DNA Signatures - Methodology

The French Heritage project (Héritage français) at FTDNA, begun in 2003 and comprises in June 2018, more than 8100 members. Raw statistics show that there are :

• 4070 yDNA results with 12 STR (3122 publics with 1101 ungrouped and 1069 out of the studied area)
  
• 432 Y groups linked to a family name or pioneer
  
• 3718 mdtDNA resultats (2671 publics, 668 grouped, 1511 waiting for more processinig and 1486 out of the studied area)
  
• 268 MT groupe MT linked to a pioneer
• 3700 Family Finder results that may help to document other results (yDNA or mtDNA), sometimes not in the project
  

The signatures are usually obtained with the following method:

• Grouping the DNA results inside the French Heritage project at FTDNA
  
• If a signature has enough documentation (pioneer is identified with no ambiguity), a research is made among the matches.
• When there is a match with another documented result, 2 genealogical lines can be built and a new  triangulation is found
  
• When there is a match with another not-documented result, the signature is considered as candidate and the documented line is verified
• If a signature has not enough documentation, the profil of the tested is checked to see if there is some online documentation
  
• If a signature has not enough documentation and there is no online documentation, the result is moved to a "not documented" group
  

The documented signatures with 2 or more lines to an MRCA (Most Recent Common Ancestor) will be added to the catalogue if the MRCA is far enough. In June 2018, only 1 signature (MRCA) waas 5 generations from the pioneer) while 7 were 4 generations back.. Ideally, the common ancestor married before 1800.

The candidates will be listed only in the database Genealogy of French in North America which is updated about 2 or 3 times each year, including the Internet version, with the list of signatures.

Projects Québec ADNy and ADNmt at FTDNA begun in 2014 with the participation of the Fédération des associations de famille du Québec (Federation of Family Associations of Quebec). Such an association can easily find 2 candidates for tests from 2 differents sons of the pioneer to get yDNA tests and then triangulate that pioneer. Also, these projects require that the new members provide their genealogical line (that can eventually be completed later) and to perform at least some tests. In that case, it is easier to find quickly more signatures when a result is availale, and to add a second test to validate a triangulation. These projects participate to the catalogue.