3 February 2018

Our project was founded 14 years ago this month at FTDNA and it grown to 1,000 members.  Over the years its focus has been expanded to include not just clan Macfarlane but also the Lennox clan given that Macfarlane is a branch of Lennox.  We are still seeking someone to join our volunteer admin team to handle mtDNA.  FTDNA remains the only lab in the world to test for all the types of DNA used in genetic genealogy: yDNA (STRs and SNPs), mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and autosomal block DNA (atDNA) with X-Chromosome (the Family Finder test) and they continue to be a great home for our project.  

24 August 2017

Today we passed 900 members!  If we continue our current rate of growth we shall reach 1000 members by mid-2018. 

6 February 2017

Our project was founded 13 years ago this month and today our project's membership roll reached 800!  If last year's rate of growth continues we shall easily pass 900 sometime in 2017.

24 February 2016

A dozen years ago this month the MacFarlane project was started at FTDNA.  From that first member in February 2004 we have grown to over 600 and look forward to passing 700 before another year has passed.  Our founder Terry Barton is still around and the admin team has grown to 9.  If anyone would like to join our volunteer team to focus on mtDNA we could use your help and would welcome you with open arms!  FTDNA remains the only lab in the world to test for all the types of DNA used in genetic genealogy: yDNA (STRs and SNPs), mitochondrial DNA (mDNA), and autosomal block DNA (atDNA) with X-Chromosome (the Family Finder test) and they have been a great home to our project all these years.  This project exists for our participants who are the basis of its success -- THANK YOU!

19 October 2014

Our project has been chosen to alpha test the new myGroups page.  This can be accessed via this link:

"https://alpha.familytreedna.com/projects/mac-farlane"

Each day during the test period FTDNA will be posting a DNA testing coupon (worth $10 to $100 USD) to our myGroups page! 

1 February 2014

This month brings us to a decade of Macfarlane DNA testing at FTDNA.  In this time our project has grown from a mere handful of members to almost 400, from one admin (our founder Terry Barton) to a team of 6, and from yDNA tests only to detailed testing for yDNA (STRs and SNPs), mitochondrial DNA (mDNA), and autosomal block DNA (atDNA) with X-Chromosome (the Family Finder test). Thank you to everyone who made this such a success especially, of course, our participants.

8 November 2013

FTDNA has announced a new yDNA SNP test the "Big Y" to replace their discontinued Walk Through the Y test.  Here are the highlights:

Introductory price: $495.00 USD until December 1st.  On that date the price will increase to $695.00 USD.

Method: next generation sequencing, Illumina HiSeq and DNA barcoding, sequence length 10 Million base pairs.

Results for currently known SNPs: minimum 25,000 announced (depends on Y-chromosome regions covered).

We recommend this test for men who have already tested the maximum number of STR markers (currently 111).

1 August 2013

25 January 2013

An important announcement from FTDNA:

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3 December 2012

The MacFarlane DNA Project’s largest yDNA lineage, the “Cadets Lineage,” was recently found to have a rare genetic mutation.  This SNP (Single NucleotidePolymorphism) is called DF63.

Imagine yDNA (which only men carry) as a tree, at its root is the single man (Y-Adam) from whom all living humans descend.  Ascending the trunk from him are the various major Haplogroups (ancient unique mutations) which mark mankind’s movement out of Africa to populate the world.  The Limbs sprouting out from the trunk are the sub-clades (subsequent unique mutations) which have branches each caused by more recent unique mutations.

The branch which leads to the ancient mormaers/earls of Lennox and hence to our chiefs is defined by a mutation called R-L21.  DF63 is a newly found twig  on that branch.  Less than five percent of R-L21 men have tested positive for DF63.

The“Cadets Lineage” contains the scions of our ancient chiefs and their predecessors the mormaers and earls of Lennox.  To date every man in the“Cadets Lineage” who has tested for DF63 has it.  It can and should be used as a litmus test for inclusion in the “Cadets Lineage.”  If you are a member of said lineage and have yet to test for it please order a SNP test for DF63 from your Personal page at FTDNA as soon as possible.

