| native_dna_results_tutorial_updated_november_1_2022.pdf |
Below are answers to our most frequently asked questions. If you would like to ask a question that is not discussed here, please feel free to email us - Nativednatesting@gmail.com
Question: I would like to know more about you and your company. What are your credentials? What experience do you have with determining ancestry?
Answer: Chris Lisauckis began researching his Genealogy in May 1996 and found it so enjoyable that it became an intense lifelong passion. In July 2008, at a family member's funeral, he learned of Native American ancestry which had been hidden in his family for several generations. This inspired him to learn as much as possible about ancestry DNA testing and population genetics. Chris holds a B.S. in Earth System Science and an M.S. in Atmospheric Science both from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and is currently a Meteorology and Climatology PhD student at Mississippi State University. He has developed multiple ground breaking tornado forecasting techniques, and is applying the same acumen and creativity to help people discover their ancestry. Chris believes strongly that science doesn't have to boring and is constantly looking for more creative ways to share his knowledge with others. After being mentored by Lucas Martin, the founder of DNA Tribes from 2009-2014, Chris went on to build Pinnacle, Native DNA's proprietary ancestry calculator, from the ground up. His hobbies include: storm chasing, irrigation and landscaping, percussion (which he taught professionally for 8 years), physical fitness, and photography. Chris has been married to his wife Destinee for 10 years and they have a wonderful son, Levi. He and his family moved to Huntsville, AL from Lubbock, TX in September 1987 when he was 6 years old. Both of his parents hold teaching degrees and have taught in both the public and private school setting. Chris is a no non-sense person that can be trusted to produce honest, high quality results. He is of Native American (Cherokee and Creek), Native Hawaiian, Chinese, English, German, and Lithuanian ancestry. One picture collage, featured in the main front page photo slide show on this website, shows primarily members of his family (and a few friends). His mixed genetic background is to your advantage, as Chris possesses as strong of a working knowledge of world populations as anyone in the business today.
Question: Why is your DNA testing service so much more expensive than many of the others currently available?
Answer: The Native DNA Ancestry Analysis is powerful. There is no other way to put it. We could beat around the bush and tell you this, that, and the other; however the truth is, there is no analysis like it anywhere. Due to the amount of work involved in interrogating customer's STR DNA profiles, the price must reflect the amount of time spent to gather this information. Many of our customers tell us they have tried every DNA test on the market, and that none of them have provided information concerning certain known ancestry in their family (for example: Native American). That is until they test with Native DNA.
Question: Do you use an accredited laboratory to obtain customer's STR DNA profiles?
Answer: Yes. Native DNA has partnered with DNA Diagnostics Center (DDC) in Fairfield, OH which is the most accredited DNA testing lab in the world. DDC is a wonderful company that delivers fast, accurate results. This allows us to have maximum confidence that the raw STR DNA profile we obtain from the lab to perform your analysis is accurate. Your raw STR DNA profile, obtained strictly from DDC, will be included in your results package.
Question: How does your DNA testing service differ from others? What can yours tell me that others cannot?
Answer: After founding Native DNA in September 2012, Chris Lisauckis realized that many people searching for their roots were coming up empty handed. This included individuals who knew without a doubt that Native American ancestry existed in their family, but big box DNA companies had left them without answers. Realizing first hand how frustrating this can be, he began to devise a method of ancestry detection so thorough, it would become an industry leader in assisting those seeking truth. For each customer, Chris spends several hours, sometimes up to half a day, interrogating each customer's STR DNA profile in search of recognizable patterns. The Native DNA Ancestry Analysis is the only one of its kind available ...anywhere. Our unique analysis provides you with not only a comparison to hundreds upon hundreds of published university research study populations, but also compares your unique DNA profile to our own proprietary blended population sets which were created from many years of research experience. Our database currently contains several hundred of these unique population blends that you will not find anywhere else. Often times, other DNA tests will only detect portions of your ancestry, leaving you frustrated and unsatisfied with the results. For example, we'll say you are 1/8 Native American, 1/4 African American, and 5/8 European. Your Native DNA analysis would very likely be able to accurately detect all three of these portions of your genome!
