which DNA Project !!!

[lynnbell]

Hi All,

I am hoping all you well informed peoples out there can give me some advice. I have been researching my family for 15+ years and have had relative [excuse the pun] success, I have my mothers maternal family back to Edinburgh in 1555 and my fathers maternal family back to Inverness-shire in 1693. So far so good, however both my grandfathes came to Glasgow 1850-60's from yup Ireland.

I have managed to save some cash and am thinking on investing in an autosomal DNA test but I do not know which one, I would like to join one of the Scottish DNA projects, Scottish DNA or Scotlands DNA, but I can not figure out from the info I can find which is the best/biggest one. I know Scottish DNA is run in conjunction with National Geographic, the other one has easier to understand information but that does not necessarily mack it a better choice.

Is their anyone out there who can help me make a more informed choice, [I know my Brick walls are irish but a connection to the female side of the families might result in someone who has more information on the irish connection than the people in my family who are all dead now but who knew nothing when they were alive, or at least nothing they were willing to remember].

Hoping you respond with your usual flood if info so thanking you all in advance

[SarahND]

Hello lynnbell and a warm
I was hoping that someone who really knows something about your question would be the first to answer, but I'll try anyway.
First of all, I want to be sure I have the correct information and links to the projects in question. You are hesitating between
http://www.scotlandsdna.com/
and
http://www.scottishdna.net/
Or is there another project/company that I am not aware of?

I have looked at both sites and here are my reactions, for what they're worth.

ScotlandsDNA will do the test for you. It is relatively expensive, given the recent price reductions at other companies. What I can't figure out is whether they provide any DNA matching with other customers, since this (in my opinion) is the most important part of the process. Without the ability to see who you match and who you don't, it is difficult to interpret the results. It is very much a collaborative field, relying on the family tree data provided by other people tested (although once you know the beginnings of their family tree, you can research it yourself if you wish!)

scottishdnanet or the Scottish DNA Project is, I believe, affiliated with FamilyTreeDNA, if I'm reading their site correctly. The participants get their DNA test done at FamilyTreeDNA and join the Scottish group. If you join first, you can get a discount on the DNA test, I think.
This would have the advantage of giving you the benefit of the large database of matches at FamilyTreeDNA as well as the more specialized analysis in the Scottish DNA Project.

Again, I'm not sure I have the two projects that you are considering correctly identified, but if so, I would probably go with the second one, given the larger database of potential matches.

Just my 2 cents…

All the best,
Sarah

[lynnbell]

Thanks Sarah

You have grasped my problem exactly, The lack of easily findable info is the stumbling block, I was hoping someone out there would have used the first site and would have had some more info on it. I think you are right go with the second site and hope the other one clues up,

Thanks Lynn