Joining the DNA Project

REQUIREMENTS:

  1. Anyone of Guthrie ancestry is welcome to join in discussions and contribute content at the Guthrie Genealogy website whether or not you have a DNA test. We welcome your collaboration and want to build a place that all Guthries can use as a resource.
  2. Y-DNA and/or Autosomal DNA testing is required to officially join the project.
    • Y-DNA is a Direct Paternal Line DNA test. Only Guthrie men are eligible.
    • Autosomal DNA is offered at all genetics companies, but those reviewed here must either be from AncestryDNA, Family Tree DNA, or eligible for upload to FTDNA.
  3. You must share your DNA results with the project admin at least at the “Limited” or “Viewer” level in order for the Guthrie matches to be analyzed.
  4. You must also share your personal Guthrie ancestry with the project admin in order to verify your lineage. This lineage will be stored in the Guthrie Research tree for future matching and comparison. Living individuals are privatized.

WHY JOIN OUR PROJECT?

  1. You’ll receive help understanding your DNA results and Guthrie matches.
  2. Guthrie men with Y-DNA tests will be placed directly into the Guthrie Family Group if the Y-DNA results match, and an analysis of the raw results will be provided.
  3. People with Autosomal DNA tests (AncestryDNA, Family Finder, HeritageDNA, 23andMe) will receive a review of their matches to other people listing Guthrie ancestry, and information we have about their Guthrie origins. Due to the nature of Autosomal DNA, these tests may or may not provide a clear picture of an association with a specific Guthrie Family Group. These results help guide your family research.
  4. Compare your family tree and research to the data currently collected on your Guthrie family. Does your tree have errors? Maybe you have new information to share.
  5. Discover what is currently known about the origins of your Guthrie family, and whether your Guthrie Family Group has been or can be identified through documentation or DNA testing.
  6. Be a part of our genealogy adventure as we learn more about the Guthrie families around the world and whether their Guthrie family belongs to your line too.

ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATORS:

Project administrators are experienced family researchers here to guide you on your genetic genealogy journey, collect and analyze group data, and may offer advice or information based on what has already been learned. We are not are not certified genealogists or geneticists, and as such do not typically conduct individual family research. We will verify your lineage for comparison to others in the project, and can occasionally work with you on a problem. Ask questions about new matches or findings. We are here to convey new discoveries to the Guthrie community at large and suggest lineage corrections when errors are identified.

Admins may be able to help you refine your research, rule out lineages known to be connected to other family groups, or collaborate with a group of related participants. Use us as a sounding board for your ongoing research ideas and theories.

Please be aware that all project admins are volunteers. We are not paid by Family Tree DNA, Ancestry, nor any other genealogy or genetics company for the work done on behalf of you and the project. We do not receive kickbacks for recruitment of participants, subscribers, purchases, or test upgrades. All recommendations for the use of any company, product or test is an opinion based on our experience.

It is not required that project administrators provide any level of direct assistance with DNA interpretation, genealogy research, or provide an extensive genealogy website/family database such as this one. We simply have a passion for Guthrie Genealogy, our collective history, and a desire to be helpful.

PRIVACY:

  1. It is not necessary for the admin to have Collaborative or Administrative access to your DNA tests unless you ask for additional assistance with your kit maintenance or if the admin is managing the kit on behalf of a sponsor.
  2. The Guthrie DNA Project will only document results on the Guthrie Genealogy website by use of your Kit Number and a truncated lineage. Living individuals will remain privatized. 
  3. If you want to share your name and discuss your family members on the Genealogy boards or this website, that’s up to you.
  4. Conversations about your results and genealogy can be between you and the admin only, or you can decide to share your results and ask questions of your Guthrie Family Group members on the project site or at Guthrie Genealogy.
  5. Information you supply about your Guthrie genealogy will be independently researched and verified for the project records. Your ancestral story may be added to the Guthrie Genealogy website as a branch of the Guthrie Family Group to which you belong, or as a Family Focus story. Living persons are not discussed on the website. Names of participants are not revealed. If you have contributed genealogy research or theories, and would like to be credited for it by name, please convey this to the site coordinator in the form of an email or the contact form. Otherwise, a notation of “family researcher” or “descendant” may be utilized to convey shared details.

