Kent Family & DNA Project

Kent Family & DNA Project

Affiliated with Family Tree DNA (FTDNA)

Last Updated: 11 October 2017


I'm ready to order a DNA test.

The most popular test with Family Tree DNA (our preferred genetic testing company) is the "Family Finder" test. If you're unsure of which DNA test is right for your interests, starting with the "Family Finder" test is the most economical, and Family Tree DNA gives the option to store your sample so you can add additional testing at any time (without providing another genetic sample).

If you are a male that genetically descends from a KENT father, the yDNA test (with a minimum of 37 markers) is highly recommended to trace your father's line.


I'm still considering if a DNA test is right for me.

This is a very personal and important choice. The following information is to help guide those to make an informed decision.

I'm still trying to decide which test(s) is right for me.

This depends on your objective! Family Tree DNA offers three types of DNA tests that target different parts of one's DNA, an overview of each will follow.

    • A yDNA (Y Chromosome DNA) test is considered the most valuable when researching one's strictly patrilineal heritage since it targets a male's Y chromosome (females do not inherit a Y chromosome) and it's results will reveal the "deep ancestry" that a male received solely from his biological father (yDNA mutates very slowly between generations and is inherited almost identically, from a father to son to grandson, indefinately). Often, if a woman is the one interested in her patrilineal heritage, she will have her father, brother, paternal uncle, cousin, etc., take a yDNA test to represent this ancestry. The Kent Family & DNA Project relies heavily on the results of qualifying males* that have taken a yDNA test since it will reveal the "deep ancestry" of their KENT ancestor (ancestry origins from thousands of years ago, indicated as an assigned haplogroup). Family Tree DNA's automated software will provide a list of any family matches between yDNA participants and encourages collaboration (most participants have provided direct email addresses to further promote contact). *A "Qualifying Kent Male" is a living male who's father genetically descends from a strictly patrilineal KENT ancestry (his father, paternal grandfather, etc., were all KENT descendants) in order to isolate the DNA results from their Y chromosome.

      There are different levels of yDNA testing available. Picture yDNA as a puzzle with 111 pieces to it. The more markers you test for, the more complete a picture of the puzzle you look at, and the more accurate the genetic distance is. If you start at a lower marker level, you can later upgrade.

      • Males only.
      • Traces the direct paternal line (father's father's father's etc. line).
      • Provides a list of matches who share common direct paternal ancestry within 25 generations.
      • Provies a predicted ancestral migration route (haplogroup) of your direct paternal ine stretching back thousands of years.
      • The names and emails of your matches, genetic distance, and any genealogical information they hae uploaded are provided to you in order to collaborate on genealogy and get past genealogical brick walls. This list of matches is optional and you can decide to be removed from this list at any time.

    • An atDNA (Autosomal DNA) test is highly recomended to both males and females as a powerful genealogical tool and one's involvement after taking an atDNA test (referred to as the "Family Finder" test at our preferred testing company, Family Tree DNA) largely depends on one's genealogical goal (if any). The results of this test will reveal one's predicted deep ethnic makeup and provide a robust database of personal genetic connections from each of one's four biological grandparent's family branches. Most participants have provided direct email addresses to further promote collaboration.

      • The "Family Finder" test focuses on autosomal DNA, which is inherited from both your mother and your father, your four grandparents, your eight great-grandparents, etc. This test is designed to find living relatives on all of your ancestral lines within the last five generations and can also give you a breakdown of your ethnic makeup by percentage. Family Finder matches are other individuals in our database who have also taken the Family Finder test and who, through autosomal DNA comparison are found to share a common ancestor with you from ANY of your ancestral lines within the ipast five generations. The names and emails of your matches, an estimate of how closely related they are to you, and any genealogical information they have uploaded are provided to you in order to collaborate on genalogy and get past genealogical brick walls.
      • Traces all ancestral lines to provide a percentage breakdown of the projected regions of the world from which your ancestors came. FTDNA calls the ethnic breakdown "myOrigins". Since country borders change over time and DNA predates these artificially constructed borders, myOrigins provides percentages by region other than country.
      • Provides a list of any other DNA particpants who share common ancestors from any of your ancestral lines within the past five generations.

    • A mtDNA (Mitocondrial DNA) test is not often used for genealogy purposes but will provide the "ancient origin" results of the mitocondrial DNA that is received from one's biological mother. Both males and females inherit mtDNA, but only daughters pass on mtDNA throughout the generations. This type of DNA mutates so slowly over hundreds and/or thousands of years so it can be challenging to utulize the results along with traditional paper-trail genealogy due to women often adopting their husband's surname (although there are scattered reports of success in this respect). Beyond exploring one's ancient origins, testing specific individuals to determine whether they have a matrilineal connection can be useful. Mitocondrial DNA should not be confused with the "X chromosome that every child inherits from their biological mother.

      • Traces the direct maternal line (mother's mother's mother's etc. line).
      • Provides a list of any other DNA particpants who share common direct maternal ancestry within 52 generations.
      • Provides a projected ancestral migration route of your direct maternal line stretching back thousands of years.