Only 140,000 people in FTDNAs database?

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  • E19463
    FTDNA Customer
    • Feb 2015
    • 258

    Only 140,000 people in FTDNAs database?

    It is written that there are only about 140,000 people in FTDNAs database but over 900,000 in 23andMe, see link
    http://www.isogg.org/wiki/Autosomal_...mparison_chart and attachment below.

    Until now I thought that FTDNA is much bigger than the competitors. Was I wrong?
    Attached Files
  • nicolam
    FTDNA Customer
    • Apr 2015
    • 66

    #2
    I had thought it was more than that. What is the banner on the FTDNA home page referring to by "we have 720,505 records - the largest DNA ancestry database in the world!"
    Discover your DNA story and unlock the secrets of your ancestry and genealogy with our autosomal DNA, Y-DNA, and mtDNA tests.

    I thought this was how many people have tested with them, but it must mean something else.

    Comment

    • LynCra
      FTDNA Customer
      • Sep 2011
      • 523

      #3
      Pure speculation. They have never published how many FF customers they have. Ridiculous attitude to publish those other less interesting statistics but never answer the question that people have been asking for several years. Probably missed a good marketing opportunity from that in the early days of FF too. Watching a steadily growing db would have encouraged more sales in the days before there was major competition.

      Comment

      • Kathleen Carrow
        mtDNA: J2b1a1(a) | Y-DNA: I2a1a | Horse Person
        • Apr 2006
        • 1095

        #4
        They can tell somewhat by the Transfer # how many they have.. possibly 140,000 although some transfers are for Y..
        the "B" transfer #s still are below 60,000

        That "Big" number of testers they quote is for all tests not unduplicated testers.. 12 marker Y tests etc ..which does NOT give an autosomal database to compare against..

        Comment

        • Armando
          FTDNA Customer
          • Jun 2009
          • 1701

          #5
          Originally posted by E19463 View Post
          It is written that there are only about 140,000 people in FTDNAs database but over 900,000 in 23andMe, see link
          http://www.isogg.org/wiki/Autosomal_...mparison_chart and attachment below.

          Until now I thought that FTDNA is much bigger than the competitors. Was I wrong?
          Apples and oranges.

          Most of the people at 23andme didn't do it for genealogical or ethnicity reasons. They did it for the medical aspect. FTDNA never offered DNA testing for medical reasons so it was only done for the genealogical or ethnicity reasons and you have to request your autosomal matches to share their genome in order to see which chromosomes they match on and most of those people don't accept. Most don't even share their name before the sharing is requested and accepted.

          23andme does not do Y-DNA STR testing, Y-DNA matching, FMS mtDNA testing, or mtDNA matching.

          However, the ethnicity calculation is way better at 23andme and it is probably because they have more people in their database.

          Comment

          • E19463
            FTDNA Customer
            • Feb 2015
            • 258

            #6
            Originally posted by Armando View Post
            ...
            However, the ethnicity calculation is way better at 23andme and it is probably because they have more people in their database.
            So does this mean that if someone is looking for relatives (an adoptee for example), he would be better off with 23andMe due to their larger database?

            Comment

            • Parameswara
              FTDNA Customer
              • Feb 2014
              • 177

              #7
              Originally posted by E19463 View Post
              It is written that there are only about 140,000 people in FTDNAs database but over 900,000 in 23andMe, see link
              http://www.isogg.org/wiki/Autosomal_...mparison_chart and attachment below.

              Until now I thought that FTDNA is much bigger than the competitors. Was I wrong?
              That's Autosomal DNA testing comparison chart. DNA testing is not just autosomal. That 140,000 is the number of people who get autosomal test in FTDNA.


              Originally posted by nicolam View Post
              I had thought it was more than that. What is the banner on the FTDNA home page referring to by "we have 720,505 records - the largest DNA ancestry database in the world!"
              Discover your DNA story and unlock the secrets of your ancestry and genealogy with our autosomal DNA, Y-DNA, and mtDNA tests.

              I thought this was how many people have tested with them, but it must mean something else.
              Well, my relatives KIT number is 414348. So at least there are more 400,000 people who ordered KIT from FTDNA. Then don't forget people who get test from Genographic Project and some affiliated companies like African DNA, DNA Ancestry and Family Origin, DNA World Wide, and iGenea. Many people ordered more than 1 test (Autosomal, Y-STR&SNP, mtDNA, Big Y). So the number 720,505 records really make sense.

