Discover Your Clan Young Roots!

You, or a Relative (Parent, Grandparent, Great-Grandparent, etc.) has the surname Young.  Now you want to learn more about your Young history!  We want to help you!   Here are some suggestions for getting started:

There Are Tools To Get You Started!

Using a Five Generation Pedigree Chart, enter yourself as the Starting Person, then add your Parents, Grandparents, etc., filling in as much as you know, or have access to (Birth Dates/Places, Marriage Dates/Places, and Death Dates/Places).

Fill Out Your Pedigree Chart!

Include Full Names whenever possible – First, Middle (Full Name if known and not just an Initial), and Last (Maiden Name for Women).

Include "Nicknames" by putting them in quotation marks.

Standard Format is to add Men on the top space and Women below on the Pedigree Chart

Call Your Grandparents!

Talk with your Oldest Living Relatives on your Young Family Line.  Ask them about their Family and their Ancestors.  Have them provide names (particularly Maiden Names of Women),  any/all Dates of Births, Marriages, and Deaths that they can recall.  Ask them to tell you stories about their past!  Make sure you record these conversations so you don’t have to rely on taking notes or your memory to document what you learn!

Talk To Those That May Know!

Ask your Relatives if they have any Documents (Birth/Marriage/Death Certificates, Military Documents, Burial Records, etc.), Family Bibles, or Family Photographs. These can contain information that will help you learn more about your Young Family Roots, and provide information to assist in filling out your 5 Generation Chart.  Be sure to document where you found these items (and who has possession of them!).

Other questions you may wish to ask your Relatives:

Who is the Immigrant Ancestor?

What Country did the Immigrant Ancestor come from?

What are/were the Occupations of your Parents, Grandparents, etc.?

What Relatives/Ancestors served in the Military, along with Branch, and which wars if any?

Is there a Family Cemetery?

Is anyone in the Family working on a Genealogy project?

What About DNA Testing? - Questions We Often Receive:

Should I do a DNA test?

Taking a DNA test can help further your Family research, but may also uncover Family "secrets". With the information gained from a DNA test, you may be able to connect with relatives, add to your family tree, and find previously unknown relatives!

Which DNA Test(s) Should I Consider?

There are 3 types of DNA tests – Autosomal (atDNA), Y-DNA, & mtDNA (Mitochondrial).

Autosomal (atDNA) testing looks at both sides of your Family – Maternal & Paternal. It is a good place to start, as it looks at more recent Ancestors, and is generally reliable to about 4-6 Generations back.

Y-DNA looks only at the direct Male line. Y-DNA is inherited only along the Paternal line. This is a test to use if you are looking for someone in your direct Paternal line. Since it does look only at the Paternal line, only Males can take this test.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) looks at the direct Maternal line. Both Males and Females inherit mtDNA from their Mothers, who inherit from their Mothers, etc. This test looks back much further than atDNA, but does not provide information on how closely you are related to your matches.

Which DNA Testing Company Should I Consider Using?

There are several Companies that perform DNA testing. For Autosomal DNA, all of the popular Companies do this test. These Companies are Family Tree DNA, Ancestry, My Heritage, 23 and Me, and Living DNA. Ancestry has the largest database. Family Tree DNA is the only Company that performs Y-DNA and mtDNA testing. 

Considerations when choosing a company to test with:  Sample collection method, how many other people have tested with the company, and the research tools (Genetic & Genealogical) available:

Ancestry – Largest number of test takers; Strong within the US; Autosomal testing only.

Family Tree DNA – Autosomal, Y-DNA, and Mitochondrial testing available.

My Heritage – Relatively strong with testers outside of the US.

23 and Me – Testers may be more interested in the health information provided than in the Genetic/Genealogical information; Autosomal testing only (no Y-DNA or mtDNA).

Living DNA – More focused on the British Isles.