TriMunity

Today, many adoptees are tracing birth parents through DNA testing. I did it myself, reuniting with my birth father’s family in 2007 more than twenty years after he had died. Since I found my family, new, more powerful DNA tests have appeared that were not available when I did my search.

This blog will cover one type  of test. Follow the link at the end of this blog to learn more.

Y-DNA Testing for Men

This is the classic genetic genealogy test that I used to learn my birth father’s surname. If you’re a male adoptee, I recommend you take this test. Even if you’re primarily searching for your birth mother, narrowing down the possibilities for your birth father can simplify your search.

This test works because the Y chromosome passes down, relatively unchanged, from father to son, generation after generation. By checking your Y-DNA against a huge database of other men, you can find cousins who share a common ancestor in your father’s paternal line.

Since men usually pass down their surname to their sons, you may find that a majority of your matches cluster around one particular surname. That name, most likely, will be the last name of your biological father.

Once you find that name, tracing birth parents becomes easier. You can narrow your search to men of that surname who lived in the time and place of your conception.

My Recommendation

Many companies offer a Y-DNA test. But for this test the most important selection factor is the size of the database. I recommend that you order your Y-DNA test from the company with the largest Y-DNA database by far: Family Tree DNA.

To see how I used the Y-DNA test in my personal search see my page on Genealogy DNA Testing. To learn more about the Y-DNA test see “The Paternal Line” on my DNA Genealogy page.

NOTE: The 37-marker test is sufficient to identify your likely surname. You only need the 67-marker test if you get too many matches and need to narrow down your list. You can always upgrade from 37 to 67 markers later. If money is less of an issue and you want to save time, you can order the 67-maker test in the first place.

This article is continued on the author's web site at the following page:
http://www.dna-testing-adviser.com/Tracing-Birth-Parents.html