WHAT KIND OF DNA TEST IS RIGHT FOR ME?

  1. Y-DNA TESTS: If you are a male born with the Guthrie surname, we need representatives from each major branch of all Guthrie families. Please consider a Y-DNA test. If you’re not certain whether we still need representation from your family line, just ask.
  2. AUTOSOMAL DNA TESTS: Anyone of Guthrie ancestry is eligible for an Autosomal DNA test. These are the basic DNA tests offered at Family Tree DNA, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, and 23andMe. Guthrie Genealogy recommends staring with an AncestryDNA test as the size of their database will probably get you more results. Plus, those results are eligible to be transferred for free to FTDNA and MyHeritage for inclusion in a second database.

WHAT IF I ALREADY HAVE A DNA TEST?

  1. Family Tree DNA’s Family Finder test can be directly added to the project at FTDNA. Just click on Group Projects, look for the Guthrie DNA Surname Project, and complete a Join Request.
  2. Guthrie Men: If you are a male Guthrie with a Family Finder test at Family Tree DNA, you can also simply upgrade your current kit to include a YDNA test without having to provide another specimen. Also, add your kit to the project.
  3. AncestryDNA – Option 1: Direct viewing by the project administrator. Send an Invitation with “Viewer Access” to your DNA Test. Go to Ancestry DNA Results Summary > Settings > Visibility and Sharing > DNA test sharing > enter admin email <anngu3@icloud.com> Select access level as “viewer”.
  4. AncestryDNA – Option 2: If you want to take advantage of your option to compare your results in more places, download your DNA results and transfer them to Family Tree DNA, add your kit to the Guthrie DNA Surname Project by completing a Join Request. Go to your Ancestry DNA Results Summary > Settings > Download DNA Data > follow instructions > Save Raw Data file to your computer > Next, go to Family Tree DNA to Upload DNA Data > Log-in to an existing FTDNA account or Create a new FTDNA account > follow instructions to upload your kit > Click the Group Project tab > Select the Surname Project: GUTHRIE > Complete a Join Request.
  5. Other Companies: If your Autosomal DNA test was purchased at MyHeritage or 23andMe, it may be eligible for free transfer to Family Tree DNA so that you can add it to the Guthrie DNA Surname Project. We cannot view your results directly at those sites, so you must transfer your results. Follow the instructions at FamilyTreeDNA to Upload an Autosomal DNA kit.

COSTS:

  1. Membership at Guthrie Genealogy and the Guthrie DNA Project is free. 
  2. The purchase of DNA tests and kit upgrades are your responsibility.
  3. The Guthrie DNA Project does provide sponsorships for Y-DNA testing for some currently unrepresented lineages. The Group Fund is available for sponsorships for specific lineage or at the administrator’s discretion as determined by the donator. Assistance with cost-sharing options are also available for members wanting to split the cost of a test.

SIGN ME UP!

  1. Contact the Guthrie DNA Project / Guthrie Genealogy admin, Ann Guthrie if you have questions before you begin the DNA purchase or transfer process. 
  2. Be ready to share a Family Tree link/invitation or a basic ancestry starting with your generation and going back to your earliest proven Guthrie ancestor.
  3. Sign Up for an account at Family Tree DNA if you are buying a test there or transferring a test to them.
  4. Buy your DNA test from FtDNA or transfer an Autosomal DNA test from AncestryDNA, 23andMe, or HeritageDNA. Go to the account/settings section for your DNA results at those sites and follow instructions to download your Raw DNA results to your computer. Next, follow the transfer process at Family Tree DNA to upload your results.
  5. Complete a Join Request form for the Guthrie DNA Project. This attaches your kit to the project so the admin can access your results when they are ready. Make sure you have signed in to your FTDNA account beforehand so that it attaches your Kit to the project.
  6. Those of you with an AncestryDNA test may also (or instead) provide a “Viewer” access invitation to the project admin for your AncestryDNA results. You will probably have a larger volume of results for comparison. Each testing company has their own version of genealogy tools to help you and the admins analyze your results.