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DNA testing has entered the mainstream over the past 20 years, driven by higher visibility, lower prices and improving science. If you’re looking to either kickstart or enhance your understanding of your family history, a DNA test can help you identify close relatives all the way back to your earliest ancestors. Though a controversial and thorny topic, some tests claim to reveal your “ethnicity,” and some services can shed light on your genetic predisposition for diseases and physiological traits ranging from eye color to your tolerance for cilantro.
Back in the aughts, a do-it-yourself DNA test cost about $1,000, but have come way down in price.
Now, trailblazers such as 23andMe and Ancestry and upstarts such as Living DNA offer sophisticated analysis of your genetic makeup for as little as $75 — maybe even less, if you can find a deal on or during periodic holiday discounts throughout the year.
There are three types of DNA tests — each with its own particular strengths, limitations and rationales.
- An autosomal DNA test is the best investment for most beginners; it can identify relatives between five and seven generations back, across both maternal and paternal lines.
- Only men can effectively use a Y-DNA test, which identifies male relatives on the paternal line reaching back 60,000 years; if you’re looking to trace the history of your family’s surname, this is the test to use.
- And mitochondrial DNA testing, also known as mtDNA testing, can determine genetic relationships on a maternal line from up to 150,000 years ago; both men and women can take this type of test.
Once you’ve been tested, each company will present you with an analysis of your geographical origin; some claim to be able to pinpoint a specific country, town or even “tribe.” Some will also serve up “matches” from their DNA databases, which will give you a head start on connecting with possible relatives, and offer some degree of family tree research support.
AncestryDNA, for example, offers a subscription service that includes access to hundreds of databases containing birth, death and marriage announcements, census documents, newspaper archives and other historical records.
Some companies sell tests designed for specific ethnicities or specialized kits that claim to shed light on your optimal skin care regimen or weight; others offer tests designed to identify the genetic makeup of your cat or dog.
The experts I spoke to were dubious of the efficacy and value of these tests and recommended avoiding them.
Though there’s no blood involved with modern DNA testing — you either swab the inside of your cheek or fill a small test tube with your saliva — there are plenty of reasons to be leery of the companies that sell these kits.