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1. Why Genetic Genealogy?
Genetic genealogy is the use of genealogical DNA tests, i.e., DNA profiling and DNA testing, in combination with traditional genealogical methods, to infer genetic relationships between individuals.
DNA tests can help you find family you didn't know, break through brick walls when paper records are scarce, and help trace your lineage through time. The use of DNA testing can help the family history researcher and organizations like the PDA by providing hints to someone's genealogy. In many cases, it can show that you are indeed descended from the family tree.
In addition, results from genealogical DNA testing from companies, such as the one the PDA uses (FamilyTreeDNA), provides the tester with DNA matches to others. DNA Matching is the process of sequencing your DNA and comparing it to the DNA of other people in a database. When a person with a significant amount of DNA that is identical to yours is found, that can indicate that you have a common ancestor.
2. What is a Group Project?
B. DNA Tests Available from FamilyTreeDNAThe Boltz DNA Project group uses FamilyTreeDNA.com (ftDNA). If you test with ftDNA, you can join our group when you log in online to your ftDNA account. By doing so, you enable our group administrator(s) to review your test results and consult with you about your matches to other people. Matches result from the ftDNA computers figuring out who you are related to from their very large database of test subjects.
Group Projects at FamilyTreeDNA offer many benefits, providing ways for their customers to work together with others of similar interests. You can belong to more than one project.
By agreeing to participate in a Group Project, you understand that:
- Your participation in Group Projects is completely voluntary and is not required to use any of their products or services.
- After requesting to join a project, no additional work is required to participate.
- You may withdraw your participation at any time, but FamilyTreeDNA is not responsible for any information you have shared directly with Group Project Members or Administrators.
Please read ftDNA's Group Project Participation Informed Consent document prior to choosing to participate in a Group Project.
This test is for biological men named Boltz, Pulse, Puls, Pults or Pultz and other spelling variations, or for men who believe they might be a direct Y (male line) descendant of someone by that name.
The Y chomosome (Y-DNA) is a DNA structure found in the nucleus of a male cell (biological females do not have a Y chromosome). Y-DNA passes almost unchanged from a biological male to their male offspring. That is, Y-DNA is passed from father to son to grandson, and so on, typically following the paternal surname. This was our intial focus when we started working with DNA and have found very interesting revelations. With it, we have confirmed the paper trail for some, for other's we have helped suggest where to look for the paper trail, and in a few cases, welcomed men to a group that didn't know they were directly descended from our family tree.
Who can benefit from the Y-DNA test? Men whose biological father, grandfather, great grandfather, and so on, went by one of the various ways to spell our surname.
If you buy a Y-DNA test kit from FamilyTreeDNA, please order the Y-111 or Big Y-700 test. The 67 marker test will probably determine which branch of the family your descend from, but the 111 markers may halp to determine which branch in that family. The Big Y test might be useful in the future, but for now we are seeing good results with 67 and 111 markers.
Family Finder provides powerful interactive tools to help find your DNA matches, trace your lineage through time, and determine family connections.
Our Project administrator is learning more about interpreting match results from the autosomal (FamilyFinder) test. Men and women can order this test kit. The Family Finder test may help you find others that may be related to you within several generations:.
- Get a percentage breakdown of your origins and view where each DNA segment comes from
- Connect with your autosomal DNA relatives within the last 5 generations
- Learn if you have a connection with ancient European groups
- Compare matching segments of DNA (blocks) with your genetic matches
If you have a a DNA kit at another company, such as Ancestry.com, you can download the raw data from Ancestry and upload it to your kit at ftDNA instead of ordering a new test kit from ftDNA. The cost is reduced as ftDNA doesn't have to mail you a kit and process the resuts. However, there may be small fee to unlock all the FF tools. This does not apply to Y-DNA or mtDNA tests as the other companies do not test these markers.
- Follow the DNA export directions for your test kit. For example, Ancestry.com
- Directions to upload that data to FamilyTreeDNA
3. Maternal Ancestry with the mtDNA test (males and females)
mtDNA is passed down from biological females to their male and female offspring.
While both males and females inherit mtDNA, only biological females can continue to pass on mtDNA. mtDNA testing can help you discover and verify your direct maternal ancestry by connecting you with other individuals who are descendants of a shared common matrilineal ancestor.
Explore your heritage on your maternal line and find others that match with your mtDNA. Mitochondrial DNA (mt DNA) is the small circular chromosome found inside mitochondria. The mitochondria are organelles found in cells that are the sites of energy production. The mitochondria, and thus mitochondrial DNA, are passed from mother to her offspring.
4. Order all tests
For the widest possible matches, we suggest males order all three kits, and females order the Family Finder and mtDNA tests.
1. Purchase Your DNA Kits
You may order your kit at FamilyTreeDNA.com. The kit includes swabs, tubes and return envelope. Kits can be ordered online from many countries (some countries may limit or prohibit DNA testing or returning kits by mail). Wait for sales to save some cash. If you have questions about which tests are right for you, you may ask our administrator by email at jamie@boltz-family.org
2. Join the "Boltz DNA Project"
Once you have received your Kit Number and login password from familytreedna.com, you may log into your account. Your kit number is your username. Please take the following steps after logging in:
- Consider changing your password to something you can remember, but do make it a secure combination of letters, numbers, etc.
- Log into your kit and locate the "Group Projects" section and click on "Join a Project". Search for "PULS" and request to join our project. The project admin will receive an email and will accept your request.
- We suggest you change some of your settings for your test kit to allow matching and allow our group administrator a higher level of access to your test results and matches: follow these instructions.
1. View our DNA Project Page at FamilyTreeDNA
Click here to view charts comparing members' results graphically as provided by FamilyTreeDNA. Included is a chart comparing Y results of our group members (names are kept private).
2. Donate to the Project
If you want to help others to purchase the Y-DNA test, you can now donate to the project. We will apply your donation to someone's test who otherwise could not afford to do the test and we believe that person's test could add to our knowledge. Donate here.
3. Questions?
If you have questions, please contact our project administrator (Jamie Poindexter) at jamie@boltz-family.org
4. Learn more about Genetic Genealogy from these web sites
5. Expand your own DNA research using GEDmatch
Comprehensive solutions for genetic genealogy and family tree research. This is a web site where you can upload your raw DNA data from any DNA testing company to find matches with people who used one or more company. Now you can find matches with those who didn't use a FamilyTreeDNA test kit. You can also upload your family tree GedCom from Ancestry, FamilySearch, MyHeritage, Geanet or other tree building web site or software.
GEDmatch doesn't sell DNA testing kits. It is a place you can upload your ftDNA kit data and find matches with others who purchased kits from other DNA testing companies.
Download your DNA test kit data from
Download your family tree
© Boltz Family Coordinating Committee
Descendants of Johann Michael Bolts and his wife Maria Barbara Lauten
and their three children
who came into the U.S. in October of 1737 at Philadelphia.
Public Records shown on this site are not copyrighted by us.
Our Reunion Coordinating Committee
Web site hosted by Jamie Poindexter, jamie@boltz-family.org