Pros And Cons Of Using Genetic Genealogy
As genealogy continues to surge in popularity, there are a few issues that remain in helping people determine their exact lineage. Proving their heritage is dependant on written documentation that can prove their claims as well as substantiated first-person accounts of the family history. Today, the use of genetic genealogy is becoming more frequently used to establish proof or suspected relationships. Although having DNA evidence from hundreds of years ago is not going to be possible, there are definitive markers maintained in the DNA that can be used to positively identify certain traits and tie them to known family lines.
The use of genetic genealogy in tracing the Y-chromosome in males, can offer proof to any suspicions about the person's geographic origins as well as to substantiate historical records and to provide information for additional research. If genetic genealogy shows a positive match it can be used to provide areas for additional genealogic research and can be used to help locate the ancestor's homeland.
In addition to offering validation of existing information, genetic genealogy can also be used to either prove or disprove suspected ties between families as well as remove suspicions about a person's ancestry. In some cases it can be used to help find previously unknown living relatives.
Determine How Bad Information Is Wanted
Before setting out on a quest for genetic genealogy, it must be remembered that not all revelations may be good. First, testing for genetic genealogy is not cheap and currently only a few companies offer the service for helping map ancestry. There has alos been some concerns over privacy in regards to persons not really wanting their genetic information made available to others.
In some cases, genetic genealogy can cause the loss of genetic identity, meaning it may prove a person is not a member of a certain ethnic group, to which they believed they were tied to for years. It can also upset the proverbial apple cart in uncovering flaws in previously accepted heritage. Another problem with genetic genealogy is the depth the research can go to be considered accurate.
With both Y-chromosome and mitochondrial testing, typically 10 generations may be the limit, and with the breeding of first cousins, quite frequent in the 18th and 19th century, some confusion as to the clarity of the genetic genealogy results. In some cases genetic genealogy is performed in an entertainment fashion, where one company can verify a person is a member of a specific lineage and issues as certificate as proof.
