Are you interested in getting started on your DNA journey? An autosomal DNA, like the once provided by Ancestry DNA or Family Tree DNA, is a great way to learn about your family's ancestral roots, build your family tree, as well as find new relatives.
Are you read to go ahead and start your DNA testing adventure? Read these posts to learn more about which DNA test is best for you.
The following are some posts that I have written about what you can learn from your DNA as far as ethnicity and family history are concerned:
If you've already done a DNA test, you might be interested in the following articles on how to understand your results. Or, you can just scroll down and browse through them.
If you have spent some time analyzing your DNA match list, you might wonder if it is possible to have no DNA matches from an ancestor who you know is in your family tree. In this post, learn whether this is possible and how it could happen.
Do you want to learn more about the most recent MyHeritage ethnicity estimate update? In this post, you will find out everything you need to know about the v2.5 update of your DNA results.
Did you know that there is a way to automatically add a DNA match to your family tree on Ancestry? In this post, learn how to find and use this helpful tool! This tool, called the "Add DNA Match to Tree" tool, is a feature that launched around the beginning of 2025. Anyone with an …
Did you get more than 40% matching a single region on your DNA results? In this post, learn how many generations back this is, as well as everything you need to know to find the ancestor who passed this down to you.
Have you seen the Ancestry Enhanced DNA Matches feature? In this post, learn how to use it and what you can discover through using this tool.
Have you heard of Ancestry Pro Tools? In this post, you will learn what these tools are and how you can best use them to help with your family tree and DNA match research.
Do you want to learn how to connect your Family Tree DNA results to a family tree? In this post, find a quick tutorial on exactly how to do this.
Are you wondering why your closest relatives don't show up on your list of DNA matches? In this post, find out all the reasons why this can happen.
If you have tested with or uploaded your DNA to Family Tree DNA, and have a family tree on that site, then you will definitely want to read this post. You will learn about an important change that happened in 2024 and the collaboration between FTDNA and MyHeritage.
Did your first cousin take a DNA test? In this post, learn how to know if your cousin is a full or half-first cousin to you. Knowing whether your cousin is a full or half-cousin can be important in your genealogy research. For example, if your cousin is a half-cousin, you can use your shared …
If you logged into your Ancestry account, yet can't see the DNA results you were expecting to see? In this post, learn the reasons why this might have happened, and what to do about it.
Do you have a close DNA match with whom you would like to figure out your relationship? In this post, learn some strategies that you can use to find out how you are related to those closer DNA matches. It might seem like it should be very easy to figure out how a close DNA …
Did you know that genetic males can now learn about their ancient direct-line paternal ancestry on their Family Tree DNA Family Finder results? In this post, find out how to see this information, and more. The Y-DNA haplogroup is now included automatically when you take a new Family Tree DNA Family Finder test. However, if …
Do you have DNA matches that you can't place in your family tree? In this post, find tips that will show you how to find the extra information you need
Have you been contacted by a DNA match, but aren't sure how to respond? In this post, find tips and ideas for how to proceed.
What does it mean when you have a DNA match that doesn't share any ethnicity regions with you? In this post, find out how this can happen and what it means.
Have a situation where multiple DNA matches share the same DNA segment with you? Learn what this means, and what you can learn from this.
Ancestry DNA released the 2023 Ethnicity Estimate update in September. In this post, learn about how this update is different and what to look for on your own updated DNA results.
Have you had a DNA match disappear? In this post, learn the different reasons why this may have happened and what your options are.
Have you ever heard the term "admixture" used in reference to DNA? In this post, learn what is meant by admixture in DNA testing.
If you did a 23andMe test, then you almost definitely have DNA Relatives on your results. In this post, learn what this means and how these individuals are related to you.
Have you seen the term "DNA Overlap" on your 23andMe DNA match list? In this post, where to find this information, and what it means about your relationship with your DNA relatives.
Have you wondered how many DNA segments parents and their children usually share? In this post, learn the answer and find out why some might share less than usual. If you have a parent or child that has taken a DNA test, or you have a DNA match that might be a parent or child, …
Find out about the England and Northwestern Europe DNA ethnicity in your Ancestry DNA. How you got it, which countries it includes, and more!
Did you find out that you have Finland in your Ancestry DNA results? Are you wondering whether this means you have a recent ancestor from the area?
Have you tried the cM Explainer on MyHeritage? In this post, learn how to find and use this useful DNA analysis tool.
This is a feature that was released in March 2023 that gives us even more insight to the ancestry we share with our friends and relatives.
You can view your Ancestry DNA grouped by the ancestor that you share in common. Learn how to do it in this post.
Do you need help figuring out how Parent 1 and Parent 2 on Ancestry corresponds to your maternal and paternal sides of the family? In this post, find a few easy methods that can help you accomplish this.
Did you get the Egypt DNA region on your Ancestry results? In this post, learn more about this DNA region, and how to trace your Egyptian ancestors. Egyptian immigrants to the United States and Canada have had an outsized contribution to their local economies and are typically very highly educated. In fact, these individuals are …
Do you have DNA results from more than one company? You have likely noticed that they are different, and in this post you will learn why.
If you look at your Ancestry DNA match list, you probably see some matches are labeled "Unassigned". In this post, find out exactly what this means.
Did you get 1% matching a region on your DNA results? In this post, learn how many generations back 1% DNA might be in your family tree.
What does it mean if you have an X DNA match, but share no autosomal genes? In this post, find out whether these are true genetic relatives, and how to determine your relationship.
Do you have a 100% DNA match on your Ancestry results? In this post, learn what it means to match someone at 100% and how to understand these results.
Did your Ancestry DNA results get updated in August 2022? If so, you will definitely want to read this in-depth explanation of what changed in our ethnicity estimate results with this latest update. If you are new to AncestryDNA, you might not know that your results will occasionally change as the science and technology improves. …
Has anyone ever suggested that you phase your DNA? In this post, learn what phasing is in DNA results, and how you can use this technique to learn more from your DNA matches.
Do you want to know if 23andMe is more accurate than Ancestry? For those wanting to choose the best DNA test and learn the most from their results, this is an important question.
Do you want to learn how to use and understand the Ancestry Chromosome Painter feature? In this post, find tips for how to get the most from this new tool.
The AncestryDNA Chromosome Painter feature is an exciting, useful new tool that can help us learn more from our DNA results. Learn details about how to find and use this feature in this easy-to-read article.
Many people who test with Ancestry DNA will receive DNA Communities in their ethnicity estimate. In this post, learn how to understand the communities that show up on your results.
Have you seen your Ancestry SideView Ethnicity Inheritance results yet? In this post, learn how to understand the ethnicity breakdown by parent, and learn more from your DNA results. You will discover: How to know which is Parent 1 and Parent 2 What to do if you have an unknown parent How accurate the percentage …