Question: Do you offer tests for MtDNA, YDNA, or autosomal SNP's?
Answer: Unfortunately not at this time. We have considered developing such analyses, however, we continue investing our time perfecting our autosomal STR DNA test.
Question: Can both males and females take this DNA test?
Answer: Definitely. This autosomal STR DNA test allows anyone to learn more about their ancestry. The result formatting does not differ whatsoever between the sexes.
Question: I'm not Native American, can I still take this test to learn more about my ancestry?
Answer: Absolutely. The Native DNA Ancestry Analysis features populations that span the entire globe. We try as best as possible to maintain a well balanced assortment of populations from across the World to ensure maximum accuracy.
Question: How did you develop your DNA database of various populations?
Answer: Every year, published peer reviewed DNA studies are undertaken by Universities and various state/federal agencies across the globe for the sake of greater scientific understanding. We have assimilated results from hundreds of such studies into our STR DNA calculator to provide you top-notch results.
Question: What are autosomal STR DNA markers?
Answer: STR is an abbreviation for "Short Tandem Repeat". These DNA markers are sequences surrounding the center of your chromosomes and come in differing lengths and patterns. Certain nationalities are statistically known to have STR patterns specific to that world population. Like a fingerprint, each human being has an STR profile completely unique to them. Tremendous stability is offered by STR markers, which results in accuracy not often observed in other types of DNA tests. Law enforcement agencies such as the FBI and state/local police use STR markers to identify criminal suspects, as well as to solve missing person cases. These markers are randomly inherited from each parent, grandparent, great-grandparent etc etc... back through the generations deep in your family. While two or three of these markers does not typically posses considerable power for resolving your ancestry, the synergy of 34+ STR alleles has the fortitude to deliver powerful results, often times leaving costumers more impressed with their Native DNA results than information they've obtained from other well known DNA testing companies.
Question: Does everyone who takes your test receive Native American results?
Answer: No. Although many of our customers seek out our services due to the fact that they have Native American ancestry, not all of these tests return positive matches for American Indian ancestry. We will in no way, add (fabricate) populations to a customer's DNA report simply to appease the customer. We will report every customer's DNA report honestly, to the very best of our ability.
Question: Can I upload my raw data to DNA and ancestry websites much like I do with raw data from big box DNA companies to determine admixture and genetic relatives?
Answer: Unfortunately, not at this time. There are however, a few ways for you to experiment with the STR profile or "raw data" we obtain from the lab. One such product "Omnipop" can be downloaded free at the following link: www.cstl.nist.gov/div831/strbase/population/OmniPop200.1.xls .Please keep in mind that Omnipop only contains 202 populations in its database, and therefore will likely produce ancestry results substantially different from those obtained from your Native DNA Ancestry Analysis. This is because our ancestry calculator is proprietary, with no company in the world offering the precise product we do. Another source for entering your raw data is the Strider STR Frequency Database located at: https://strider.online/query#query_form where you can simply enter your allele values and see what turns up. The Strider database consists on European populations only.
Question: What does the testing process involve from the time I submit my payment, start to finish?
Answer: After we receive your payment, we will mail your DNA testing kit to you. Taking the DNA test is very easy. When you receive your kit, simply sign the DNA consent form and follow the instructions for application of the oral swab, then mailing your kit to the lab. Your sample will be analyzed by the lab and your STR allelic profile will be determined. Once this step has been completed, the lab will send us your finished lab report, complete with a full set of STR DNA markers. This will allow us to input your allele values into Pinnacle, our proprietary DNA calculator, in order to determine your ancestry. When we become satisfied that we've done everything possible to obtain the highest grade results using Pinnacle, we will submit your Native DNA Ancestry Analysis to you via the email address you provided.