The discovery of this SNP was so recent that its geographic origin has not been ascertained nor has the point in time when it came off of R-L21.  [Though it is most likely to have been well over one thousand years ago and possibly within the British Isles.]  Clearly it arose before the foundation of the Lennox dynasty after the turn of the first Millennium and other surnames do have this rare SNP such as one branch of the Franklin family.  The admin team of our project looks forward to sharing more details about DF63 as they become available.

5 August 2011

NEW Y-DNA "THIRD PARTY" UPLOADS

For those Macfarlanes (however spelt) who have tested their DNA with labs other than FamilyTreeDNA.com, the latter has just announced an inexpensive conversion offer to join our project (see below):

"Dear Project Administrator,

We are pleased to announce the launch of a new feature we hope will benefit your projects: Y-DNA "Third Party" uploads.

This will allow for the upload of 33 and 46-marker Y-DNA test results from Ancestry, GeneTree and Sorensen's SMGF. This was a natural development since the necessary tools were created to import the DNAHeritage database after they ceased operations. While the DNA Heritage transfer is free of charge as a result of that acquisition, we will be charging a nominal fee of $19 per person to import third party results into Family TreeDNA. This $19 fee will be credited to customers who order upgrades or add-ons.

For an additional $39, customers who transfer their third party results will also have additional markers tested so that they can receive matches to Family Tree DNA's 25 or 37-marker level, ancestral origins,and other features of the personal page.

Please forward the following link to those who maybe interested in ordering the Third Party transfer:

http://www.familytreedna.com/l​anding/ydna-transfer.aspx

What do you get when you transfer third party results?

The $19 fee will provide the customer with a FamilyTree DNA personal page which will allow them to join Family Tree DNA projects freely. This means results will be available to the administrator and included on the project's public page for comparison with other project members.

The $58 fee ($19 transfer fee + $39 for the added markers to Family Tree DNA's 25 or 37-marker level) will include the same features provided to Family Tree DNA customers in their personal pages.

For any additional questions related to Third Party transfer, please refer to our FAQ section for help.

As always,thank you for your continued support."

8 April 2011

Elizabeth M. Macfarlane, M.P.H.

Our second (and second longest serving) MacFarlane DNA Project administrator, Elizabeth Macfarlane, has passed away at age 93.  She ably ran this project from 2005 until ill health forced her to step down in 2009.  She was a great friend to everyone involved in MacFarlane genealogy for two decades; her warmth and wit will be sorely missed.  May she rest in peace.

5 April 2011

NEW yDNA TEST! (men only)

FamilyTreeDNA.com,which already had the most detailed yDNA test in the world with its 67 marker test, has just set the bar higher by announcing today that they are offering a 111 marker yDNA test!  If you have already tested 67 markers you can upgrade to 111 markers for $129.00 USD.  For new orders the cost is $339.00 USD.

3 May 2010

NEW DNA TEST FOR BOTH MEN & WOMEN!

FamilyTreeDNA.com has the world’s largest yDNA (direct male line ancestry) and mtDNA (direct female line ancestry) database and tests more yDNA markers and mtDNA markers than any other lab in the world, and now they also offer the new autosomal block DNA testing. What is autosomal block DNA? It is the DNA found in blocks between the yDNA of your direct male line and the mtDNA of your direct female line, so now any male can test for the full range of his DNA and any female can do the same! Autosomal block testing will enhance DNA evaluations and provide additional insight into the relationships between individuals with any DNAmatch (yDNA or mtDNA) up to a dozen generations back thus better defining branches in a family tree. Therefore both males and females are able to participate in our project if they had a MacFarlane (of any of the over 1,530 variant spellings) or Sept (any variant) surnamed ancestor/ancestress up to a dozen generations back. This could produce breakthroughs for those participants in our project who heretofore have not had any matches (such as those in the large R1b1b unassigned group). FamilyTreeDNA.com is now offering its “FamilyFinder” (autosomal block DNA) testing for just $289.00 USD!