The connection between Genealogy and DNA results

+18 votes
420 views

I sometimes get asked why some of the profiles in the Acadian or Louisiana Families Projects don't mark parents as "certain" because of DNA information that is posted on the profile. I am not at all conversant about DNA results, but, that aside I explain that WikiTree is a genealogy website and that we haven't found records that prove the parentage. 

I ran across this article which help explain how important sources are and also how DNA results can help us. https://familyheritageresearchcommunity.org/antoinette-landry-dna But, what made my heart leap is when I saw that the authors had posted links to 4 profiles from WikiTree! 

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Landry-17

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Vigneau-4

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Girouard-3681

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Girouard-4708

Both projects have recently finished updating the top highly-viewed profiles that Chris had wanted us to do. That was one of the most worthwhile projects I've worked on since joining WT in 2014 and I am so thankful that those referenced profiles are in good shape--something to take pride in. The article is worth a read. Enjoy!

WikiTree profile: Antoinette Landry
in Genealogy Help by Jacqueline Girouard G2G6 Mach 7 (74.2k points)
Good information. Is there a Wikitree Mothers_of_Acadia category to track mtDNA lines? I was a member of the FTDNA project before subsequent research here revealed my direct maternal line was not Acadian.

Apart from referencing some WikiTree profiles, what I particularly appreciate about the article--steered by Marie Rundquist--is the method with which the analysis was approached and, most importantly, that the mitochondrial DNA evidence was used in the correct way. Specifically, mtDNA was used as direct evidence to negate a hypothesis.

Thanks for posting, Jacqueline!

Magnificent Study ! .. 

Jacqueline, I haven't read the article yet (so maybe I should stay out of this!), but I had the impression that the amount of endogamy among the Acadians made DNA analysis quite difficult.  

(Now that I have read the article, I'll just clarify that I was mainly thinking of autosomal DNA; while mtDNA seems to be reliable for the purpose discussed, it can only be used for one part of one's ancestry--the matrilinear line.)
The article doesn't mention endogamy, but my own matrilineal line is pretty clear. In this case DNA was used to help straighten out the lineage but sources were used to prove it.
Mike Wells: I don't know that we have a category, but Annette Cormier updates profiles that are listed in the Mothers of Acadia project or at least she used to. How might we use such a category?
Thank you for sharing!
Jacqueline, I suppose the wikitree mtDNA tracking logic already serves much the same function as the FTDNA project. That is, to track the halpogroup across the direct maternal line to MDKA.
Hi Mike - I don't know about the group you ask about but I do have an Acadian mother (Ardoin). I tested out all the mtDNA levels to learn that my proto-typical Catholic, Cajun French grandmother (Veillon) who spoke the cajun French patois fluently is traced genetically to the German Palatine out-migration in the late 17th century to England. The irony of a German (not French), protestant (not Catholic), etc. was too much for my Cajun cousins to handle....  Good luck!

Please log in or register to answer this question.

Related questions

+4 votes
1 answer
+9 votes
1 answer
239 views asked Feb 14, 2023 in WikiTree Tech by Gisèle Cormier G2G6 Mach 6 (65.4k points)
+11 votes
1 answer
+2 votes
0 answers
+14 votes
5 answers
+17 votes
2 answers
+11 votes
6 answers
+10 votes
8 answers

WikiTree  ~  About  ~  Help Help  ~  Search Person Search  ~  Surname:

disclaimer - terms - copyright

...