Question: What is the turn around time for my results?
Answer: Typically, turn around time for your results is three weeks from the time you mail your results to the lab. Occasionally, results can take up to 5 weeks to deliver, however this is rare.
Question: I know I am part Native American, why is this portion of my ancestry not showing up in my results?
Answer: Your DNA is randomly inherited from your ancestors in such a way that not all of your heritage may be detectable with a DNA test (any DNA test). This biological process is called random assortment. As a result of such randomness, a brother or sister may have inherited more DNA from your Native American ancestor than you, or an Aunt or Uncle may have inherited more than one of your parents etc. We strongly recommend testing the member of your family who is most closely related to your Native American ancestor for the best results. Also, try testing the individual in your family who is both most closely related and whose physical appearance most closely resembles Native Americans (or other types of ancestry for which you are searching) for the greatest chance of discovering genetic linkages.
Question: Can you tell me what tribe I'm from?
Answer: We've encountered many cases where it was possible to identify a persons direct tribal affiliation, whether it be a population from Asia, America, Africa, or elsewhere. However, this is not always possible due to the unique distribution of alleles (genetic markers) within your DNA profile. Typically, a strong genetic connection to a certain group of people needs to exist for specific tribal affiliation to be identified. If you are indeed searching for a particular type of ancestry within your family (i.e Native American, African, Russian, etc etc..) then the best results will likely come by testing the relative that is most closely related to the ancestry you're searching for.
Question: Can you tell me exactly what my ancestral percentages are?
Answer: The percentages that we include with your results are simply our best approximation based on our experience with STR DNA markers. Because these are only estimations of your percentage of ancestry, the possibility does exist for error within this data. We include these estimates with all purchases simply because most people prefer to have an approximation of their racial breakdown. To date, there is no known ancestral DNA test available that can accurately indicate exact percentages of ancestry 100% of the time. Technology has yet to mature to this level of detail. While exact percentages of your ancestry are difficult to calculate (as with any DNA test), the populations which your DNA is associated with are not.
Question: I have significant Jewish heritage and I’ve heard that this can return false positives for Native American ancestry. How will this affect my results?
Answer: Although some DNA tests can confuse these two world populations, Native DNA has developed very strong methods of separating the two types of ancestry and offers you powerful results. In the event you have both Native American and Jewish ancestry, we can differentiate them both, providing you with a breakdown of the individual components.
Question: Why don't my results show only the exact nation(s) that my family's oral/written history indicates we are from?
Answer: Throughout the passage of time, diaspora populations have traveled long distances for various reasons. The reasons are attributed to military invasions and the changing of national boundaries among others. For instance, during the Mongol invasions of eastern Europe during the 13th century CE, DNA from eastern Asia was introduced into portions of the European gene pool into the eastern European gene pool. Some Hungarians for instance, have retained these Asian genetic contributions some 800 years after intermixing due to relatively endogamous (closed) societies. The moral of this example is that some people with significant ancestry from Hungary may exhibit DNA signals from eastern Asian populations. Such individuals may be unaware of this ancestry as there may be no oral/written tradition that was passed down through the generations. There are many other examples of populations intermixing throughout time that could be used to illustrate this point. In some cases, there may exist little if any correlation between the oral/written history of your family and your actual ancestral origins. A lot of intermixing has taken place world wide to form the populations that exist as we know them today. Occasionally, customers will comment that they have never heard of a certain portion of their results existing in their family. Our response, frankly, is why take the most powerful DNA test on the planet if you don't want to learn the truth?
Question: I am a federally registered card carrying Cherokee, yet my results are showing Cherokee, Choctaw, Ojibwe, Cree, and Maya. Why is this?
Answer: Native Americans migrated, traded, and otherwise interacted frequently, which resulted in many tribes being more mixed than they may realize. In fact, many "full-bloods" are often more inter-tribally mixed than they know. Often there is simply no way of being able to trace this heritage due to its pre-columbian origins, therefore there is typically no knowledge of it.
