I started The Genetic Genealogist nearly a year ago, in February of 2007. To celebrate the approaching one-year anniversary of the blog, I am announcing a contest to give away a FREE genetic genealogy test from one of my sponsors, DNA Heritage.
Why offer a free genetic genealogy test? I know that there are many genealogists out there who are interested in genetic genealogy, but are reticent to spend the money for a test or think they know too little about genetic genealogy to buy a test. Hopefully, readers of The Genetic Genealogist know a lot more about the technology than they did before they were readers, and now one of you will win a free test! The winner may choose from the following tests offered by the company:
- The Y-chromosome STR (23 marker) Test valued at over $135
- The Y-chromosome SNP Test valued at $129 (sample report)
- The mtDNA Test (HVR-I, HVR-II, and HVR-III for a total of 1145 bases) valued at $219 (sample report).
The contest rules are below, but I wanted to point out that DNA Heritage has an FAQ section, as well as a Tutorial section and a Glossary. I would highly recommend that anyone who is not familiar with DNA testing or genetic genealogy read these sections carefully and completely to understand all the benefits and limitations of genetic genealogy. It is important that anyone who is interested in any form of genetic testing understand all the implications of that testing. Note also that genetic genealogy does NOT instantly reveal the names and dates of ancestors – this can only be accomplished by comparing your results to others (using free public DNA databases) in conjunction with traditional genealogical techniques!
According to my recent estimate, as many as 600,000 to 700,000 genetic genealogy tests have been sold in the United States since 2000, with 80,000 to 100,000 new tests sold every year. Thus, the field of genetic genealogy is continuing to grow and will only become more popular as the cost of genetic sequencing continues to decline.
Without further ado, here are the rules (I’m a law student, and they’ve taught me to love to write rules):
- To Enter:
- Write a short review of the blog or the contest with a link to https://thegeneticgenealogist.com using the anchor text “genetic genealogy” and then leave a comment here with a link to the review (worth three entries); or
- Subscribe to my feed and then email me your name and the secret password found in the feed (worth two entries); or
- Subscribe to my blog by email using the form in the far right sidebar (worth two entries); or
- If all else fails, leave a comment to this post as to why you want to receive a free genetic genealogy test (worth one entry).
- If You Win: After the winner receives his or her results from DNA Heritage, the winner agrees to write on their own blog or be interviewed here about their experience with DNA testing, or the impact of the results (or something along those lines), to help introduce other people to genetic genealogy.
- Contest Duration: The contest will run from 3:00AM January 4, 2008 to 11:59PM on January 18, 2008.
- The Drawing – Every entry will be assigned a number, and after the close of the contest, I will use Randomizer to select a winner and a runner-up (in case the winner fails to respond). If you win, I’ll contact you via email to get your address and phone number so that DNA Heritage can contact you.
- By entering, you are agreeing that you’ve read the Terms and Conditions at DNA Heritage, including the requirement that DNA will not be accepted from anyone who is younger than 18.
In addition to announcing the winner on January 19th, 2008, I will also linkback to everyone that entered the contest. As a result, you’ll get a quality link from a PR5 blog even if you don’t win the free test! Good luck!
I want to receive a free genetic genealogy test!
Thanks Blaine – sure hope I win!
http://kinexxions.blogspot.com/2008/01/win-free-genetic-genealogy-test.html
Here’s my entry: http://familyhistorian.blogspot.com/2008/01/genetic-genealogist-offers-contest.html
Hi there
I blogged about your contest here – http://www.contestbeat.com/win-a-genetic-genealogy-test/
All we do is write about contests in the blogosphere so hopefully we can send you a few more entries too!
Regards, Matt
My entry:
http://perusingaardvarks.blogspot.com/2008/01/somebody-gets-free-test.html
And may I get bonus points for being subscribed to the feed? I used the secret word.
I’d love to win this, I am the person in our entire family that keeps track of stuff like this & this would be a great help!
“If all else fails, leave a comment to this post as to why you want to receive a free genetic genealogy test (worth one entry).”
B/c I want to double check the marker values which were reported to me by other companies. 🙂
http://www.dirkschweitzer.net/DNATests.html
Count me in. I’d love to win cos I love dabbling in this scientific stuff and it’s interesting to investigate one’s family tree as well!
How fabulous! I’d love to enter the contest for the free genetic test. I’ve been meaning to get a mtDNA test done.
I’d love to win the test so I could see if there is any truth to the “family lore” of German descent. I have been stuck for ages with “patriarch” of my Miller line, Francis Miller. The guy showed up in Nova Scotia around 1765 with a wife and two step children from his wife’s first marriage. I have no clue where he came from or how he ended up in Nova Scotia. I have heard several variations of the same story that Francis is of German descent, but obviously I have never found any documentation evidencing this. A DNA SNP test would at the very least give me some idea whether there is actually any truth to the rumors! I think the idea of genetic genealogy is an amazing step forward and I would love to be a part of it. Too bad real-world finances won’t allow it otherwise. Thanks for the opportunity!
wow, what a cool prize! I’d love to win this.
Here is the link to my post: http://jessicagenejournal.blogspot.com/2008/01/genetic-genealogist-hosts-contest-for.html
Blaine,
This is very generous of you – I’m in! See “The Genetic Genealogist Challenge” at http://randysmusings.blogspot.com/2008/01/genetic-genealogist-challenge.html
Cheers — Randy
Everyone – thank you for your interest and your entries! It’s great to see such an enthusiastic response to this contest. Good luck to you all!
