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Comparison table for 3 main types of DNA markers
This chart compares the features, benefits, and limitations of each DNA test type to help you decide on the marker type(s) best suited for your situation.
| Autosomal DNA | Y-DNA | mtDNA | |
| Who can be tested | Males and Females | Males only | Males and Females |
| Ability to find distant family links | No | Yes | Yes |
| Ability to identify immediate family members | Yes | No | No |
| Ability to distinguish relationship types | Yes | No | No |
| Lines traced | Multiple lines | Traces one line only (father's, father's, father's... line). Will not detect people outside of this single line (i.e. will not detect relatives in your father's mother's side) |
Traces one line only (mother's, mother's, mother's... line). Will not detect people outside of this single line (i.e. will not detect relatives in your mother's father's side) |
| Ability to find relatives on paternal line | This test will allow you to search for the following relatives on your father's side of the family:
|
This test will allow you to search for all male individuals who shared a common paternal ancestor (father's, father's, father...) as you within the last 150 generations. Cannot distinguish how you are related. |
No |
| Ability to find relatives on maternal line | This test will allow you to search for the following relatives on your mother's side of the family:
|
No | This test will allow you to search for all individuals who shared a common maternal ancestor (mother's, mother's, mother...) as you within the last approx. 1000 years. Cannot distinguish how you are related. |
| Ability to find relatives in other lines in the family | Yes It will be able to find close relatives in more than one line such as your mother's father and your father's mother. |
No Direct paternal line (father's, father's, father...) only. |
No Direct maternal line (mother's, mother's, mother...) only. |
| Disadvantages | Cannot find distant relatives. Can only trace immediate family. |
Can only trace along a single line: the paternal line (father's, father's father...). Cannot distinguish relationship type. |
Can only trace along a single line: the maternal line (mother's, mother's mother...). Cannot distinguish relationship type. |
| Advantages |
Excellent for finding immediate family. Can search more than just the direct paternal or maternal line, i.e. can find mother's father, or father's mother, or mother's brother, or father's sister, etc. Can pinpoint immediate family and distinguish relationship type (i.e. full versus half sibling). |
Excellent for finding distant relatives. Traces all individuals who shared a common paternal ancestor, even if many generations ago. |
Excellent for finding distant relatives. Traces all individuals who shared a common maternal ancestor, even if many generations ago. |
| Chances of finding matches | Low Autosomal DNA searching is very specific. Only your immediate family will show up in search results. Distant relatives cannot be searched using Autosomal DNA. |
High All males who shared a common paternal line as you within the last 150 generations will show up in the search results, so chances are much higher that you will see matches. |
High All individuals who shared a common maternal line as you will show up in the search results, so chances are much higher that you will see matches. |
If you have not tested yet, order your test at Genetrack.
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