Featured at left is a quote expressing the complexity of DNA testing for ancestry...
Question: I would like to know more about you and your company. What are your credentials? What experience do you have with determining ancestry?
Answer: Chris Lisauckis began researching his Genealogy in May 1996 and found it so enjoyable that it became an intense lifelong passion. In July 2008, at a family member's funeral, he learned of Native American ancestry which had been hidden in his family for several generations. This inspired him to learn as much as possible about ancestry DNA testing and population genetics. Chris holds a B.S. in Earth System Science and an M.S. in Atmospheric Science both from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and is currently a Meteorology and Climatology PhD student at Mississippi State University. He has developed multiple ground breaking tornado forecasting techniques, and is applying the same acumen and creativity to help people discover their ancestry. Chris believes strongly that science doesn't have to boring and is constantly looking for more creative ways to share his knowledge with others. After being mentored by Lucas Martin, the founder of DNA Tribes from 2009-2014, Chris went on to build Pinnacle, Native DNA's proprietary ancestry calculator, from the ground up. His hobbies include: storm chasing, irrigation and landscaping, percussion (which he taught professionally for 8 years), physical fitness, and photography. Chris has been married to his wife Destinee for 10 years and they have a wonderful son, Levi. He and his family moved to Huntsville, AL from Lubbock, TX in September 1987 when he was 6 years old. Both of his parents hold teaching degrees and have taught in both the public and private school setting. Chris is a no non-sense person that can be trusted to produce honest, high quality results. He is of Native American (Cherokee and Creek), Native Hawaiian, Chinese, English, German, and Lithuanian ancestry. One picture collage, featured in the main front page photo slide show on this website, shows primarily members of his family (and a few friends). His mixed genetic background is to your advantage, as Chris possesses as strong of a working knowledge of world populations as anyone in the business today.
Question: Why is your DNA testing service so much more expensive than many of the others currently available?
Answer: The Native DNA Ancestry Analysis is powerful. There is no other way to put it. We could beat around the bush and tell you this, that, and the other; however the truth is, there is no analysis like it anywhere. Due to the amount of work involved in interrogating customer's STR DNA profiles, the price must reflect the amount of time spent to gather this information. Many of our customers tell us they have tried every DNA test on the market, and that none of them have provided information concerning certain known ancestry in their family (for example: Native American). That is until they test with Native DNA.
Question: Do you use an accredited laboratory to obtain customer's STR DNA profiles?
Answer: Yes. Native DNA has partnered with DNA Diagnostics Center (DDC) in Fairfield, OH which is the most accredited DNA testing lab in the world. DDC is a wonderful company that delivers fast, accurate results. This allows us to have maximum confidence that the raw STR DNA profile we obtain from the lab to perform your analysis is accurate. Your raw STR DNA profile, obtained strictly from DDC, will be included in your results package.
Question: How does your DNA testing service differ from others? What can yours tell me that others cannot?
Answer: After founding Native DNA in September 2012, Chris Lisauckis realized that many people searching for their roots were coming up empty handed. This included individuals who knew without a doubt that Native American ancestry existed in their family, but big box DNA companies had left them without answers. Realizing first hand how frustrating this can be, he began to devise a method of ancestry detection so thorough, it would become an industry leader in assisting those seeking truth. For each customer, Chris spends several hours, sometimes up to half a day, interrogating each customer's STR DNA profile in search of recognizable patterns. The Native DNA Ancestry Analysis is the only one of its kind available ...anywhere. Our unique analysis provides you with not only a comparison to hundreds upon hundreds of published university research study populations, but also compares your unique DNA profile to our own proprietary blended population sets which were created from many years of research experience. Our database currently contains several hundred of these unique population blends that you will not find anywhere else. Often times, other DNA tests will only detect portions of your ancestry, leaving you frustrated and unsatisfied with the results. For example, we'll say you are 1/8 Native American, 1/4 African American, and 5/8 European. Your Native DNA analysis would very likely be able to accurately detect all three of these portions of your genome!
