Ethnic Origins DNA Testing Company Comparison
A Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP - pronounced "snip") is a change that occurs when a single nucleotide (A, T, G, or C) in the genome sequence is altered. A person's multiple SNPs create a unique DNA pattern that can identify deep ancestral origins on a direct paternal or direct maternal line.
NOTE: If a DNA company lists that they can identify an African or Native American tribe, this means you may have matches to people who have tested from those tribes. It does NOT mean that you are FROM that tribe, merely that you have genetic cousins in those tribes. Keep in mind that people in tribes intermarry, just as people in different towns intermarry so that is why most people have matches from several different tribes.
Autosomal
| Data current as of:
28 October 2009 |
DNA Tribes | Family Tree DNA | 23andMe |
| Cost | $199.99 | $184/$257 | $399 |
| Discount | $25 for updates | On pkgs & add-ons | N/A |
| African ancestry test | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| African tribe identified? | Yes | No | No |
| Native American test | Yes | Yes | Yes5 |
| NA tribe identified? | Yes | No | No |
| Jewish ancestry test | Yes1 | N/A2 | No |
| Scientific database | Yes | Yes3 | Yes |
| Is scientific database private? | Yes | No | Yes |
| Are scientific papers
used? If yes, are results conclusive? |
Yes/Yes | Yes/No | Yes/No5 |
| Sponsored public database | No | Y-Match4 | No |
| DNA storage | No | Yes (Free) 25 yrs. |
No |
| Lab(s) used | Genetic
Testing Laboratories |
FTDNA's Genomics Research Center | LabCorp |
| Company hdqrts | Arlington, VA | Houston, Texas | Mountain View, CA |
| Year founded | 2006 | 2000 | 2007 |
SNP - Single Nucleotide Polymorphism
| Data current as of:
28 July 2009 |
African Ancestry |
Ethnoancestry | Family Tree DNA | Warrior Roots | 23andMe |
| Cost | $349/$349 (Y-DNA/mtDNA) |
$1256 (Y-DNA) |
$79 (Y-DNA8) |
$199.95 (Y-DNA) |
$399 (Y-DNA/mtDNA) |
| Discount | $590 for any 2 tests | On upgrades7 | N/A | $349.95 for both10 | N/A |
| African ancestry test | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| African tribe identified? | Sometimes | No | No | No | No |
| Native American test | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes5 |
| NA tribe identified? | Sometimes | No | No | No | No |
| Jewish ancestry test | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cohanim Test? | N/A | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Scientific database | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Is scientific database private? | Yes | Yes | No9 | No* | Yes |
| Are scientific papers
used? If yes, are results conclusive? |
Yes/Yes | Yes | Yes/Yes | Yes/Yes | Yes/Yes |
| Sponsored public database | N/A | N/A | Y-Search/ Mitosearch |
N/A | No |
| DNA storage | No | Yes (Free) 25 yrs. |
Yes (Free) 25 yrs. |
Yes (Free) 2 yrs. |
No |
| Lab(s) used | Sorenson Genomics | U of London/ Marligen |
Univ. of Arizona | Marligen | LabCorp |
| Company hdqrts | Washington DC | Scotland | Houston, Texas | Kensington, MD | Mountain View, CA |
| Year founded | 2003 | 2005 | 2000 | 2008 | 2007 |
1DNA Tribes database currently includes the following Jewish populations: Ashkenazi, Oriental (from Iran and Iraq), Israeli (of diverse origins), North African (from Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya), Sephardi (from Turkey), and Chuetas from Majorca, Spain, descendants of Jewish converts to Catholicism.
2See SNP chart - compared to Cohanim Modal Haplotype (CMH).
3Omnipop forensic population database utilized for comparisons.
4Y-Match database sponsored by DNA-Fingerprint; a company that merged with Family Tree DNA in 2006.
5Native American ancestry registers as Asian in the "Ancestry Painting" feature. For Native American ancestry info, go to "account" and then "23andme Labs". Click on "Native American Ancestry Finder". 23andMe Labs are features still in development so results are not conclusive. SNP results are conclusive.
6The basic Marligen SNP test is $125. Specialty SNPs can be ordered starting at $129, i.e. Pictish, Norse, Mongolian, Chinese, etc. Visit site for complete listings and details.
7 Discounts occur after paying the $49 extraction fee. If the client's DNA is already on file, then it is $39 to test a special SNP marker. Package deals also available.
8Family Tree DNA SNP confirms all mitochondrial DNA results at no charge. Y-chromosome SNPs are predicted using STRs, but if the result is ambiguous, FTDNA will test the SNP for free under their "SNP Assurance Program". The $79 price is for deep subclade testing.
9Family Tree DNA Dr. Hammer's database
10 $349.95 for both Y-SNP and Athletic Panel
Previous Versions: 2005, 2007, 2008
African Ancestry, DNA Tribes, Ethnoancestry, Family Tree DNA, Genetic Testing
Laboratories, GeneTree, Warrior Roots and 23andMe are registered, trademarked, and/or
copyrighted names of companies, websites and organizations, not affiliated
with ISOGG.
The Ethnic Origins DNA Testing Company Comparison is for informational purposes
only. Please submit corrections/updates to isogg@msn.com
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Page last updated:
01/31/2012
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