DNA Test Results Discussion

This beginning tutorial for Ancestry DNA results will help you understand the basics and get the most from your DNA, including DNA matches and DNA story.

Do you want to know more about My Heritage ethnicity estimate and DNA matches? In this post, find out whether your My Heritage DNA Results are accurate!

Do you want to know if there is a way to determine whether you are biologically related to your parents using your DNA matches? Even if your parents can't take a DNA test, there are a few simple ways to find out if your DNA matches one or both of your parents. Note: Naturally, the …

Are you curious about what you get with a 23andMe Ancestry test? Whether you are on the fence about which test to get (or whether to get a test at all), or you are waiting for your results, this post will help you understand more about the type of information you can learn from 23andMe …

Did you get Cameroon, Congo and Southern Bantu Peoples in your Ancestry DNA results?  If so, you can count yourself in excellent company.  Millions of people with African roots living in North and South America will find a genetic heritage in the Cameroon, Congo, and Southern Bantu DNA region.  In this post, you'll learn: Where …

What is an ethnicity estimate? How do they get your ethnicity estimate? Is it accurate? How is ethnicity passed down? Learn this, and more!

What is the Ireland and Scotland DNA ethnicity on Ancestry? You've come to the right place to learn more about this fascinating DNA region.

Did you get the Norway DNA ethnicity in your Ancestry DNA results?  If you did, you are likely among the more than five million people living in North America that are part of the Norwegian diaspora.  Whether or not you were expecting to find Norway in your DNA results, or it came as a surprise, …

One of the first things that we do when we are researching a DNA match is check the matches that we share in common.  This strategy can help us figure out if our match is on our maternal or paternal lines.  But what does it mean when a DNA match doesn't appear to be related …

I'm really excited because today I just got the 23 and Me kits in the mail that I ordered for my parents.  This is a really big deal for me because I have been wanted them to do tests for a really long time, and we are finally doing it!  Both of my parents have …

Ethnicity estimates are easy to print out, summarize, and share - what's not to love about them?  We know they are popular and sought after, but what can we learn from our ethnicity estimates? One of the most popular aspects of DNA testing is the ethnicity estimate, which is also referred to as "ancestry composition" …

Are you curious about the X chromosome?  Maybe you are wondering if learning about your X DNA matches could help you learn more about your family history or how some of your DNA matches might be related to you.  In this post, I'll discuss some common questions related to the X chromosome and genealogy, including: …

You've heard all of the experts say that the best way to build a family tree is by using your DNA matches, but how, exactly, is it done?  In this post, I'll explain exactly how your DNA matches can help you build your family tree. While ethnicity estimates are fun and can occasionally reveal something …

Got a DNA match that shows up in the first cousin category? Are you wondering how to figure out if this match is a first cousin or a half-sibling? Read me!

If you have been examining your DNA match list, you might have noticed that there are a few different details related to the amount of shared DNA that you have with any particular match.  What is the difference between total centimorgans and the number of DNA segments that you and your match share?  Which bit …

In this post, I'll explain to you what a quick and dirty family tree is, and how to use the tree to figure out how your DNA matches are related to you. Have you heard someone mention a "quick and dirty" family tree?  Are you wondering how building a quick and dirty family tree can …

Have you used the X DNA Comparison tool on Gedmatch? If so, you've probably seen a message saying, "No shared X DNA segments found".

Do you have two relatives who are DNA matches to you, but not to each other?  Are you wondering what this really means, and whether or not it could mean a mistake? 

As you might know, Ancestry periodically updates their customers ethnicity estimates.  Every single Ancestry DNA customer can log in to their account and see a completely updated estimate based on the latest technology and scientific developments.  I often hear from my readers that these newly updated ethnicity estimates are confusing.  So, if you are confused …

Are you interested in learning which DNA company is the best for detecting Native American ancestry?  With all of the DNA news of late, it's no wonder that this has become a popular topic.  In this post, I'll tell you which two companies offer the best test for finding Native American roots - and I'll …

Have you heard the news?  Elizabeth Warren had her DNA examined by an expert, and guess what?  Senator Warren does, in fact, have Native American DNA.  It has been, and likely will continue to be, a contentious subject among both her followers and supporters.  In this post, I'll explain her results and talk about how …

Do you want to learn how to upload your DNA file to Living DNA?  By uploading to Living DNA, you can get more DNA matches.  In this post, I'll show you how to upload your DNA to the site so that way you can get access to all of the information Living DNA has to …

If you already did your DNA with Ancestry, you have probably already explored through the basics of your DNA results.  You've seen your ethnicity estimate and your DNA matches, but do you want to use Ancestry DNA like an expert?  In this post, I'll explain the top tips to learn as much as possible from …

