My basic question for you is; Can ancestry.com DNA results be used (either through FamilyDNA or this project) in connection with patrilineal research, or do I need to obtain a new Family Tree Y-DNA test?
By way of background, many years ago I did a lot of paper based pre-digital family history research. I am sure about my patrilineal Madge line in Devon from a 1695 marriage in Zeal Monchorum through six generations via Sandford and Exeter until 1863 when my 2x greats grant parents moved up to London. (I’m moderately confident about a Madge connection back to the late 16th century in Buckland Filleigh.)
What is interesting though is the baptism in 1718 of my 5x greats grandfather, “the base child of Eleanor Madge.” No father was named in the parish register and I have been unable to find any other information (e.g. Quarter Sessions) about the putative father. So I would like to compare Y-DNA with other Madges and other Devon families.
I note that back in 2016, as part of discussion with Wilson and Pipprell Debbie said “You can do a free transfer of your AncestryDNA data to Family Tree DNA. You can find instructions here” but that “Note, however, that AncestryDNA introduced a new chip in May 2017 and there are fewer markers in common with the FTDNA chip. As a result you don't receive any of the matches at the speculative level. However, it's the closer matches that are more likely to be relevant.”
So, do I need to get a new Familytree Y-DNA test done? If so which one? (I am willing to do that if it is the best way forward.)
I am happy to upload the raw data of my existing test to Debbie. I would like to join the DNA group.
Re: ancestry.com test
Posted by Debbie Kennett on 21/2/2019, 20:20:21, in reply to "ancestry.com test"
Hi Nic
I'm a bit confused about your question. If you can trace your patriline back to a Madge who married in 1695 why do you have a query about a baptism in 1718? Or are you saying that this baptism is on your father's side of the family but not on the patriline? Y-DNA only works for the direct fatherline as the Y-chromosome is passed down in all-male line from father to son. An autosomal DNA is best used for finding connections within the last five or six generations. It will give you matches on all of your family lines on both your mother's and father's sides, including the patriline. However, because autosomal DNA is diluted with each passing generation, the test is best used for finding matches within the last five or six generations. It's quite likely that you have not inherited any DNA from your Madge ancestors in the 1600s and early 1700s.
Please feel free to take advantage of the free transfer to add your AncestryDNA results to the Devon Project. You are likely to get some matches who are not in the Ancestry database.
If you want to explore your deep Madge ancestry then you would need to take a 37-marker Y-DNA test. However, I don't currently have anyone with the Madge surname in the Devon Project so the test might not help you that much at present. There is a Madge DNA Project you could join in addition to the Devon Project though it currently only has six participants: