History of DNA Testing 1. When did DNA testing come into use for genealogical purposes?
In the late 1990’s, there were several highly publicized cases, i.e.: the “Cheddar Man”, Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings, and the last Czar of Russia’s family, to name a few, in which DNA was utilized to prove or disprove relationships to people that have long since been deceased. The media coverage of these, and other cases, helped to bring DNA testing for genealogical applications to the commercial market in the year 2000.
