General FAQs

General FAQs

General questions about DNA testing.

Viewing FTDNA's Results Chart

Details: Category: General FAQs; Created: Friday, 22 April 2011 11:44; Last Updated: Sunday, 17 January 2016 12:38; Written by Phillips DNA Project

As of April 2011, Family Tree DNA has increased the available number of markers being tested for Y-DNA comparisons from 67 to 111. Currently, the Phillips DNA Project's website maintains a chart showing 67 markers. Additionally, we also show those markers tested at Ancestry.com which are not tested at Family Tree DNA. If you have viewed our chart maintained on this website, you know it is already hard to view the columns of existing markers because there are so many.

Where to View the 111 Marker Chart

Click here for results

For our members who tested with Family Tree DNA and do desire to upgrade to 111 markers, please take note, we will not show these values on the chart at this website as it would add an additional 44 columns to our results chart. Instead we are providing a link to view them from the auto generated chart from Family Tree DNA.

You can click on the chart or the link below the chart to open a new browser window with Family Tree DNA's chart showing all 111 markers.

Viewing Notes

FTDNA Chart Change Graphic

Please note, after you click the link above to view the chart, you might have to adjust the size of the page to see all of the participants test results.

In order to view them all, you will have to click your mouse pointer on the form box highlighted to the left. Erase the 500 and set it to a higher number, such as 750. Page size refers to the number of lines shown on the page. Each member's results are considered one line. Press the 'enter' key after you have changed the number in the box.

You should also make sure the "Show All Columns" box is checked.

Please be patience the file is large and will take 10 or more seconds to start showing in your browser window.

How to Submit Phillips Family Photos

Details: Category: General FAQs; Created: Sunday, 29 March 2009 11:10; Last Updated: Monday, 26 May 2014 02:29; Written by Phillips DNA Project

This website has set aside space to display your Phillips ancestor's photos. If you would like to submit a scan of your photo or photos, please follow these easy steps for submission.

1. Each photo scan should be no larger than 500KB

2. If sending more than 1 photo, make sure the total of the file sizes do not exceed 2MB, that is four photos if they are all 500KB.

3. Make sure you include information about each photo. Names, birth, date and marriage dates, parents names if you like, with their vitals.

4. Email them to "photos {the '@'sign} phillipsdnaproject.com"

5. Email subject must contain: Your name and the Family Group they are associated with. If you are not part of a family group, then use your Haplogroup and the state your ancestors resided.

Please allow a few days for your photos to be posted and remember to include information about those pictured in the photo. If you submit more than one, please distinguish what information goes with each photo.

Follow this link to see all the submitted photos we have so far.

Number of Markers to Test

Details: Category: General FAQs; Created: Sunday, 10 August 2008 19:15; Last Updated: Monday, 25 January 2021 13:51; Written by Phillips DNA Project

Once a person decides to use Y-DNA genealogy in combination with their conventional research, the question usually is how many markers should I test?

The simple answer is the more, the better. The real answer depends on what you want to learn from your test as explained below. Generally, it is recommended that you start with a 25 or 37 marker test if you plan on using the test to help with your family's genealogical research. All tests from 12 on will determine theidentity of the ethnic and geographic origin of the paternal line.

12 Marker Y-DNA Test - Will help identify the ethnic and geographic origin of the paternal line and may be sufficient in proving relationships within a surname with a solid paper trail.

25 Marker Y-DNA Test - Better insight and more definitive in helping refine the time frame of when the common ancestor occurred.

37 Marker Y-DNA Test - FTDNA's recommended test for tracing the male paternal ancestor for genealogical purposes. The additional markers also help refine time frame even more.

A 67 Marker Y-DNA Test is also available for serious genealogical research. To make any determinations, you must have another member that you match tested at the same amount of markers.

Basically, you can start with what you can afford then upgrade at a later point in time, because FTDNA will retain your DNA sample for 25 years. When you order a test from FTDNA and join a project at the same time, there is a discounted price.

Click here to see FTDNA pricing of each test level when joining the Phillips DNA Project.

Helping our Project

Details: Category: General FAQs; Created: Wednesday, 11 March 2009 18:24; Last Updated: Monday, 26 May 2014 02:34; Written by Phillips DNA Project

Would you like to help the Phillips DNA Project?

There are many ways to help the Phillips DNA Project. Being an active volunteer is one of the best ways to help any DNA Project. Below are some of the more common ways to aid the current and new participants of our Phillips Project. If there is something else you would like to do that is not listed, contact Nancy Kiser using the Contact form or you can just This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Help us!

1. Recruit more participants by word-of-mouth or by posting messages at genealogy boards on the internet.

2. Volunteer to be a line leader for your Phillips family group or a research leader for a particular area.

3. Write an article on your Phillips family or another topic for the project newsletter.

4. Help others by asking or answering questions on the Phillips DNA Project's Forum.

5. Make a donation to the Phillips General Fund maintained by FTDNA. A log of donations and donors is shown on the home page of our website at FTDNA. If you wish to remain anonymous, you should contact FTDNA after your transaction is completed, with the details of your transaction.

Who do I test?

Details: Category: General FAQs; Created: Sunday, 10 August 2008 20:42; Last Updated: Saturday, 09 June 2012 18:42; Written by Phillips DNA Project

So you have decided to try DNA Genealogy? Good decision!

Now that you want to join a DNA Surname Project, who should you test? This is a great question and it depends on what you want to know.

The Paternal Line:

To DNA test an actual surname, you must test a male member of your family who has that surname. If you are a male genealogist researching your surname, you can take the test yourself. It is a simple cheek swab that is returned in a supplied mailer. It takes about 8 weeks for the results to be posted from the time you return the sample.

If you are a female genealogist, you must enlist a male of that surname: a brother, father, your father's brother or one of his sons (a male cousin). An example would be...you were born a Jones, so you must find a male Jones family member willing to submit to the cheek swab. It could be your brother or your father. If there are no immediate family members to test, you must look for a brother of your father or the son of a your father's brother. You cannot test the son of your father's sister; it must be a straight line male from your paternal side. If you want to test a nephew, it must be your brother's son and not your sister's.

Click here to see the FTDNA inheritance chart open in a new window.

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