I did an autosomal DNA test with FamilyTreeDNA. The Population Finder results were very misleading since they use only the groups with the highest portion of certain DNA markers. For example Finnish for northern European. These markers actually peak with in Finland but are also found at 41% in the País Vasco per the 1,000 Genomes project. Does this mean the people of the País Vasco are 41% Finnish? No, it means that both people of the País Vasco and the people of Finland share some ancestors. Those ancestors were most likely originally from somewhere else and their descendants ended up in those locations and others. One thing Population Finder was very close on is my Native American (Mexican Indian) ancestry at 11% +/- 1%. Even though I have mulatos libres in my ancestry the African portion did not even register.
One of the great things about Family Finder, apart from the cost of the sale price, is the ability to download the autosomal DNA results. This allowed me to use my own data and compare it against multiple databases that are freely downloadable which Dienekes Pontikos has incorporated into his Dodecad software, which is also freely downloadable at http://dodecad.blogspot.com/2011/09/do-it-yourself-dodecad-v-21.html and his latest globe13 calculator which includes an Amerindian population analysis, as well as another 12, and is at http://dodecad.blogspot.com/2012/10/globe13-calculator.html
The globe13 calculator analyzed my ancestry and broke it down into the 13 populations of Siberian, Amerindian, West_African, Palaeo_African, Southwest_Asian, East_Asian, Mediterranean, Australasian, Arctic, West_Asian, North_European, South_Asian, and East_African.
Being able to analyze my data against all of those other databases, and break them up into 13 populations, has made my Family Finder test worthwhile. 23andme also allows for downloads of autosomal DNA. Ancestry.com does not yet allow it. This was an extremely awful oversight. It is like going to the store and buying multiple items and not being given a receipt on how much you were charged for each item. So far, Ancestry.com doesn't tell you the values of each DNA segment you have. They only tell you the total according to their terminology. This will supposedly change in the future, but customers shouldn't have to wait. National Geographic Geno 2.0, which is done by FamilyTreeDNA, is supposed to allow you to download your data. All of the companies use the same process for extracting your DNA but Ancestry.com doesn't allow you to use your own DNA results. The autosomal matching with any company is extremely sketchy based on my results and those of others.
In short, my suggestion is for every member that gets an autosomal DNA test should do it with a company that allows downloads, learn to download their markers, use DIYDodecad v 2.1, use the calculators published by Dienekes, and to be able to read the spreadsheets of each calculator in order to accurately interpret the results. The caveat is that some populations cannot be proven, only deduced, even with DNA.
If there is anyone that has questions about this or would like assistance in this please let me know. It can get complicated for people of mixed ancestry.
Saludos
Armando
DNA tests
I think it's a waste of time and money to do any genealogy DNA tests.
They're predictable and very vague.
Jose Carlos de Leon
DNA Test
Sanchez-Castellanos
I used Family tree and after 2 years I got a match with Benajamin who lives in Portland, Oregon We matched 66 of 67 markers and with family finder we know that we are related. I have researched the family tree of Sanchez Castellanos' family and I am helping him to connect our trees. I hope both of us will trace our roots and probe that DNA is useful for Genealogy.
Juan Francisco.
DNA Test
To Juan Francisco, just to clarify to everyone else. The 66 of 67 markers are from a Y-DNA 67 marker test. That is an extremely close match. I understand your comment was in response to Joseph de León. However, the test I had started this thread about is an autosomal test. At FamilyTreeDNA it is called Family Finder.
To add to previous comments I have made I know through Y-DNA results that there are people with the last name Jaime or Xaime that are actually descendants of Romo de Vivar. I also know that the Villalobos families from Zacatecas are related to the Villalobos of Jalisco and Aguascalientes. Those results are also definitive and not vague or predictable.
Armando
DNA tests
To Joseph de Leon, You have already stated your negative attitude about these tests. Your lack of knowledge and understanding on the subject is causing your unwarranted comments.
I have proven that most people with my surname are related. This could not have been done without Y-DNA tests by descendants of the same surname. The autosomal test shows I was lower in African ancestry than I had expected. I would not have known this without the autosomal test. How is this predictable and vague? It's not, it is quite the opposite.
Armando