DNA test for Channel Islands

[Alasdair Hall]

Hi all, I'm posting this on behalf of my sister-in-law.
It has always been vague who my father was. A new family rumour has surfaced that he may have been a Channel Island's sailor who was in New Zealand in 1948.
I'm guessing my only hope of confirming this is the remote chance of finding a match in a DNA database?
Any advice please if any of the DNA test suppliers would be better for the Channel Islands?
Thanks.

[Pam Downes]

Hi Alasdair,

Duplicate posts are not allowed because they lead to duplicated research, so your query in the Channel Islands forum has been deleted.
As your query refers specifically to DNA test suppliers I consider the DNA forum to be the best place for it. However, should you wish the query to be in the CI forum then a mod can easily move it.

Pam

[Alasdair Hall]

I feel it is worthwhile expressing that I realize this search is sensitive as it may involve "living memory".
Alasdair

[Deeny]

DNA testing may well be your only hope of getting answers about your paternity.

I'm not aware of any of the big three DNA testing companies having a specialism for Channel Island genetic ancestry, but whichever one you go with you may be able to find, or set up, a forum for Channel Island discussion there.

A Y-DNA test would be useful for surname purposes, but an autosomal test will give you a much wider range of cousin matches. If you can afford it, do both. (Y-37 level is a good place to start and you can upgrade to a higher level later if matches justify it.)

It is always worth checking if any of the companies are running a cut price sale, which they do several times a year. The next one will probably be at Christmas.

Remember that you can also increase your number of cousin matches by uploading your raw data, for free, to Gedmatch.com. FTDNA accept matches from Ancestry for $40, which also widens your chances.

Lots of options, so good luck.

Deeny

[thewideeyedowl]

Though DNA might seem the most obvious route, have you considered looking into Channel Islands family history? There is a very useful-looking FHS here: https://jerseyfamilyhistory.org/.
I note that they have a Facebook page. There are some research pointers on the website but you get more help if you join the Society (and that would be much cheaper and less "iffy" than DNA-testing).

Owl

[thewideeyedowl]

A new family rumour has surfaced that he may have been a Channel Island's sailor who was in New Zealand in 1948.

I think the questions here are:
1. Royal Navy or Merchant Navy?
2. Is it possible to trace ships that visited NZ in 1948 (or 1947?)? Perhaps there are some records of this in NZ?
3. If you can find the names of ships that visited, then you could try to search for the names of the crew. Yes, very difficult...
4. Did this sailor's ship start its voyage from the CI? Or somewhere else? (You need to establish the nature of the CI link - birth? or starting point for voyage?)

Hopefully, if you can narrow the huge huge search down, then you might get a straw to grab at - and folk on Brit Gen are brilliant at grabbing at straws(!).

Good luck, and please keep us updated - who was this mystery sailor? I am intrigued.

Owl