MtDNA & Family Finder

[ccm]

Hi, a beginner here. I have taken the MtDNA test and my daughter has taken the family finder test. I took the MtDNA test to try and find the family of my direct maternal ggg grandmother. I only know her married name, no idea what family names to look for. My question, if there are common ancestors in both my matches and my daughter's family finder matches, could that possibly be a connection to my ggg grandmother's family. Also, when looking at my matches, do I concentrate on HVR1, HVR2 coding regions with genetic distance 0? Thanks for any advise and help

[georgian1950]

How did your daughter do with X-DNA matches? While the X-DNA matches have other possible lines besides the maternal line, the maternal line would be one of the possibilities.

[loobster]

I would suggest you also taking the Family Finder Test - as an upgrade on the same Kit your MtDNA Test is on - that way you can click on "Advance Matching" and ask to see only the folks you match on BOTH tests. If you do that, it will give those with relationship range to you, etc.

I would think it is much easier than trying to cross-reference between you and your daughter's tests, unless you are only looking at a very few matches -- and I would think it might be a bit more accurate as well.

A 0-Step match at FMS (ie HVR1,HVR2+coding region) can still be a match to a common ancestor born hundreds of years ago. But yes, that is the closest one gets on MtDNA Testing.

[ccm]

Thanks for the suggestions. I had wondered about doing the FamilyFinder Test also. Now I realize that would be good option. As far the X-DNA matches for my daughter, it's funny there are people on her matches that I know what branch of the family and what ancestor they have in common with, none of those people are on her X-DNA matches. Is that common? It's branches from both sides of her family. This is really a work in process. Thanks for any help

[The_Contemplator]

Just in case no one has said it X-DNA is not the same as mtDNA. As for who could match your daughter's X-DNA, it would come from both sides of her family as you state. However, you also have to consider the relative she would possibly match. If that cousin is related to her through that cousin's father, then they won't get that same X-DNA unless possibly if the cousin was female.

Women get X-DNA from both their parents while men only from their mother. As for mtDNA, that only comes from the test taker's maternal line (mother's mother's mother's etc). So you could have first cousins who don't have any X-DNA in common with you. Also, FTDNA has certain defaults in place so it is possible someone shares some X-DNA that is being ignored due to one too many differences in that region.