Oxford Ancestors.

[Beorn]

Anyone used the service? Any good?

http://oxfordancestors.com/

I am delighted you are considering using our services. Oxford Ancestors began in April 2000, in my university laboratory where I have been using DNA for the last two decades to explore our human origins and the migrations of our ancestors. It was, and remains, our intention to enable everyone to share in the excitement of what modern genetics can reveal about our own personal origins. A lot has changed since those early days, but Oxford Ancestors still retains the highest scientific credentials and is proud to be both the first and, we believe, the finest provider of DNA-based services for personal ancient ancestry research anywhere in the world. We maintain a high level of customer support in an area which, let's face it, can be daunting and unfamiliar to many people. I hope you will value our long experience and, on behalf of the team at Oxford Ancestors, we look forward to helping you explore your own genetic roots.
Bryan Sykes MA PhD DSc

Chairman and Professor of Human Genetics

[Logan]

Anyone used the service? Any good?

http://oxfordancestors.com/

Less for more £s. Shop around.

[Scrapple]

Their tests are very limited. They only test your direct paternal line (ydna): you, your father his father and so on. Also they only the direct maternal line (mtdna) your mother her mother and her mother etc. It gives you an extremely limited view of your ancestry. It doesn't cover all those ancestors in-between such as your mother father or your fathers mother.

The best test currently is given by www.23andme.com. It will give you both your ydna and mtdna in addition to finding all those in-between. With the 23andme test you can run your data through Eurogenes and Dodecad if you so desire. As a native Englishman you can submit your data to their projects and see what turns up.

By all means wait for other opinions before deciding.

[Beorn]

Less for more £s. Shop around.

Is this experience talking? I appreciate it isn't offering an in-depth service as others, but what attracts me to it is the database it suggests. Sykes is a famous geneticist and most people interested by genetics I have spoken to were inspired by Syke's results a few years back. I'm wondering if there is a database of possible relatives to latch onto.

[Logan]

Is this experience talking? I appreciate it isn't offering an in-depth service as others, but what attracts me to it is the database it suggests. Sykes is a famous geneticist and most people interested by genetics I have spoken to were inspired by Syke's results a few years back. I'm wondering if there is a database of possible relatives to latch onto.

I found them to be better by comparison. All things considered.

Much does depend upon what one is after. I'd shop around with my own particular goals in mind. My opinion.

http://www.familytreedna.com/

[Scrapple]

I looked deeper and they only give you 15 markers.

http://www.familytreedna.com/y-dna-compare.aspx gives you more plus you can upload and access http://www.ysearch.org/

Also http://www.mitosearch.org/ for mtdna which is quite a large database.

[Logan]

I think as well that should you join a surname group, there is a discount. You might then have more aside for other concerns.

[Óttar]

I did. I got a discount to only do paternal [y] DNA. I came out I1 (the Viking haplogroup).