Did you find the Baltic State ethnicity region in your Ancestry DNA results?  Were you surprised, or were you expecting it?  In this post, I'll discuss the location of this ethnicity region, how you might have inherited this particular ethnicity region, and how to get started tracing your Baltic States ancestors. From a personal standpoint, …

Do you need to figure out how you are related to a DNA match? In this post, you'll find a checklist with the best ways to find the information that you need to figure out how you might be related. It can be confusing when you have a genetic relative on your DNA match list …

If you want to really get the most from the DNA test that you took, read through this list of the most common mistakes people make with their DNA results.

Did you get the Eastern Europe and Russia DNA ethnicity in your ethnicity results?  If you did, you are among almost 20 million Americans who can trace their ancestry back to Eastern Europe or Russia.  The Eastern Europe and Russia DNA region is a fascinating region made up of more than twenty countries and spanning …

Have you been examining your Ancestry DNA results since they went through the major 2018 update?  You are not alone!  Many people find themselves confused, frustrated, excited, or even sad and angry about the major changes their results have undergone.  To some people, their ethnicity estimate is confirmation of their identity - especially when it …

Have you checked your Ancestry DNA results lately?  If you have, you might have noticed that they have gone through a very big change.  In this post, I will help you learn how to explore your newly updated Ancestry DNA results. The 2018 Ancestry DNA update offers us a more nuanced insight into our ancestry, …

Did your Iberian Peninsula DNA region completely disappear from your ethnicity estimate after the Ancestry DNA September 2018 update?  If this happened to you, you are not alone.  In this post, I'll explain a little bit about why Iberian Peninsula might have been removed from your list, and what it may have been replaced with. …

The moment that we have all been waiting for has finally arrived!  Ancestry DNA has officially rolled out the biggest update to its ethnicity estimates since the company began offering DNA testing.  In this post, I'll share details about the update as well as discuss how the latest Ancestry DNA update can help us learn …

Do you have Filipino ancestry?  Are you thinking about taking a DNA test like the one offered by Ancestry DNA?  If so, you might be wondering how Filipino would show up on a DNA test. In this post, I'll explain what someone born in the Philippines or someone with Filipino roots could expect to see …

When you are doing genetic genealogy, the common advice is to ignore small segments because they are almost always identical-by-state (IBS), or false positives.  The key phrase is "almost always", and in this post, we'll explore segments smaller than 10 centimorgans (cMs). You will learn: The reason that it's important to understand small segments is …

Do you want to know how much DNA second cousins should share?  What about half-second cousins?  In this post, I'll tell you everything you need to know about shared DNA between second cousins, including whether it is possible for second cousins to share no DNA. If you have second cousins on your DNA match list, …

Are you curious about the ethnicity of your My Heritage DNA match?  In this post, I'll explain how your DNA match's ethnicity can help you figure out how you might be related, how to access this information on My Heritage, and how to sort your matches by ethnicity. I've really enjoyed my My Heritage DNA …

If many people have the same wrong person in your tree, and are DNA-matched, this could be confirmation bias in genetic genealogy. Learn how to avoid this!

The Family Tree DNA Family Finder DNA match list has more to offer than meets the eye.  Many people don't realize that you can access your DNA match's ethnicity, and in this post, I'll explain how to do it and how this might help you figure out how you are related to your DNA match. …

Did you get the Senegal DNA ethnicity on your Ancestry DNA results?  If you are like most people, you are curious about the Senegal DNA ethnicity and want to learn more about how you might have inherited it, and you have come to the right place.  In this post, you'll learn: My daughter's father is …

If you did your DNA test with Family Tree DNA, you might have some questions about your DNA match list.  We all want to figure out how our DNA matches are related to us and there is a lot of information that, when interpreted correctly, can help us do just that.  In this post, you'll …

If you have found that your parent and sibling have a DNA match that doesn't match you, are you wondering how this could be?  In this post, I'll explain how it can be possible that your dad (or mom!) and sibling can have a DNA match that you don't have.  Here's a hint: It doesn't …

Whether you are curious about whether you and your great-great aunt or uncle share the expected amount of DNA, or you are wondering if your mystery DNA match could fit into the great-great uncle category, you have come to the right place.  In this post, we'll discuss how much DNA someone might share with a …

In this post, I'll discuss the most common places where Europe West DNA might be found - both inside and outside of Europe, and how you can use this information to better understand your Europe West DNA results. Of course you know that you can find Europe West DNA in Europe, but did you know …