Question: Do you offer tests for MtDNA, YDNA, or autosomal SNP's?
Answer: Unfortunately not at this time. We have considered developing such analyses, however, we continue investing our time perfecting our autosomal STR DNA test.
Question: Can both males and females take this DNA test?
Answer: Definitely. This autosomal STR DNA test allows anyone to learn more about their ancestry. The result formatting does not differ whatsoever between the sexes.
Question: I'm not Native American, can I still take this test to learn more about my ancestry?
Answer: Absolutely. The Native DNA Ancestry Analysis features populations that span the entire globe. We try as best as possible to maintain a well balanced assortment of populations from across the World to ensure maximum accuracy.
Question: How did you develop your DNA database of various populations?
Answer: Every year, published peer reviewed DNA studies are undertaken by Universities and various state/federal agencies across the globe for the sake of greater scientific understanding. We have assimilated results from hundreds of such studies into our STR DNA calculator to provide you top-notch results.
Question: What are autosomal STR DNA markers?
Answer: STR is an abbreviation for "Short Tandem Repeat". These DNA markers are sequences surrounding the center of your chromosomes and come in differing lengths and patterns. Certain nationalities are statistically known to have STR patterns specific to that world population. Like a fingerprint, each human being has an STR profile completely unique to them. Tremendous stability is offered by STR markers, which results in accuracy not often observed in other types of DNA tests. Law enforcement agencies such as the FBI and state/local police use STR markers to identify criminal suspects, as well as to solve missing person cases. These markers are randomly inherited from each parent, grandparent, great-grandparent etc etc... back through the generations deep in your family. While two or three of these markers does not typically posses considerable power for resolving your ancestry, the synergy of 34+ STR alleles has the fortitude to deliver powerful results, often times leaving costumers more impressed with their Native DNA results than information they've obtained from other well known DNA testing companies.
Question: Does everyone who takes your test receive Native American results?
Answer: No. Although many of our customers seek out our services due to the fact that they have Native American ancestry, not all of these tests return positive matches for American Indian ancestry. We will in no way, add (fabricate) populations to a customer's DNA report simply to appease the customer. We will report every customer's DNA report honestly, to the very best of our ability.
Question: Can I upload my raw data to DNA and ancestry websites much like I do with raw data from big box DNA companies to determine admixture and genetic relatives?
Answer: Unfortunately, not at this time. There are however, a few ways for you to experiment with the STR profile or "raw data" we obtain from the lab. One such product "Omnipop" can be downloaded free at the following link: www.cstl.nist.gov/div831/strbase/population/OmniPop200.1.xls .Please keep in mind that Omnipop only contains 202 populations in its database, and therefore will likely produce ancestry results substantially different from those obtained from your Native DNA Ancestry Analysis. This is because our ancestry calculator is proprietary, with no company in the world offering the precise product we do. Another source for entering your raw data is the Strider STR Frequency Database located at: https://strider.online/query#query_form where you can simply enter your allele values and see what turns up. The Strider database consists on European populations only.
Question: What does the testing process involve from the time I submit my payment, start to finish?
Answer: After we receive your payment, we will mail your DNA testing kit to you. Taking the DNA test is very easy. When you receive your kit, simply sign the DNA consent form and follow the instructions for application of the oral swab, then mailing your kit to the lab. Your sample will be analyzed by the lab and your STR allelic profile will be determined. Once this step has been completed, the lab will send us your finished lab report, complete with a full set of STR DNA markers. This will allow us to input your allele values into Pinnacle, our proprietary DNA calculator, in order to determine your ancestry. When we become satisfied that we've done everything possible to obtain the highest grade results using Pinnacle, we will submit your Native DNA Ancestry Analysis to you via the email address you provided.
Question: What is the turn around time for my results?
