My comments about FTDNA's "Family Finder"

[Terry Barton]

I have gotten a flurry of questions about this test, so I have posted my understanding on my blog.  (based on 4 "Complete Edition" tests at 23andMe, FTDNA's info releases, a couple of conversations with FTDNA, two Beta tests on order and a little supposition)  

http://www.worldfamilies.net/familyfinder


Terry Barton

[Bill Harvey]

I have gotten a flurry of questions about this test, so I have posted my understanding on my blog.  (based on 4 "Complete Edition" tests at 23andMe, FTDNA's info releases, a couple of conversations with FTDNA, two Beta tests on order and a little supposition)  

http://www.worldfamilies.net/familyfinder


Terry Barton

Terry,

We have just established a FF Bowen,Richard project with FTDNA - currently have two members (9th cousins) who connect back to "proven" ancestor Obadiah Bowen b. 1627 in Wales (son of Richard Bowen b. 1590 Wales). 

Have you decided how/where you are going to handle these projects?

Curious minds would like to know!

Bill

[Terry Barton]

Hi Bill.  Still puzzling on this myself.  Am thinking that there are at least two totally separate perspectives.  Your example falls into my Category 1.

Category 1. Where FF matches are connected by paper trail to a specific ancestral couple.  I say "couple" because we don't know if the matching segment came from the husband or the wife. 

This category should also include yDNA Lineage based studies using FF to decipher the lost paper trails of families known to share a common ancestor.  This requires an analytic tool not currently offered by FTDNA - the ability to compare FF results when FTDNA has not declared a match.

I think that each of these match sets warrants a separate project - which FTDNA seems to be willing to setup - as you have done.  At this stage, I am handling my match set in the surname project - as it was "empty". 

I have prepared a first cut of a table showing what I have found on my matches for Henry Tidmore (1761-1853) m Margaret Brazeale: 

http://www.worldfamilies.net/surnames/tidmore/ff

Category 2. An individual's matches - particularly those that can't be specifically put into a Category 1 study.  I am expecting to have multiple 100s of matches on each om my 3 FF tests - so this isn't a trivial issue!  (I tested my Mother and my Dad instead of myself - plus I tested my wife)

FTDNA has setup FF projects for each of my 3 FF tests - though I don't yet see any advantages vs the individual info.   

At this point, I am waiting to see what tools and resources FTDNA is going to provide - as I can then decide what, if anything, is needed to supplement the FTDNA resources.  Then, I'll consider whether WorldFamilies should be offering special resources for other users.

General Comments:

I am looking at 3 main issues which I hope FTDNA will address:

A. Strong enough tracking tools that I don't have to operate a separate spread sheet to keep up with what I know about my FF matches

B. Easier evaluation tools to simplify the analyses that I am doing.  I am finding that there are often multiple FF Tests matching at a shared segment.  And - I am expecting that triangulation of matches and paper trails will be MUCH MORE powerful than head to head matches - both in defining the full ancestral segment and in increasing confidence in determining which is the MOST RECENT ANCESTRAL COUPLE (MRAC).  I am working with the 1+cM tool for much of this work.  It is really tedious to identify all of the segments where there is a match and then evaluate which of the other FF tests who also match at that segment

C. Ability to compare results that "should" match - but don't meet FTDNA's threshhold matching criteria.  (Unless FTDNA calls it a match - we can't use the chromosome matching tool.)

I would love to get examples of how other researchers are presenting their research - in both categories

Terry

[Bill Harvey]

Thanks Terry,

I am currently recording

MATCHNAME    CHR    START    END     cM    MATCHING   COMMENTS           
                                 LOC     LOC              SNPs

I am sorting mainly by size of block with emphasis on block location on each individual chromosome for two test categories :

Large Block matches =  > 10 cM
Medium Block matches =  between 5 CM and 9.99 cM

I guess there is always the opportunity to later add in :

Small Block (Between 3 cM and 4.99 cM
Tiny Block (Between 1 cM and 2.99 cM

but for now I am ignoring these levels until I see some test results that provide relevant matches.

