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DNA

Post here for your queries about DNA, or help fellow researchers understand theirs.
Chiddicks
Posts: 57
Joined: 14 Jun 2020, 20:29
Location: Mid Cheshire
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DNA

Post by Chiddicks »

Maybe DNA is worthy of its own category??

For those that are anti DNA or can't see any value in what it can bring, let me tell you about my success over the weekend.

Within the first year or two of my research I quickly established that my great grandmother had an unknown Father, nothing unusual, it was fairly common back then. Of my 16 great great grandparents, this was the only one 'missing' from my tree, I had 15 out of 16.

Over the last 20 years, I have kept coming back to this, but with not really a lot to go on.

A couple of years ago I did an Ancestry DNA test, learnt fast what to do, how to collect matches, but again paid no real attention to my missing great grandfather. As my knowledge improved, I was able to start grouping matches into paternal and paternal. Then I had a lightbulb moment, what if one of these groups contained the missing great grandfather.

So over a number of weeks and with the help of some wonderful DNA contacts and a new Canadian Cousin we were able to piece it all together. The final piece went into the puzzle yesterday and Ancestry kindly confirmed the match, when I added him to my tree, by adding 4 new DNA matches.

So if you are a doubter as to what DNA can bring to the table, it can prove or disprove a theory and can open doors that a paper trail could NEVER open.

Only a Genealogist can feel the excitement that I felt this weekend. Its taken 20 years, some dogged determination, a great deal of luck as well, but I managed to find my first ever needle in a haystack!!!
Chiddicks
Posts: 57
Joined: 14 Jun 2020, 20:29
Location: Mid Cheshire
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Re: DNA

Post by Chiddicks »

Mick Loney
Posts: 371
Joined: 15 Jun 2020, 07:27

Re: DNA

Post by Mick Loney »

Chiddicks wrote: 22 Jun 2020, 15:03 So if you are a doubter as to what DNA can bring to the table, it can prove or disprove a theory and can open doors that a paper trail could NEVER open.
This point can’t be stressed enough. DNA on its own is pretty useless without a tree. Newcomers to DNA need to bear this in mind. It will NOT create a tree for you, but will prove /disprove an existing tree.
So to make the most of your DNA test, do the research first!
meekhcs
Posts: 468
Joined: 02 Jun 2020, 18:19
Location: Lincolnshire, but Hampshire born and bred!

Re: DNA

Post by meekhcs »

Couldn't agree more. I cannot understand why people take a DNA test on Ancestry and do nothing with it.

Ancestry offer no help once the test has been done except to offer "Thru Lines" DNA matching for people who have built trees. Which brings us back to the thorny issue of inaccurate trees that abound on Ancestry. Thru Lines makes the DNA connections from The Trees on the system. Please, please treat Thru Lines with care. If the Trees are wrong so will the Thru Lines be.

An extra tip for beginners. One you have taken the test with Ancestry, upload your results to "My Heritage" and make use of their DNA Help tools
Sally
Jethro Tull
Posts: 37
Joined: 13 Jun 2020, 21:14
Location: East Anglia

Re: DNA

Post by Jethro Tull »

I have put off completing a DNA test as do not fully understand how it could be used other than to perhaps highlight that my ancestors came from a very large geographic area.

Is there one kit that does something different others do not? I keep seeing the ad on ancestry, is this the same as others for the testing purposes?

Apologies if these appear daft questions but as I have never been sold on the idea I've ignored all reading on the tests.

After reading this thread I my give it a go.....

......And then ask for help once I get results back.....

Cheers

Dan
"So many ancestors; so little time"
Hardwork
Posts: 86
Joined: 14 Jun 2020, 14:15

Re: DNA

Post by Hardwork »

It is obvious by the fact that Ancestry don't give information on matching chromosomes and segments that, understandably perhaps, they want to control one's DNA so that a tester has to follow through via them on finding matches and by providing their trees. Family Tree DNA also provide tools, as do Gedmatch, not just My Heritage. It seems pretty obvious that Ancestry testers succumb to the power of advertising rather than doing a bit of research about DNA before jumping in.

