mtDNA CERTIFICATE

[comore]

I passed on the info regarding my mtDNA results to my family members explaining the origin of our maternal linage; I showed them a copy of the mtDNA certificate from ftdna and I was asked where on the certificate does it state the the place of origin?(They were totally confused) I explained the Haplogroup letters but they felt that a certificate spelling out the place of origin(continent,etc) would be more desireable. I don't know if this issue has been brought up in this forum but I wanted to check before addressing the issue with Ftdna. I think it would be nice to get a certificate that spells out the origin (continent,etc.) of the person's maternal linage. Thanks

[Bill Hurst]

I think you are asking too much. I just looked at my FTDNA page where it says my haplogroup K originated about 16,000 years ago. There were no countries back then. Our ancestors didn't keep good records back then. As I remember, Sykes in "Seven Daughters of Eve" speculated that K started in what's now Italy. I think there's a lot of guesswork involved. "Europe" would be about the best guess, in my opinion. I can't pin down some of my recent ancestors' birthplaces any better than the "Virginia" on the census records.

Bill Hurst

[comore]

Thanks Bill for your response;

When looking at "my Ftdna" page under the mtDNA results tab it has "haplogroup description" Defined. The haplogroup description that I have listed gives a continent of origin; Thats fine for me; I just would like to see that info in a certificate form. There are many people that do not have access to computers; Also maybe there are folks such as my relatives that want the certificate to preserve for future generations that states mtDna origin; Then that's a good thing.

[penguin]

Also maybe there are folks such as my relatives that want the certificate to preserve for future generations that states mtDna origin; Then that's a good thing.

That would be nice, but the science is still in its infancy. Speculations and hypothetical reconstructions they are making now about where the ancestors lived, when they lived, how many there were, and how they all relate to one another is likely to change in the next hard to know how many years.

But hopefully the one thing that should stay the same is your exact mitochondrial Dna sequence, unless there was an error. And that info is on your hopefully long-lasting certificate.

[comore]

Thanks Penquin for your reply.

So the mtDNA haplogroupings denoting origins of maternal lineage (continents,etc.) are not accurate enough to certify? Now I am curious as to what percent of accuracy the haplogroupings and their references to places of mtDNA origins are.

[penguin]

That might have nothing to do with why the info isn't on the certificate though.

Probably the % innacuracy can't be estimated for some kinds of things. It's just that the assumptions on which the haplogroups emerged may prove to be false. Assumptions not everyone agrees with include rate of mutation of mitochondrial dna (1 per 10,000 years), low variance in rate of mutation, absense of lots of parallel mutations, zero contamination from paternal DNA. New theories are likely to emerge.

[comore]

Thanks Penguin; The information you have provided has been very helpful