Hudson, Harris, Briggs, Giles, Knowles, Page

I have Hudson and Harris, only info is family traditions that they were Blackfoot and from Virginia. I wonder if a DNA test could show if we were cousins. If it could, that would be a pretty strong indicator that my Harrises and Hudsons were from the same area.

I’m sure they do have tests that will show if you are related to someone within so many generations. I’ve heard of tests that will show that, given certain genetic markers, it’s highly unliikely you are not related to someone. I guess it’s along the same lines as paternity tests.

Another coincidence, my great grandfather was FRANCES Marion Harris. They repeat given names a lot in that side of the family. Like my great grandmother was MaLINDA Harris.

Sue, we also have a William Harris.

Linda wrote: I’m sure they do have tests that will show if you are related to someone within so many generations. I’ve heard of tests that will show that, given certain genetic markers, it’s highly unliikely you are not related to someone. I guess it’s along the same lines as paternity tests.

Linda and Quest for facts,

I’m going to jump in here because I’m seeing first-hand what DNA can and can’t do. I have paid for tests for a cousin with a particular surname and for a different test for my father. I had to get a male from the family to test for the surname project because Y-DNA only tests the males in the direct line. And they can tell you statistically what the “odds” are that you may or may not be related to an certain individual within a certain number of generations. In this way, it’s sort of like a paternity test. It’s always been my understanding that they can’t really tell you who the father of someone is–just who it probably isn’t. Of course, they’re learning more about DNA all of the time, and if you have an unlimited money supply, they could probably be a lot more precise. However, no matter how much a woman can pay, they still can’t take a YDNA test.

It’s the same thing with mtDNA. They can give you the odds that you might or might not be related to someone else within a certain number of generations. And it’s still only in a direct line. It’s the DNA passed down from a mother to her children. If I would pay for YDNA and MtDNA tests for my father and brother, the YDNA test results for both would be the same. However, the MtDNA tests would be different. Daddy’s would show the DNA passed down by his mother, who got it from her mother, who got it from her mother, etc. My brother’s MtDNA would show the DNA passed on by our mother, that she got from her mother, and her maternal grandmother, etc.

I suspected some NA in my father’s family, but not in a direct line. I had done the research and I was finding possibilities, but nothing that would show up on either the YDNA or mtDNA tests. So I had him take a “Whole DNA” test. This takes a sampling from all of the DNA contributed by ALL ancestors and results are given in percentages. However, this will NOT tell you who probable cousins are. For my father, it came out that he had 96% European ancestry and 4% East Asian ancestry. Although, the East Asian ancestry could indicate NA. They said that the 4% would indicate that one of his great-great-great grandparents was East Asian (or NA). Now, I have lots of information on his family way past his 3rd great grandparents and none of them were from East Asia. I exchanged emails with someone from the lab and he said that based on what I was saying that it was definitely NA–and since there was nothing in the generation of the 3rd great-grandparents, the 4% could indicate multiple lines further back. The information says that certain NA tribes can show up as East Asian on DNA tests, but the examples of tribes that were given were not likely in my family (Navaho, for example) Two possibilities on that side of my family are the Micmac Indians of Canada and Houma Indians of Louisiana. However, I don’t have the proof. I have seen evidence that siblings of my direct ancestors married into these tribes, but never anything that says that my direct ancestor married into them.

When I get enough money, I will have my mother’s sister tested for Whole DNA or the DNA Fingerprint test. I suspect a lot more NA (and other) on this side of the family. This would show more of a Melungeon type admixture but again, it can’t tell you who you are related to.

Sorry this post is so long!

storyteller