There are many companies and laboratories where you can buy a DNA test. The best laboratory of genealogy DNA testing is considered Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) based in Huston USA. The reasons for choosing Family Tree DNA:

• More than 800 Circassian families have been tested in this laboratory and all of them are in the companies database. DNA matching is impossible if tested in another laboratory.

• Family Tree DNA is one of the oldest companies on the market with more than 20 years of experience and one of the largest databases in the world. The company has an established and trusted privacy policy and customer satisfaction rates are high.

• More than 6 million people have been tested at Family Tree DNA which is of utmost importance when it comes to researching genetic genealogy. A large database is crucial for DNA matching and subsequently genealogy research. And this helps in interpreting the final test results.

• Taking everything into account, the quality of the testing, the prices, Family Tree DNA is the best choice on the market. There cheaper companies but the quality of their services cannot be compared to that of FTDNA.

• Four or five times a year there are discounts which gives a chance for those who cannot afford a test for a regular price to buy one at a discount.

• Your DNA test will be services for 25 years which means your sample will be compared to all new samples and if there samples related to you it will show up in your account and you will be notified that a new relative has been found.

• Family Tree DNA testing gives you a possibility to upgrade the level of your test. That means you can start with a simple one later upgrade to a deeper test.

Y-DNA tests.

There are many different types of tests. For genealogy, archaelogy and history the most important one is Y DNA test. Y DNA tests the male Y chromosome. Only males have Y chromosome. According to their deepness there are several types of Y DNA test:

• Y12

• Y37

• Y111

• BigY-700

12, 37, 111, 700 mean the number of generations tested. The bigger the number the deeper is the test. Deeper tests cost more.

mtDNA test (mtFull Sequence)

Both men an women can do this test. This test researches the female X chromosome. Males have both Y chromosome and X chromosome. Both male and female chromosomes are relevant for genealogy research.

Family Finder or autosomal DNA test.

If Y and mtDNA tests research male and female chromosome, aDNA test takes both mother’s and father’s genetic make up but does not research deeply, just 5 to 8 generations. My parents are the first generation. The parents of my parents are the second generation. And it goes like that for five generations – which makes it 32. So the autosomal test researches these five generations. This test shows:

• Your genetics in terms of ethnic make up

• Finds your relatives from the database

If you are a male – Big Y 700 will be the best choice.

If you are a female – mtFull Sequence if the best choice.

Males can buy both Y DNA and mtDNA tests.

As we have mentions before four or five times a year there are discounts at Family Tree DNA. (sale is about 20%). If you want you can wait for a discount and buy a test. The prices are in USD. Here are the prices followed by the discount price:

• Y12: 79$ - 20% = 59$

• Y37: 119$ - 20% = 79$

• Y111: 249 - 20% = 199$

• BigY-700:  449$ - 20% = 379$

• mtFull Sequence: 159$ - 20% = 129$

• Family Finder: 79$ - 20% = 49$

• Follow this link: 

• Press the “join” button.

• “If you have not already purchased a kit, you can do so here” .

• Choose a test you want to buy and press “Order now”.

• If you have coupon, enter it in the “Coupon code” box and press “Apply”.

• Then press “Proceed to Checkout” and you will be redirected to a new page where you have to fill in your place of living (where the kit will be shipped), other account details and billing information. After filling in all the required information press “Place order”.

Check the email that you provided when buying the kit. There you will find your FTDNA account details, such as login and password. You can enter your personal account using those details. Enter your account and press “Tracking your package”. You can follow your kit using that link.

It depends on the place of your residence how much time will it take for the kit to reach the addressee. For example it takes a month for the kit to reach Circassia. When the kit arrives you will receive a notification email. You can also check the status of your package in your personal FTDNA account. In the kit you will find an instruction and two swabs. Next morning before eating and brushing your teeth you should rub the insides of your cheeks with the swabs. Wait for some time for the swabs to dry. This is the proper way to collect your DNA samples. After that put the swabs in the small packets they came in and inclose them in the envelope that is included in the kit. Also don’t forget to sign the consent paper and inclose it in the envelope with the swabs. When done you can send the letter to the address provided.

It will take as much time for the letter to reach the laboratory. You can check the status of your sample in your personal FTDNA account. Upon reaching the laboratory, the status of your sample should change to “Analyzing data”. The deeper the test the more time will it take for the final results. For example it takes sometimes almost two month to finish the Big Y 700 test.

Upon receiving your final result, your haplogroup, the result needs interpretation. Your haplogroup will be in letters and numbers and if you are new to genetic genealogy there’s not much those numbers and letters will tell you. The Circassian DNA project helps with interpreting your results. You will get answered most of your questions and get guidance as to what your result means.

1. A DNA test does not tell if you are Circassian or not. We use genetics to research our past, migration routes of our ancestors and genetic make up of the Circassians.

2. There are silly theories that your DNA can be used to create bioweapons and so on. It is impossible to create weapons based on genetics. All peoples have been mixing for thousands of years and there are no totally homogeneous nations. Creating a weapon that will target one particular ethnicity is impossible.

3. People who don’t believe DNA testing, don’t understand how far science has moved. It is akin to not believing that one can talk to someone on the other side of the world using a cell phone.