Help me understand DNA testing

[Alan H]

I hope I may ask a question - I have my fathers line back to George Corliss - first Corliss across the pond in the mid 1600's and to his father somewhere in Britain. Knowing this, what else can Y DNA testing tell me?

I think your paper trail is pretty freaking good, if you really have that information documented.

Phil, that's almost 350 years. That's amazing.

If you really wanted to pursue this route, I'd research mtDNA, instead and take a look at Moms side of the family. mtDNA has a significantly higher spontaneous mutation rate than chromosomal DNA, though estimates of that rate are all over the map! However, since mutations accumulate more rapidly, there are a lot more haplotypes and haplogroups and you can get more specific information than with yDNA testing. NOte that not all haplogroups of mtDNA mutate at the same rate.

That clock don't click the same, over the entire genome.

I'd be chary of pinning too much the timing of things. Any results that you get back will be ESTIMATES and if you keep that in mind, you might find out something useful.

[pdcorlis]

I think your paper trail is pretty freaking good, if you really have that information documented...

snip...

If you really wanted to pursue this route, I'd research mtDNA, instead and take a look at Moms side of the family.

snip...

Thanks Alan - yeah, there are a few advantages of having a super rare last name (Corliss). I did most of the work on dad's side but I have had a couple of hard core genealogists look it over and they concur. Mom's side (Paskett)is also solid back to the early 1600s thanks to a few generations of hard working Paskett genealogists. I can't imagine doing this before computers, those folks must have had the patience of a saint.

I will certainly look into mtDNA - thanks for the advice.

Phil.

[Alan H]

Thanks Alan - yeah, there are a few advantages of having a super rare last name (Corliss). I did most of the work on dad's side but I have had a couple of hard core genealogists look it over and they concur. Mom's side (Paskett)is also solid back to the early 1600s thanks to a few generations of hard working Paskett genealogists. I can't imagine doing this before computers, those folks must have had the patience of a saint.

I will certainly look into mtDNA - thanks for the advice.

Phil.

Honestly, Phil, you've got a paper trail on your mothers side that goes back to the 1600's as well? No kidding?

Phil, you're done. DONE. See my previous post. mtDNA testing will give you suggestions about general areas, and general haplotypes that mom might be connected to. It will NOT tell you that your ancestor in 1537 lived in Paris, on 445 Rue De Genome Street.

[pdcorlis]

Phil, you're done. DONE...

I suspected that Alan, but I see so much about DNA in genealogy I wondered just what I may be missing.

As an aside, I have been lucky enough to stand on the same streets as my ancestors, sit in the same churches where they were married and buried some 500 years ago. It is a surprisingly moving and powerful experience.

I hope some day everyone who does genealogical work can share it.