by Debra DuPree Williams @DDuPreeWilliams
A few of my cousins on both sides, my and my husband’s, have asked if I’ve taken a DNA test, and if so, which one I chose. The answer is, yes, I have. I did the Ancestry test a couple of years ago. I tested, my husband tested, and so did all four of our sons.
The Ancestry test is autosomal. At this point, that is the only test Ancestry offers. It is very popular, in part, in my opinion, because it is far less costly than many of the others, especially if one waits for a sale. The cheapest I’ve seen it is $59. It is normally $79. FTDNA can be as high as $500. That’s a lot of money. 23andMe is $99 on Amazon, $199 if you choose to do genealogy and health. They had another one, MyHeritage for $75. I’m not familiar with this one, but I’ll do some research before next week and I’ll make inquires of my cousins.
But cost shouldn’t be the only factor when one is choosing a DNA test. It actually depends on what you wish to learn about yourself and your ancestors. The three main types of testing available are autosomal, mtDNA, and Y-DNA. Let’s delve into what each is.
