back-over-time/

Theoretical limit is somewhere around 14 generations. Practical limits are likely to be less than that due to the sparsity of genetic test takers outside of privileged white men.

You're going to want high definition Y and autosomal if the ancestry is suspected to be on the father's side. You're going to want high definition mitochondrial, X chromosome if the ancestry is suspect to be on the mother's side.

Ideally, he wants a test of at least one of his parents for comparison purposes. If he inherits no native American ancestry from one then that helps him narrow down his native American ancestry to the other.

Check his haplogroups. Mine are H and R which are both pretty much exclusively European mutt. Some haplogroups are pretty much exclusive to native Americans; you don't get them in populations outside of native American descendants. If neither of his haplogroups support a native American inheritance pattern then X chromosomes and autosomes are going to be your best bet.

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His dad is from southern Mexico.  Near the border to the next country.  His profile is identical to the pictures you see of Aztecs.He says he was taught Aztec history in school and studied the Aztec calendar, etc.  There is no contact with that family so there is no matching, etc.  So far, impossible to follow the tree.  Too little is known.

Answer 2

Regarding autosomal testing: no DNA test will give you which specific native nation or region your father came from. They just don't have that level of specificity.

Your best bet is perhaps do continue building out your family tree until you know what areas the different branches come from and then do some DNA matching with distant cousins to see how much of your DNA came from those specific ancestors.