Adopted son

[beckahmac]

I adopted my son from Guatemala when he was a baby. He is now six years old. The bio-mom said she is Spanish only (which I find hard to believe) in the paperwork, and I don't know about the bio-dad. I would like to know which test I should get for my little boy that will give me information on his ethnic origins (Spanish-only, or also Mayan, indigenous, etc.). I already have the name of his bio-mother, but do not have the bio-father's surname.

Thanks in advance for the help,
Rebecca

[Yaffa]

I adopted my son from Guatemala when he was a baby. He is now six years old. The bio-mom said she is Spanish only (which I find hard to believe) in the paperwork, and I don't know about the bio-dad. I would like to know which test I should get for my little boy that will give me information on his ethnic origins (Spanish-only, or also Mayan, indigenous, etc.). I already have the name of his bio-mother, but do not have the bio-father's surname.

Thanks in advance for the help,
Rebecca

I have heard 90% of the people in Guatemala are Maya. DNA test wont prove tribe but You can Y DNA test your son for his direct bio father line and MT DNA test for his bio mother's direct line

[Brunetmj]

* Autosomal DNA Tests and X-STR Tests alone will not provide a full report. If you require a full director report, with interpretation please email us for a quotation.
The above was taken from the home page and one you might consider.
I for one are uncomfortable offering more without knowing more about why your asking or how the information is to be used. Nor is it my buissines to know.

[nolnacsj]

I adopted my son from Guatemala when he was a baby. He is now six years old. The bio-mom said she is Spanish only (which I find hard to believe) in the paperwork, and I don't know about the bio-dad. I would like to know which test I should get for my little boy that will give me information on his ethnic origins (Spanish-only, or also Mayan, indigenous, etc.). I already have the name of his bio-mother, but do not have the bio-father's surname.

Thanks in advance for the help,
Rebecca

Rececca, I would think the FTDNA Family Finder would be a good starting place. You may get some relative matches (though maybe not a lot), and if so, can communicate with them regarding their specific ethnic ancestry. You can also take the DNA results and upload it to some of the independent research sites and get your sons "admixture" (ethnic composition), which will be based on DNA from both the birth mother and birth father.

Judy

[GayeSherman]

Rececca, I would think the FTDNA Family Finder would be a good starting place. You may get some relative matches (though maybe not a lot), and if so, can communicate with them regarding their specific ethnic ancestry. You can also take the DNA results and upload it to some of the independent research sites and get your sons "admixture" (ethnic composition), which will be based on DNA from both the birth mother and birth father.

Judy

I don't think you're going to get any hits other than some very distant Spanish ones. The admixture results from some private websites might be the best you're going to get, but will require raw data from Family Finder or 23andMe's Ancestry edition. If your budget can stand it, I would do the highest number of Y markers available, along with full sequence mtDNA (FGS) and Family Finder. 23andMe's Ancestry edition will provide more information but there's an additional cost. You could easily spend $1,000 on DNA testing to get all the bases covered.

Judy - I know 23andMe's Ancestry package includes mtDNA - but does it do FGS? Also, what kind of Y testing is included?

[Yaffa]

Rececca, I would think the FTDNA Family Finder would be a good starting place. You may get some relative matches (though maybe not a lot), and if so, can communicate with them regarding their specific ethnic ancestry. You can also take the DNA results and upload it to some of the independent research sites and get your sons "admixture" (ethnic composition), which will be based on DNA from both the birth mother and birth father.

Judy

Judy I dont think the Family Finder test would be the best bet. You are talking about this child coming from a poor country where many probably wont DNA test. She would probably be better off with Y DNA and MT DNA to get haplogroup and direct father line.

Most of them are Indian. My Mother line is Indian from N Mexico and I can tell you I only have one FF match to Mexico 5th great or further.

[beckahmac]

Thank you all for responding. I am leaning toward the 37 marker Y-DNA test at this time, and then adding the mtDNA to get a good sampling of both lines for haplogroup. I agree that there may be few to no matches - I am simply wanting to know my son's true ethnicity, whether Hispanic or indigenous.

Thanks again!

[nolnacsj]

I don't think you're going to get any hits other than some very distant Spanish ones. The admixture results from some private websites might be the best you're going to get, but will require raw data from Family Finder or 23andMe's Ancestry edition. If your budget can stand it, I would do the highest number of Y markers available, along with full sequence mtDNA (FGS) and Family Finder. 23andMe's Ancestry edition will provide more information but there's an additional cost. You could easily spend $1,000 on DNA testing to get all the bases covered.