Don’t know if this counts but here ya go:
http://deadpeopleblog.blogspot.com/2008/01/genetic-genealogist-makes-good.html
Here’s my review of your web site Blaine,
http://creativegene.blogspot.com/2008/01/blog-for-scientifically-challenged.html
The contest is a great idea!
It sure does count Lee! And thank you for a fantastic review, Jasia.
Here we go a blurb on my shiny new blog here: http://blogger.aussierhonda.com/2008/01/baby-steps-into-future.html
and my old one here:
http://aussierhonda.com/blog/2008-01-17/baby-steps-future
My half 4C1R has had her Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) done and is classified as Western Eurasian or a ” U4″. I would love to be able to compare results with her.
Here’s hoping that DNA can provide me some answers to my family’s Eastern European heritage. Read more at The ABCs of DNA.
I’d love to determine just how the Cowhey family is actually linked the Coffey family. Both find their origins in the Irish Ó Cobhthaigh sept. Read more about the link between these families and one of their recently newsworthy members, 109-year-old J. Russell Coffey, at Mr. Cowhey: a wanted man (for DNA).
You got me started on the subject of DNA and its hard to get away from it! I’ve included a link to your informative weblog along with the specific Tierney Y-DNA surname project at A round-up of Tierney family history resources. Thanks for offering this contest and all of the good information that you provide at The Genetic Genealogist.
Rhonda – Thanks for your reviews! And I really like the shorthand of 4th-cousin-once-removed. I’ve been doing genealogy for 20 years and I’ve never seen that before!
Lisa S. – thank you for your entries, and for all your kind words!
I love free things but more importantly, I would love to apply genetics to help me learn more about my own family origins!
I thought I could hold out, but this contest is just too tempting. Count me in!
Here is a post about the blog and the contest on my blog:
http://yannklimentidis.blogspot.com/2008/01/genetic-genealogysometimes-you-just.html
Good luck Ivan!
Yann, looks like I made an offer you couldn’t refuse!
I am passionate about finding out my heritage, paternally and maternally.
Hi, good morning to all of you… Nice Guestbook 😉 !!!l
Thank you for offering up this opportunity to win such a wonderful prize .I am realy intersted in my family history .If I won I would be walking on air.Heres is one place I blogged about you will post others later
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=1461557&blogID=418772689
The main reason why i would like to win this is because for one I do not have the money that some companies request to process this. I understand it costs money. My reasons for doing this is quite personal. I want to know how much native american heritage i have in me. I was told I have cherokee on both sides of my family and scottish history with some irish. It means more to me to know just how much native american do i have in me and thats important.
I’ll enter but I’m scared of what will fall out of my family tree if you shake it too hard!
Thanks
Andrew
Freethingy’s last blog post..Free condom sample from Trojan condoms
I used a free classified ads on craigslist to find my genealogy
There are three important reasons why I wish I had won this.First,because all my parents info that was kept in a nice wooden box in the attic,birth certificates,etc,was burned in a fire.I mean all of it.This includes anything at all of my grandparents,even to my Great Grandparents.Yup.And no one in our family kept those things but my parents,so poof.No more family records. The second reason is because I was recently contacted by the Daughters of the Revolution.They want me to join them,but I have to have the information of my Confederate ancestry,which I no longer have.I am related to General Stonewall Jackson,and need to have the proof on paper for them to enroll me into their roster of daughters. How odd,that I saw someone else on one of the Genetic Geneology sites who was was contact by the DAR as well. I just remembered seeing her review as I write this.Lol. Anyway,..I cant afford to get the info via Ancestry.com either. I am older and on a fixed Social Security income,so thats that.This is 2nd reason I would give anything to have this testing. The 3rd,and possible most interresting of the three reasons? I would also like to trace my lineage to see how far back it goes,to which of the tribes of the bible I come from.These tests can trace that for me.It would be nice to know if I am from Abraham’s line or which of the other 12 tribes.And,if it comes without translation,I can get that from another site if need be.
There,..the three reasons I wish I could get this done.Well,good luck to whoever,..
I feel so foolish!Ignore my post. I just read the date on the winning of the contest. Its way over now.Sorry for the post.It s late,and I’ve taken my pain pills.I just didnt read well enough.Lol!
If you ever do another one,well,read the post then,ok? HeeHee!
The reasons I am interring to win this free genetics test are many. I am very interested in my family history and would like to know more about my past and where my ancestors are from. I am also fairly certain that I have some links to Native American bloodlines and would like to know what percentage I am to that. And I am entering college in the fall and can’t really afford the tuition. I know I could get grants or scholarships with certain heredity. And last but not least, I’m just plain curious! I’ve always wanted to take a genetics test but never have because of the price. And only recently has it really become readily available and with good results. There’s always been a part of me that’s always wanted to know exactly where all I’ve come from, and with which people groups. I love world cultures and I’ve often been pulled toward the traditional music and ambiance of multiple regions, and I would really love to know if that’s because I actually have some ancient roots there. So thanks for offering this chance! It’s greatly appreciated.
I don’t have a blog to link to, but I can plug this site on my facebook page if that gets me anything extra.. haha Thanks 🙂
I have children, and it’s not certain who my parents are, but I would like to be able to tell them at least what their heritage is, and what possible medical implications this may have or leave them and any future children open to.
My family’s poor historians. No one seems to know anything about our Native American History. I have been searching for years and come up flat. I would love to be able to tell my children where they came from.
I used to be very happy to search out this web-site.I needed to appreciate your your energy because of this wonderful read!! I undoubtedly enjoying every single small spot of it and I have you bookmarked to take a look at new stuff you blog post.
Can I just say what a relief to locate a person who really knows what theyre discussing online.
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