PBS "Finding Your Roots" starts 3/25

[Ann Turner]

Blaine Bettinger has some background information on his blog. Guests were tested at FTDNA, 23andMe, and African American guests were also tested at African Ancestry.

http://www.thegeneticgenealogist.com...ouis-gates-jr/

[Stevo]

Henry Louis Gates is kind of responsible for my getting into genetic genealogy in the first place. Back in 2006, I read a fascinating article that he had written detailing his own genealogical quest and how dna testing had played an integral part in it. I was amazed, because up until then I had no idea that dna testing was available to the general public. Dr. Gates mentioned FTDNA in the article, so I checked it out and ordered my first y-dna 37-marker test. He did me a favor. I have learned a lot from dna testing and am so glad I went with FTDNA.

[similligan]

I'm looking forward to this new show. I thought his earlier programs on PBS were outstanding.

Susan

[vinnie]

Blaine Bettinger has some background information on his blog. Guests were tested at FTDNA, 23andMe, and African American guests were also tested at African Ancestry.

http://www.thegeneticgenealogist.com...ouis-gates-jr/

Thank you, Ann, for posting, as I wouldn't have known about the program otherwise. After watching most of both episodes tonight, I prefer the depth of information much more than that provided on "Who Do You Think You Are?" However, I was disappointed that an aDNA test wasn't done on Harry Connick Jr. I wonder if the decision not to test him was based on the assumption that it wouldn't show much of interest, relative to the other guests, and given his known ancestry. I was surprised that Native American was detected in all the other gentlemen, contrary to the myth-busting that Gates seemed to have in mind, but perhaps that was a function of their being from New Orleans.

[nolnacsj]

Blaine Bettinger has some background information on his blog. Guests were tested at FTDNA, 23andMe, and African American guests were also tested at African Ancestry.

http://www.thegeneticgenealogist.com...ouis-gates-jr/

Ann, thank you for posting this information. Too bad I didn't see it until 11:30 PM tonight....but hopefully PBS will air it again.

Judy

[Ann Turner]

Ann, thank you for posting this information. Too bad I didn't see it until 11:30 PM tonight....but hopefully PBS will air it again.

Judy

This happened to be pledge night for my local PBS station, and I do see lots of reruns for the coming week. Maybe your PBS station will do the same!

[PDHOTLEN]

I only saw the first hour. The second is about to start. Since I'm hard of hearing, I look at close captioning; but took a couple of time outs.

Regarding Black family names, they didn't go into origins of particular family names. Obviously they are mostly White in origin. My maternal grandmother is of Colonial descent of varied European threads. But her maternal (mtDNA) last name dead ends with Falconbury; her mother was last name unknown (born 1760 in NC/SC). But since her HVR1+HVR22 is so rare, it looks to me that it goes back to Puritan New England (Ann Johnson, b.1639, I think it was). Her mother was a Margaret with last name unknown and born in England (One source gives Norfolk).

Some New Englanders moved south to Virginia before the French and Indian War. There was a dispute as to ownership of land, so many continued on down to the Carolinas. That's what looks like may have happened in my maternal case. I noticed the name Ellis in the Black musician's line. That name pops up first in early Massachusetts, then in Virginia, and later in Anson County, NC. Many of those Southerners moved further down into the "New South" following the Revolutionary War. So you can draw a possible scenario as to the origin of Ellis. White and Black. Well, it's time to look at the second episode on PBS.

[vinnie]

Regarding Black family names, they didn't go into origins of particular family names. Obviously they are mostly White in origin.

They did, but not to a great extent. Gates mentioned that many Black family names were actually the names of the slaves' owners and they talked about the surnames of some of the guests, especially Branford M's, since they discovered a documented NPE of sorts in his line.

[Roscoe2000]

I did find the show interesting and that the use of DNA will surely be an eye opener when taken in the context of race relations. The cover of the book truely can't describe it's contents. And this program has giving me new insight as i journey into my past.

[MMaddi]

Let's call a truce on Henry Gates and his politics - both pro and con.

The show's about genealogy and incorporated DNA testing. That's to be praised no matter who the host is. I found the show last night as good or better than Who Do You Think You Are? - which I never miss.

The PBS show uses DNA testing more and explains if fairly well. Another feature I liked is incorporating the historical and personal stories, which WDYTYA does as well. The lifelong connection between Harry Connick, Jr. and Branford Marsalis made that episode funny and interesting.

[Zaru]

Let's call a truce on Henry Gates and his politics - both pro and con.

The show's about genealogy and incorporated DNA testing. That's to be praised no matter who the host is. I found the show last night as good or better than Who Do You Think You Are? - which I never miss.

The PBS show uses DNA testing more and explains if fairly well. Another feature I liked is incorporating the historical and personal stories, which WDYTYA does as well. The lifelong connection between Harry Connick, Jr. and Branford Marsalis made that episode funny and interesting.

I too enjoyed the personal connection between Marsalis aka "Black" and Connick. It made for excellent television. However, I thought that it fell short of explaining the overall scientific function of dna testing, but that was for a different viewership. I enjoyed the show immensely.

Were the pie charts from FTDNA or 23and Me?

[dwight]

I too enjoyed the personal connection between Marsalis aka "Black" and Connick. It made for excellent television. However, I thought that it fell short of explaining the overall scientific function of dna testing, but that was for a different viewership. I enjoyed the show immensely.

Were the pie charts from FTDNA or 23and Me?

presumably from 23andMe as they were the only company mentioned.

[Zaru]

I only saw the first hour. The second is about to start. Since I'm hard of hearing, I look at close captioning; but took a couple of time outs.

Regarding Black family names, they didn't go into origins of particular family names. Obviously they are mostly White in origin. My maternal grandmother is of Colonial descent of varied European threads. But her maternal (mtDNA) last name dead ends with Falconbury; her mother was last name unknown (born 1760 in NC/SC). But since her HVR1+HVR22 is so rare, it looks to me that it goes back to Puritan New England (Ann Johnson, b.1639, I think it was). Her mother was a Margaret with last name unknown and born in England (One source gives Norfolk).

Some New Englanders moved south to Virginia before the French and Indian War. There was a dispute as to ownership of land, so many continued on down to the Carolinas. That's what looks like may have happened in my maternal case. I noticed the name Ellis in the Black musician's line. That name pops up first in early Massachusetts, then in Virginia, and later in Anson County, NC. Many of those Southerners moved further down into the "New South" following the Revolutionary War. So you can draw a possible scenario as to the origin of Ellis. White and Black. Well, it's time to look at the second episode on PBS.

My grandmother who was from Vermont, was married to a Falkenbury. I had not previously seen the surname again until your posting. I actually have Mr. Falkenbury's manual from the Masonic Lodge as a keepsake.

After watching this show, as well as WDYTYA? it's nice to see examples of free people of color from the antebellum period. My family were free as far back as can be traced (1800) and even more interesting, is that the male line(my maternal grandfather) is E1b1a. I suspect that at some point they had to have been in servitude but that would lead us to the 1700's. It's been an interesting ride...

[Zaru]

I would agree.

presumably from 23andMe as they were the only company mentioned.

But FTDNA did provide funding for the show, I wish they would have mentioned which labs were used.

Does FF break down ancestry in terms of ethnic origins like that?

[dwight]

presumably from 23andMe as they were the only company mentioned.

Only after reading CeCe Moore's nice overview did I realize I spoke way prematurely and incorrectly, as I only saw the first hour last night - obviously there's a lot in episode 2 I haven't seen (and am looking forward to!).