How to Order Y-DNA Testing

[The discussion on this page with regard to testing to 12-, 25-, or 67-markers is obsolete with regard to new tests, now that FTDNA has stopped offering such tests. Such discussion remains relevant, however, men who have already done testing and are considering upgrades.]

STR Testing

Y-DNA Short Tandem Repeat (“STR”) testing is available from Family Tree DNA, which offers testing to 37 markers and 111 markers (FTDNA no longer offers the 12-, 25-, and 67-marker tests), and from YSEQ, which offers panels which, together, essentially match Family Tree DNA's STR tests. Both Family Tree DNA and YSEQ also offer a la carte STR testing.

In order to identify matches on the direct male line, it will generally necessary to test to at least 37 markers. (Testing to 12 markers can, however, be sufficient to rule out matches on the direct male line.) Results at 12 markers and 25 markers will identify haplogroups and men who may be distantly related, but the results will be heavily influenced by a single mutation. Testing more markers mitigates the effects of such a random mutation, and makes it easier to identify patterns that are likely to allow the delineation of subclusters of men who are likely closely related.

Men who are very close to the R1a-Y2619 Ashkenazi Levite mode at 67 markers will probably need to upgrade to 111 markers in order to have a better chance to determine whether the men who appear to be their closest matches are closely related to them, or whether some or all of the matches reflect a relative lack of mutations in the ancestral lines of the matching men and, thus, more distant matches.

Men who do not have many matches at 37 markers because they have a number of mutations (especially on the fast-mutating markers in the range of markers 26 through 37) may find more matches if they upgrade to 67 markers.

There are significant cohorts of R1a-Y2619 Ashkenazi Levites who share distinctive patterns of marker values in the first 12, 25, or 37 markers who have not upgraded their results to 67 or 111 markers, perhaps because they do not have many matches at their current marker levels. Once a number of those men upgrade their results, we expect to find that their results continue to cluster with one another. Because those cohorts generally share distinctive marker values on slow-mutating markers, the odds are good that men with those marker values share a common ancestor who is relatively recent in terms of genetic genealogy (perhaps in the past 500 years or so).

SNP Testing

Y-DNA Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (“SNP”) full sequence testing is available from companies including Family Tree DNA and Full Genomes Corp. Some companies, including Full Genomes Corp., YSEQ, and Nebula Genomics, offer full genome DNA sequencing that will provide full Y-DNA SNPs.

23andme and LivingDNA offer Y-DNA reporting at a high level of generality as part of its autosomal testing services. 23andme's current chip identifies R1a-Y2619 Ashkenazi Levites as R-CTS6; a man who is Ashkenazi on his direct male line and is reported by 23andme as R-CTS is almost certainly an R1a-Y2619 Ashkenazi Levite. LivingDNA also offers Y-DNA reporting at a high level of generality.

While Ancestry no longer reports Y-DNA haplogroups for tested men, Ancestry's chip continues to test for certain Y-DNA SNPs. The MorleyDNA.com Y-SNP Subclade Predictor can pull Y-DNA SNPs from autosomal raw data from Ancestry (and 23andme). R1a-Y2619 Ashkenazi Levites will be reported by the MorleyDNA.com Y-SNP Subclade Predictor as R1a-CTS3412 (R1a-CTS3605, R1a-CTS6).

The National Geographic's Geno 2.0 project, which also reported Y-DNA SNPs at a high level of generality, is no longer operational. ISOGG has posted a chart comparing the Y chromosome SNP testing offered by the major testing companies.

Family Tree DNA also offers a la carte testing of SNPs; the list of individual SNPs offered by Family Tree DNA varies. YSEQ allows customers to select any SNP they would like to have tested on an a la carte basis. Both Family Tree DNA and YSEQ offer a la carte testing of Y2619, the SNP that defines R1a-Y2619 Ashkenazi Levites. Testing Y2619 is the most economical way for known Levite men - or known R1a men who believe that they might be R1a-Y2619 Ashkenazi Levites - to determine whether they are in fact R1a-Y2619 Ashkenazi Levites. Both companies offer a la carte testing of certain SNPs that define various R1a-Y2619 Ashkenazi Levite clusters. In addition, both companies offer panels that test for multiple SNPs at or below the R1a-Y2619 level.

YFull offers analysis of full Y-DNA data from Family Tree DNA's Big Y Product, Full Genomes Corp.'s Y-DNA sequencing, and other companies offering full genome sequencing. YFull reports novel SNPs, about 450 STRs, and mtDNA results (from older Big Y tests; FTDNA does not provide mtDNA SNPs on newer Big Y tests). YFull also places men on its YTree.

Full Genomes Corp. offers analysis of full Y-DNA data from Family Tree DNA's Big Y Product and other companies.

The testing companies regular have products on sale for DNA day (April 25), Father's Day, and the winter holidays, among other times. In addition, they sometimes offer coupon codes in connection with various genealogical events. Join the R1a-Y2619 Ashkenazi Levite Google group or like the Levite DNA Facebook group to receive notices of sales and coupon codes.

Obtaining a Sample Without a Test Kit

Although it is preferable to use the test kits provided by the testing companies in order to obtain a DNA sample to be tested (for Y-DNA, mtDNA, and/or autosomal DNA), it is possible to secure a sample without a test kit (if, for example, one meets a potential match who agrees at that time to provide a sample for testing).

Testing requires two cotton swabs (such as Q-tips) and two small paper (not nylon) envelopes. The test subject should rub one swab on his or her inner cheek for one minute, then rub the other swab on the other inner cheek for one minute. Next, allow each swab to dry by leaving it in the open air for 20 minutes. Next, place each swab in a separate small paper envelope, seal it, write the test subject's name on each envelope, and mail the small envelopes (in a larger envelope) to the test company. (This procedure will work for testing to be performed by YSEQ; check with other testing companies before sending them samples.)