dna information

Genetic Genealogy

Information about Genetic Genealogy and DNA Testing can be found at: International Society of Genetic Genealogy 

2017-2018 Braithwaite DNA Project

In 2017-2018 the Braithwaite Family Organization (BFO) sponsored a Braithwaite DNA Project in which BFO members took DNA tests from different DNA testing companies.  This project was undertaken to determine the usefulness of such DNA tests in identifying relatives and ancestral relationships.  Some of the results of these DNA tests are shown below.

Conclusions from 2017-2018 Braithwaite DNA Project

The 2017-2018 Braithwaite DNA Project, which compared DNA results from several companies, showed that DNA tests can approximately or reasonably identify and publicize calculated (or estimated) relatedness between cousins back to about four generations.  However, this project also showed that the accuracy of such calculated (or estimated) relationships between living individuals can be significantly different than what is genealogically provable.  Also the shown geographical distributions and percentages of association to estimated ancestral locations can vary considerably between companies.  

Limitations of Calculated DNA Matches

In 2017, Donna Rutherford stated the following:  "Currently it’s never been found that a 2nd cousin will not share DNA , so if you are not sharing DNA with a known second cousin (who has also tested) then you have a mystery to solve, something is not right.   But more distant than 2nd cousin and it’s possible to no longer have any DNA from the distant ancestor.  This is generally around 10% of 3rd cousins who will not match you, up to 50% of 4ths and 70% of 5ths.  It can vary of course, but these are high level numbers, so don’t be surprised if a known 4th cousin does not share DNA with you, it does not mean your paper trial is wrong and more research is needed to confirm the branch."  (Source: DNA - What, When, How, Why - FAQs for Beginners)

In 2018, Ancestry.com stated the following:  "4th cousin and more distant: Enough DNA is shared with closer relatives that genealogical relationships can be determined with a higher degree of accuracy based on DNA, but because we don’t necessarily inherit DNA from ancestors in the precise percentages one might expect (25% from each grandparent, 12.5% from each great-grandparent, and so forth), and because our genealogical cousins don’t receive exactly the same DNA as we do from our common ancestors, determining exact relationships via DNA becomes less feasible the more distant the genealogical relationship is. Percentages of DNA shared between relatives at the 4th cousin level and beyond may signify any number of distant relationships, but the genealogical relationships are unlikely to be closer than six degrees from the test taker."  (Source: DNA Match Relationships)

Limitations of Ethnicity Estimates

In 2017, Donna Rutherford stated the following:  "Ethnicity Estimates are just that, 'estimates'. They can relate to your ancestry from hundreds or even thousands of years ago and therefore will not match your paper trail from the genealogical time period.   Ethnicity results are calculated by comparing you to a reference group of people. These are people that meet certain criteria requested by the test company (e.g. a reference person might have 4 grandparents all born within 50 miles of each other, all with known Ancestry in that region).  Your DNA is compared to these people, often by scanning it several times and taking an average of the readings. The results are good for a continental view of where your DNA comes from, but the science is not able to really produce anything more detailed than that (yet!)."  (Source: DNA - What, When, How, Why - FAQs for Beginners)

"Each test company has a different way of working out ethnicity (sometimes called admixture). They all use different reference people and thereby arrange people into different regions. One company might have a category “GB and Ireland” and another one might split that into two regions.  How do you know which one is accurate?  Well none of them are 'accurate', choose the one you like the best!"  (Source: DNA - What, When, How, Why - FAQs for Beginners) 

DNA Tests Can Help Grow Ancestral Family Organizations

The Braithwaite Family Organization (BFO) uses the publicized calculated (or estimated) DNA relatedness of individuals who are identified as cousins by different DNA testing companies to grow and sustain its family organization.  This is done as follows: 1) the BFO tries to contact (via email and the Internet) all “Braithwaite” surnamed individuals who are identified by various DNA testing companies as related to other Braithwaite's and then invites them to freely join the BFO and to contribute their Braithwaite lineage (if known) to the BFO for possible inclusions in the BFO Genealogical Database; and 2) the BFO encourages (via email and the Internet) all first-to-fourth generation “cousins” who various DNA testing companies calculate (or estimate) are related to other known living Braithwaite relatives to freely join the BFO and to contribute their Braithwaite-related lineage (if known) to the BFO for possible inclusion in the BFO Genealogical Database.   This effort by the BFO to invite DNA identified Braithwaite-related “cousins” to join the BFO has resulted in DNA patrons investigating, joining and contributing to the BFO.