Wren Kin

PLEASE NOTE: Since I wrote this post, this offer has been withdrawn due to the changes announced here.

I’ve been looking for ways to lower the cost of DNA testing for the Wren Family Association DNA Surname Project. The test we recommend costs $155, which might be too expensive for some.

The best price-reduction option so far seems to be through the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Project. In exchange for donating your DNA sample to this non-profit DNA database, Sorenson will provide you with a promo code that takes $60 off the cost of a $155 Y-chromosome DNA test at Relative Genetics (where our surname project is registered).

I’m all for saving money, so I sent away for the participation kit. Actually, I sent away for two: one for me and one for my Wren husband. Both kits arrived within two days.

Here’s what they looked like:

I ripped them open and found all this inside:

Top left is a booklet containing information about the SMGF. Top right is a piece of tape included for sealing up the box again for shipping. Bottom left is the paperwork containing instructions, the consent form and a pedigree chart. At bottom right is a plastic bag containing a plastic jar of mouthwash and a small, absorbent pad.

My husband wasn’t available to take the test, so I proceeded to experiment with me.

The instructions were straightforward: I had to wait until I hadn’t had anything to eat or drink for at least an hour before I took the test, which consists of swishing the green mouthwash in your mouth for about a minute. The instructions warn of a possible tingling sensation, but it felt just like gargling with minty fresh Scope.

When the timer went off, I spit the mouthwash back into the container, put the lid back on and tightened it. The instructions asked me to put the absorbent pad in the bag with the jar, apparently to absorb any mouthwash that might leak out of the jar.

As instructed, I pressed the bag as I zipped it shut to remove extra air. Then I turned to the provided pedigree chart.

According to Sorenson, I could fill their pedigree chart out by hand, print one out from my genealogy software, or send Sorenson a GEDCOM file. I decided to print out our pedigree chart from my genealogy software.

You can see how Sorenson uses this information here. At the time of this writing, there was just one W(R)en(n) participating in the project (soon to be two, when they get my husband’s sample).

As you can see, this Wren surname started in Virginia, migrated to Arkansas and then Texas. More detail may be seen by clicking on the pedigree button:

Hopefully this Wren will join our DNA surname project, too!

But back to my kit. After I signed the consent form I folded it and the pedigree chart into quarters and put it into the little pocket that was separate from the zipped area containing the mouthwash.

My completed kit looked like this:

Note that there’s a place on the bag to write your name and indicate your gender. You might want to do that BEFORE you put the jar in the bag.

At this point I realized I needed to a little work on the box to prepare it for its return trip. Here’s the “before” picture.

I needed to cut off the cardboard along the scoring marks. It was easy enough to do without scissors.

I said goodbye to my DNA sample, tucked it into the box and sealed it up. Please note that this is all free: you don’t even have to pay postage—just drop the package in the mail.

It wasn’t until a few days later when I packed up my husband’s DNA sample that I realized I was supposed to tuck the overhanging part INSIDE the box. (Yes. Well. I’m bad at wrapping birthday presents, too.)

My package arrived safely despite my poor wrapping job because I soon received an email from Sorenson thanking me for my participation and giving me my promo code, which I’ll use to reduce the cost of my husband’s DNA test to $95. (I’ll write about that experience in another post.)

If money is not an issue or you’d rather not deal with Sorenson and mouthwash and promo codes, visit our site at Relative Genetics and sign up for the “q-tip” Y-chromosome DNA test for $155. (Details on the procedure are here.)