Judy - I know 23andMe's Ancestry package includes mtDNA - but does it do FGS? Also, what kind of Y testing is included?

Gaye, I don't believe the 23andMe package includes mtDNA FMS or Y-DNA 37 or 67 marker tests. Probably better to do those with FTDNA, better resources like the surname projects.

[JamesKelley]

Thank you all for responding. I am leaning toward the 37 marker Y-DNA test at this time, and then adding the mtDNA to get a good sampling of both lines for haplogroup. I agree that there may be few to no matches - I am simply wanting to know my son's true ethnicity, whether Hispanic or indigenous.

Thanks again!

Just to throw a little more into the mix. If you would like to know his ethnicity, and you already know who the mother is:

Skip the mtDNA, since that only deals with the mother and will not expand what you get from the Y-DNA.

Consider the Family Finder test, because it gives a percentage breakdown of ethnic origin. The % displayed in the report may not be very detailed, but it should yield some clues. There are other 3rd parties that will analyse the DNA for more specific details.

The Y test, as others have indicated, may not give much, or you could get some good matches on some Spanish Conquistadors. Since it only follows the father's-father's-father's route, you would be ignoring his father's mother, who provided a significant portion of DNA.

On the other hand, that may be more information than you are seeking at this time.

[nolnacsj]

Thank you all for responding. I am leaning toward the 37 marker Y-DNA test at this time, and then adding the mtDNA to get a good sampling of both lines for haplogroup. I agree that there may be few to no matches - I am simply wanting to know my son's true ethnicity, whether Hispanic or indigenous.

Thanks again!

Doing just the basic mtDNA (HVR1) will not give you much info except for basic maternal haplogroup. Doing mtDNA FMS (HVR1, HVR2 and Coding Region) may be more informative as it will break down the haplogroup into subclades. Costs more though. I did mtDNA FMS and it allowed me to break down my maternal haplogroup to J1c2b. However, even FMS matches (if you get any, I only had one), may share a most recent common ancestor as much as 16 generations back.

The Y-DNA 37 marker test or 67 marker test is good for the male line.

Judy

[Yaffa]

Just to throw a little more into the mix. If you would like to know his ethnicity, and you already know who the mother is:

Skip the mtDNA, since that only deals with the mother and will not expand what you get from the Y-DNA.

Consider the Family Finder test, because it gives a percentage breakdown of ethnic origin. The % displayed in the report may not be very detailed, but it should yield some clues. There are other 3rd parties that will analyse the DNA for more specific details.

The Y test, as others have indicated, may not give much, or you could get some good matches on some Spanish Conquistadors. Since it only follows the father's-father's-father's route, you would be ignoring his father's mother, who provided a significant portion of DNA.

On the other hand, that may be more information than you are seeking at this time.

Why would she pay for FF when I doubt she will get any matches. MT DNA would be more informative. Like I posted before. I have people from mex in my lines and only one match way back there.. There is only about 1000 people in the Mex DNA project here. In order for her to get FF matches people in her sons family have to also DNA test.

If She knows her sons mother's name she may be able to try and trace his family on paper down the line.

And also I am an adoptee. Having her son's MT-DNA and Y DNA on record would be a good Idea anyway. If her son ever went missing she has his DNA on file. Understand that adoptees DNA dont match their adoptive parents so if we go missing our adoptive parents cant give DNA for us

[rucksack]

I know a mother that had both of her adopted Guatemalan children tested at 23andMe.

Very interesting results for them.

The boy's paternal haplogroup is European and both children have Native American maternal haplogroups. They also have other Guatemalan adoptees showing up as cousins in the relative finder tool.

This has been a great pleasure to them.

[GayeSherman]

The only way to get admixture is by using autosomal - which means FF or RF even if the chances of close cousin matches are slim.

HOWEVER - getting any match (even to another adoptee) is GOLDEN.

[JamesKelley]

Why would she pay for FF when I doubt she will get any matches.

Gaye touched on the answer already, the admixture from an autosomal test would allow for the percent breakdown, even without any matches.

[Yaffa]

Gaye touched on the answer already, the admixture from an autosomal test would allow for the percent breakdown, even without any matches.

Well would would someone pay $300 for just a % test when they probably wont get any matches with FF?? MT-DNA would give haplogroup. If they take FGS they might get some medical history with it. many adoptees dont come with medical history. If 23andme give FGS, Y 67 marker plus medical and % they are better off with 23andme