It is interesting to see that you are using total cM's - some of my segments are so small, numerous, and scattered around that I am not sure there is much of value at this point even when their accrued total is of significant size?

At this time I have 17 total matches reported by FF.

Bill

[Terry Barton]

At this stage, it's still a question of how it's going to work and what we can extract from the info we have access to.   The more folks are trying different things - the better.

Do you remember when "mutations were a disappointment" - as we thought we wanted perfect matches and felt a disappointment at the mutations?  Now - we often use those mutations to identify branches within a genetic family.

Once you have the big block for the match basis, I believe the smaller matching blocks tied to the same match will be additional detail - sort of like going from 25 to 67 markers - where the extra detail is telling you more.

The key to being able to see this is having multiple matches that you can use to sift the data

Terry

[rms2]

What amazes me is that so few people here at WFN seem interested in talking about the Family Finder test. I have to go over to FTDNA's forum to generate any sort of a response.

I'd rather discuss it here, but this subforum is like a ghost town most of the time.

There goes a tumbleweed now.

[Libby Hobbs]

Hi Terry,

Maybe we are a ghost town because most of us are newbies at this and are not even sure what to talk about or ask.  I recently had my DNA tested through Ancestry.com.  I received ~11,800 potential matches.  They have a community discussion forum.  It appears that they have 24 hour support with their forum.  I think for most people being tested they are not sure what to do with the information once they receive it. 

yesterday I transferred my raw date to myFTDNA.  It will take ~ 4 weeks before I receive information back.  So hopefully by then I will have a better understanding of all of this in order to know what to ask and how to help when someone has a question on the Hobbs surname project page.  Libby Hobbs

[Sharon Marsalis]

I agree with Libby.
Most of us who have started or administer Family Surname Projects are interested in our blood line family history within the time that surnames came into use. I know I am a dummie in regards to the scientific aspects and know I ask dumb questions some times.
Sometimes I feel like giving up as administrator but then I will get an email from someone who is esctatic because they have discovered 4 th back great granddad and it renews my passion for the "hunt" and helping others find their roots.
FTDNA is wonderful and helpful but is more science oriented than personal family oriented.
For instance the projects I administer have had a history changing conclusion  - all thanks to DNA and a discovered paper trail. I have been asked to write a paper on all this and it will not be a scientific diagram of markers and alleles and clades and SNPs but of people with names and lives who loved and lost but left each of us a legacy.
Our debt to DNA genealogical results is invaluable - really priceless .
I thank Terry for his dedication and patience and service on behalf of all the genealogy dummies like me.

[susan fahrnbach]

Hi Terry,

Maybe we are a ghost town because most of us are newbies at this and are not even sure what to talk about or ask.  I recently had my DNA tested through Ancestry.com.  I received ~11,800 potential matches.  They have a community discussion forum.  It appears that they have 24 hour support with their forum.  I think for most people being tested they are not sure what to do with the information once they receive it. 

yesterday I transferred my raw date to myFTDNA.  It will take ~ 4 weeks before I receive information back.  So hopefully by then I will have a better understanding of all of this in order to know what to ask and how to help when someone has a question on the Hobbs surname project page.  Libby Hobbs

[susan fahrnbach]

Hello,

I tested through FTDNA.....it shows a ton of matches.  I have E-mailed matches and some have responded but we don't know where we are connected.
I agree, I don't have a clue of what to do with the information I have from the test results ie:  Chomosome Chart. 
Anyone want to help me?
Family surnames are:
BROWN
SHORT
AUSTIN
BORTON
KNOWLTON
MUIR
KING
LANE
IVINS
NIPPINS
RUSSELL
CLARK
NAYLOR
HAINES
STEHR
LAMBERD
BORROWE
KINTON
POCK
REEDE
WATSON
SPENCER
SCHOFIELD