              The largest autosomal database maybe 23andme (and maybe soon AncestryDNA become the largest). But, Y-STR&SNP and mtDNA database, obviously FTDNA is number one.

              Comment

              • LynCra
                FTDNA Customer
                • Sep 2011
                • 523

                #8
                Originally posted by E19463 View Post
                So does this mean that if someone is looking for relatives (an adoptee for example), he would be better off with 23andMe due to their larger database?
                An adoptee would have the best chance of success by testing with all of the big companies.

                Comment

                • nicolam
                  FTDNA Customer
                  • Apr 2015
                  • 66

                  #9
                  I have tested with 23andMe (I uploaded to FTDNA), and my 3 closest matches there don't reply to messages so I can't find out where we match. They are just ignoring me, but I've also had several requests to compare genomes declined. I have fewer matches on FTDNA but at least I can compare them in the chromosome browser.

                  Comment

                  • MoberlyDrake
                    mtDNA: T2b5 | Y-DNA: J-M172
                    • May 2010
                    • 1602

                    #10
                    Originally posted by nicolam View Post
                    I have tested with 23andMe (I uploaded to FTDNA), and my 3 closest matches there don't reply to messages so I can't find out where we match. They are just ignoring me, but I've also had several requests to compare genomes declined. I have fewer matches on FTDNA but at least I can compare them in the chromosome browser.

                    You have a chromosome browser at 23andMe, though it works a little differently.

                    Comment

                    • nicolam
                      FTDNA Customer
                      • Apr 2015
                      • 66

                      #11
                      The problem is that matches have to be invited to compare genomes, if they either ignore your invitation or decline it you can't see them in the browser. Over half my matches are an anonymous, nameless icon and all I can see is whether they are male/female, the haplogroup and the percentage of dna shared, but not where.

                      Comment

                      • tlgarrison
                        FTDNA Customer
                        • Jul 2014
                        • 132

                        #12
                        I have tested autosomal at FTDNA (8/2011 results), AncestryDNA (9/2012 results) and 23andMe (2/2015 results).

                        I have found great things using FTDNA and AncestryDNA (even though AncestryDNA does not have the chr browser: I just try like heck to get them to upload to GedMatch). But so far 23andMe is a great big disappointment. The return message rate is is about 5%. I think a lot of these people join using a hotmail address and then lose there login information or something. If somebody emails me regarding any of my DNA tests I always respond! I am sure one day something good will come from my 23andMe account so I will just wait and CAST A BIG NET because if you don't fish you want catch anything.
                        Last edited by tlgarrison; 26 April 2015, 09:34 AM. Reason: spelling error

                        Comment

                        • Ann Turner
                          FTDNA Customer
                          • Apr 2003
                          • 1146

                          #13
                          Originally posted by nicolam View Post
                          I had thought it was more than that. What is the banner on the FTDNA home page referring to by "we have 720,505 records - the largest DNA ancestry database in the world!"
                          Discover your DNA story and unlock the secrets of your ancestry and genealogy with our autosomal DNA, Y-DNA, and mtDNA tests.

                          I thought this was how many people have tested with them, but it must mean something else.
                          As others have mentioned, the 720K records is the total number of tests for Y and mtDNA. It does include tests that have been transferred from other places.

                          What I have wondered is how the 525K Y records are broken down. I had assumed that each level includes the next level, but others have disagreed.

                          525,827 Y-DNA records in the database
                          215,797 25-marker records in the database
                          195,358 37-marker records in the database
                          96,215 67-marker records in the database
                          194,678 mtDNA records in the database
                          51,578 FGS records in the database

                          Comment

                          • T E Peterman
                            FTDNA Customer
                            • Sep 2004
                            • 1577

                            #14
                            Maybe the 140,000 pertains to autosomal alone. Ann, do you have numbers on this?

                            Timothy Peterman

                            Comment

                            • Ann Turner
                              FTDNA Customer
                              • Apr 2003
                              • 1146

                              #15
                              Originally posted by T E Peterman View Post
                              Maybe the 140,000 pertains to autosomal alone. Ann, do you have numbers on this?

                              Timothy Peterman
                              Yes, the 140,000 estimate is for autosomal tests. Roberta Estes was quoted in a GenomeWeb article (paywall) Jan 19 that the number was approaching 120,000. She presumably had some insider knowledge. Some projections are based on the kit numbers with the prefix B (transfers). The number on some kits I transferred rose about 4000 in the month of January.

                              Comment

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