Answer: Typically, turn around time for your results is three weeks from the time you mail your results to the lab. Occasionally, results can take up to 5 weeks to deliver, however this is rare.
Question: I know I am part Native American, why is this portion of my ancestry not showing up in my results?
Answer: Your DNA is randomly inherited from your ancestors in such a way that not all of your heritage may be detectable with a DNA test (any DNA test). This biological process is called random assortment. As a result of such randomness, a brother or sister may have inherited more DNA from your Native American ancestor than you, or an Aunt or Uncle may have inherited more than one of your parents etc. We strongly recommend testing the member of your family who is most closely related to your Native American ancestor for the best results. Also, try testing the individual in your family who is both most closely related and whose physical appearance most closely resembles Native Americans (or other types of ancestry for which you are searching) for the greatest chance of discovering genetic linkages.
Question: Can you tell me what tribe I'm from?
Answer: We've encountered many cases where it was possible to identify a persons direct tribal affiliation, whether it be a population from Asia, America, Africa, or elsewhere. However, this is not always possible due to the unique distribution of alleles (genetic markers) within your DNA profile. Typically, a strong genetic connection to a certain group of people needs to exist for specific tribal affiliation to be identified. If you are indeed searching for a particular type of ancestry within your family (i.e Native American, African, Russian, etc etc..) then the best results will likely come by testing the relative that is most closely related to the ancestry you're searching for.
Question: Can you tell me exactly what my ancestral percentages are?
Answer: The percentages that we include with your results are simply our best approximation based on our experience with STR DNA markers. Because these are only estimations of your percentage of ancestry, the possibility does exist for error within this data. We include these estimates with all purchases simply because most people prefer to have an approximation of their racial breakdown. To date, there is no known ancestral DNA test available that can accurately indicate exact percentages of ancestry 100% of the time. Technology has yet to mature to this level of detail. While exact percentages of your ancestry are difficult to calculate (as with any DNA test), the populations which your DNA is associated with are not.
Question: I have significant Jewish heritage and I’ve heard that this can return false positives for Native American ancestry. How will this affect my results?
Answer: Although some DNA tests can confuse these two world populations, Native DNA has developed very strong methods of separating the two types of ancestry and offers you powerful results. In the event you have both Native American and Jewish ancestry, we can differentiate them both, providing you with a breakdown of the individual components.
Question: Why don't my results show only the exact nation(s) that my family's oral/written history indicates we are from?
Answer: Throughout the passage of time, diaspora populations have traveled long distances for various reasons. The reasons are attributed to military invasions and the changing of national boundaries among others. For instance, during the Mongol invasions of eastern Europe during the 13th century CE, DNA from eastern Asia was introduced into portions of the European gene pool into the eastern European gene pool. Some Hungarians for instance, have retained these Asian genetic contributions some 800 years after intermixing due to relatively endogamous (closed) societies. The moral of this example is that some people with significant ancestry from Hungary may exhibit DNA signals from eastern Asian populations. Such individuals may be unaware of this ancestry as there may be no oral/written tradition that was passed down through the generations. There are many other examples of populations intermixing throughout time that could be used to illustrate this point. In some cases, there may exist little if any correlation between the oral/written history of your family and your actual ancestral origins. A lot of intermixing has taken place world wide to form the populations that exist as we know them today. Occasionally, customers will comment that they have never heard of a certain portion of their results existing in their family. Our response, frankly, is why take the most powerful DNA test on the planet if you don't want to learn the truth?
Question: I am a federally registered card carrying Cherokee, yet my results are showing Cherokee, Choctaw, Ojibwe, Cree, and Maya. Why is this?
Answer: Native Americans migrated, traded, and otherwise interacted frequently, which resulted in many tribes being more mixed than they may realize. In fact, many "full-bloods" are often more inter-tribally mixed than they know. Often there is simply no way of being able to trace this heritage due to its pre-columbian origins, therefore there is typically no knowledge of it.
Featured at left is a quote expressing the complexity of DNA testing for ancestry...