I think a high proportion of Ancestry testers also do not understand DNA, even at a rudimentary level, don't know how to use it, don't understand genealogy even, given the state of the many of the online trees, and often don't even bother responding to messages, especially if one challenges their tree by providing alternative evidence. Since genealogy became a computer hobby, so the expansion of interest means many the quality of the work provided by researchers varies enormously and many appear to apply a "my opinion is as good as anyone elses" approach, rather than an evidence based one, unfortunately.
Mick Loney
Posts: 371
Joined: 15 Jun 2020, 07:27

Re: DNA

Post by Mick Loney »

Hardwork,
The Ancestry test is like any other autosumnal test. Where Ancestry falls short, is not to give users more details of how their matches actually match, Chromosomes etc, as you say. But Ancestry testers can download their raw data, and upload it to another site such as Gedmatch, which do tell them how two individuals match in more detail. Where most sites fall down however, is that their users do not seem to realise that DNA without an accompanying tree, is as useful as a chocolate teapot.
Hardwork
Posts: 86
Joined: 14 Jun 2020, 14:15

Re: DNA

Post by Hardwork »

Mick,

I agree but people may be wary of uploading to other sites and that is no excuse for Ancestry not providing the essential tools to verifying matches. Though I can see what you say about trees the real problem is communication. If people contacted their matches or replied to their messages then a picture could be built up re connection. Genealogy before the computer age was much more about co-operation and helping each other because access to records was more difficult but also because one had to be more driven to pursue the hobby, making present day research exasperating at times, especially where DNA is involved, because that requires a certain degree of cooperation and can't be a solo pursuit using digitised public records.

Jethro Tull - Before embarking on DNA testing you need to identify what it is you wish to prove or find out. For me it was to try to discover my biological grandfather. I managed to do that by Y DNA testing and autosomal testing. Some folk only want to discover ethnicity but that isn't very scientific as it mainly references to modern populations and especially in Europe, Near East and even North Africa in particular, we are all very mixed for various reasons, from Roman rule, big population movements, to the Crusades and other conflicts along with slavery, trade and exploration.
Chiddicks
Posts: 57
Joined: 14 Jun 2020, 20:29
Location: Mid Cheshire
Contact:

Re: DNA

Post by Chiddicks »

Jethro Tull wrote: 23 Jun 2020, 17:12 I have put off completing a DNA test as do not fully understand how it could be used other than to perhaps highlight that my ancestors came from a very large geographic area.

Is there one kit that does something different others do not? I keep seeing the ad on ancestry, is this the same as others for the testing purposes?

Apologies if these appear daft questions but as I have never been sold on the idea I've ignored all reading on the tests.

After reading this thread I my give it a go.....

......And then ask for help once I get results back.....

Cheers

Dan

Hi Dan, I would suggest reading up as much as you can, books, blogs, DNA wiki, it can seem a bit overwhelming at the beginning but rest assured we’ve all been there! I recommend a book called Tracing Your Ancestors using DNA it’s by combined authors one of which is DNA expert Michelle Leonard.

I would still recommend as a starting point an Autosomal dna test with Ancestry, despite some of the negative comments about trees. Ancestry has a database probably 4 times larger than any of the other testing companies, plus you can upload your raw data after tomadditional sites such as my heritage and gedmatch.

Autosomal matches both paternal and maternal lines, a Y DNA test only matches the paternal line.
Last edited by Chiddicks on 24 Jun 2020, 20:38, edited 1 time in total.
Jethro Tull
Posts: 37
Joined: 13 Jun 2020, 21:14
Location: East Anglia

Re: DNA

Post by Jethro Tull »

Thanks folks for all of the input.

As suggested I think I'll do plenty of reading before giving it a go. Your words have made me feel that it will be worth it in the long run though.

Cheers
Dan
"So many ancestors; so little time"
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