Before doing a DNA test, read this:
Not long ago, a friend of mine had her DNA test done and I was in shock to see the results. It was something like “You are 10% Scandinavian, 7 percent German, 4 percent Irish, 3 percent Ashkenazi etc.”.
In other words: These are things many people know without paying 150 USD. Why would anyone pay this just to confirm what they already know? I then asked people on Eupedia where they believe to be the right places to get your DNA checked for a much more in-depth analysis and was told
The companies that specialize in deep subclades are Ftdna and the new LivingDNA.
which I have published on this blog.
I personally haven’t used those companies and cannot guarantee anything personally, but have no reason to believe that what a respected and knowledgable member had told me.
It is essential that you know your haplogroups. Those markers are scientific, but much of the analyses done by several genetic testing companies is not. Those companies pretty much think that you are dumb and OK with being and staying that way. Also in the US there are quite a few who have no clue as to what their ancestry might be, so those companies figure that whatever they put together is likely good enough to shine some light into the dark corners of people’s mind and make them feel enlightened enough to still wind up being one happy customer.
But we want more, right?
Sure, there are those who want to just be told what countries their ancestors are supposedly from, but mind you that a lot of the estimates given are plain wrong. Haplogroups might look like Chinese characters to some scaring them away and rather settling for what seems easy, but Eupedia has been a great forum where you can actually analyse everything and other members will help you. And as new research comes in, what was believed to be so yesterday, can change tomorrow drastically, so there is not always an easy answer, but there people can help you get a conclusive one.
Scientific knowledge can change. Your genetic markers won’t. So if in 20 years there are new discoveries, your data can be applied for you to stay on top of things rather than exclaiming “but I thought I was Armenian” in a victim-like voice.
You can also comment on this post and let me know what your markers are and I will help you analyse them or someone else here will. The important thing is that when we research ourselves and what we have in common, we need the real data. Only then can we get to the bottom of which ancestries many rh negatives have in common and get closer to our origins, which is what I have been working on for many years.
To give you one example of just how dumbed down many testing companies have become, read:
Haplogroup nicknames attributed by BritainsDNA on Eupedia.
The verdict: out of 59 haplogroups or subclades in the list, 18 are completely wrong or mostly wrong, 17 descriptions are too restrictive to be acceptable, 17 are acceptable but could be better rephrased, and only 7 are really correct.
That means chances are that based on your genetic markers, they will get your origin wrong.
Sad, right?
My advice is that if you get your DNA test done, go with the companies I have suggested above, read through Eupedia to see what others are satisfied with or read what hopefully other readers here advise you in the comment section.
If you yourself have taken a DNA test, share your experience and results if you like. The Basque-Sumerian-Rh Negative Connection can give you a prime example why such data can help us get closer to who we are. No DNA testing company sponsors me. So it makes no difference in terms of me having any type of loyalty to any specific one. But I do want us all to get an idea as to which is the best one to go with to ensure rh negatives are getting the knowledge they seek and to reward those who don’t take the easy road, but rather provide is with cold hard complete data.