The ABCs of DNA

Interested in learning about the deep origins of your family's history?

I was wondering about the true history of the Ujlaki surname and family when I wrote the post entitled: A rose by any other name. In the case of my search for this family's history, I haven't yet exhausted archived records. I'm still working back in time to get as far back as I can with existing sources. However, I'm doubtful that they will take me further back than the mid to late 18th century.

DNA testing, on the other hand, offers an opportunity to gain an understanding of the origins of my family, who may have both Croatian and Hungarian (and possibly other) components in their genetic make-up. As the genetic genealogist Blaine Bettinger explained (in response to my posted questions), Y-DNA and mtDNA tests offer a possible opportunity to link my family to others in the same geographic area with similar "paper trails". Through this type of testing, I have the opportunity to learn more than can ever be discovered through traditional genealogical research.

If you are interested in learning more about DNA testing, visit Blaine Bettinger's The Genetic Genealogist for a good overview of what it is all about, how it is done and up to date articles about DNA testing in the news. Its amazing to think what can be learned through a simple cheek swab test!

Makes me wonder what my ancestors brought over on the ship

The many American descendants of one couple who emigrated from England in 1630 have a higher chance of finding themselves facing colon cancer, say researchers at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Following the genealogy of this one family, they have determined that thousands of Americans have a link to the family, and thus a higher chance of this type of cancer, which is recognizable by genetic fingerprint.

Read the full Reuters article entitled Colon cancer risk traced to common ancestor.

Makes me wonder what my ancestors brought over with them. What about yours?

Where science meets family history

Have you read about genetics in the news? Ever asked yourself, "How does this apply to me?"

The study of genetics and DNA testing in particular has now become not just a newsworthy topic, but a practical and meaningful tool for personal use. Family historians, in particular, stand to benefit greatly from the use of DNA testing.

Now a simple cheek swab test can be used to provide information that can confirm previous family history research or provide new clues to a family's heritage, both familial and geographical. On the flip side, genealogy is aiding the study of genetics by providing an avenue for further study of current findings.

If you are interested in getting an introduction to DNA testing and genetics and how they apply to genealogy and perhaps your own family history, check out the Carnival of Genealogy: 35th Edition. Hosted by Blaine Bettinger, otherwise known as the Genetic Genealogist, this "blog carnival" is a series of articles posted on various blogs about the topic of genetics and genealogy.

Included in the series of carnival posts are my own entries:

• A rose by any other name here at 100 Years in America
• Mr. Tierney, I presume? posted at A Light That Shines Again
• Bad genes - discovered! posted at Small-leaved Shamrock

Also check out:

• Calling all Ó Cobhthaigh, Cowhey, Coffey cousins! also posted at Small-leaved Shamrock

Happy reading! As I learn more about DNA testing and its application to the Ujlaki family's heritage and that of other related families, I will post more information.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy a little introduction to genetic genealogy thanks to the 35th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy.

A rose by any other name...

Surnames can be blessings or curses in the search for family history. While a more common last name is a good thing during roll call in elementary school and beyond, the more rare and unusual last names tend to be blessings during family history research. Up to a point, that is.

I have a nice mix of both types of surnames in my family tree. One of the least common ones happens to be one of the surnames which is the subject of this blog: the Ujlaki family.

My Ujlaki ancestors back to the mid-1800's resided in what is now northern Croatia, right on the border with Hungary. My continual question (one that I am always researching for further proof) is:

Just what type of heritage did this family have?

Their homes were right on the border of today's Hungary, and were swallowed up as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and more modern-day Hungary at different times throughout history.

Were they true Croatian Slavs? Or did they hail from the Hungarian Magyar tribe?

My great-grandmother Ilona Ujlaki's Ellis Island paperwork indicates Hungarian/German ancestry, the first place I had ever come across that idea. Would this note indicate her husband Ferencz' heritage, or hers? If her husband's, that might explain the sky blue eyes that he passed down to several of his children. Would he be of Austrian descent? Or German?

Then, there are the languages that he spoke. Croatian, Hungarian, English... those make sense. But Polish? Why and how would he have learned Polish? Did the family have relatives there?

All these questions, and no help from the Ujlaki surname. I have been unable to determine if the name is truly of Croatian origin or Hungarian origin or other. Perhaps it is a Slavic variation of an originally German name?

So many questions - so few Ujlakis to help me find the right answer.

I'm wondering if genetic genealogy could possibly provide me with a clue to my family's past.

My question for The Genetic Genealogist during the Carnival of Genealogy with a genetic twist:

What would you suggest for the best way to determine the original genetic heritage of a family? What types of information can I learn from a genetic test? How specific can genetic tests get with regard to origins - Western European vs. Eastern European, Croatian vs. Hungarian vs. Austrian?

When a surname is so uncommon (like Ujlaki) what are the chances that I might find someone else interested in a project for that name? Is it worth the time and money for someone with a relatively rare surname to participate in a genetic surname project?

I'll always be on the lookout for modern-day Ujlakis and descendants of Ujlakis (and Ujlakys and Ulakys, etc.). As all genealogists learn, a rose by any other name still shares the genes of a rose.

What I'd really like to know: just where did the Ujlaki family get its start?