DNA Test Results Discussion

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 …

Can you use your ethnicity estimate to prove paternity?  In this post, I'll explain why your ethnicity estimate doesn't tell you much about who your parents are, and which information from your DNA results is most useful for this purpose. Once you've checked over your ethnicity estimate, you might find yourself comparing your results to …

Are you wondering how identical twins would match each other on an autosomal DNA test?  Maybe you wonder whether their offspring will match each other at typical first cousin levels?  If you have identical twins in your family, or wonder if you do, this post will help you know what to look for as far …

Whether or not you know for sure that you have Basque ancestry, you might wonder if there is a way to prove it using DNA. In this post, you'll learn how to find out whether you have Basque DNA. Speakers of Europe's oldest surviving language, the Basque people are the subject of much curiosity.  Does …

Do you want to know whether Ancestry DNA can help someone find their birth parents? In this post, find out exactly how it could help, as well as some of the limitations of DNA testing that are relevant to people who were adopted.

Are you frustrated looking at the number of DNA matches on your list that have no tree?  In this post, learn the most common reasons why your genetic relatives have no family tree on their profile. One of the most exciting aspects of DNA results is the list of genetic relatives, also called DNA relatives …

Have a new second DNA match that is a mystery to you? Here, find some strategies to help you learn how your second cousin DNA match is related.

If you have British ancestry, you might be wondering where "British blood" comes from.  Is it Celtic?  Germanic?  Scandinavian?  In this post, we'll discuss some of the latest research on the genetic history of Britain, which will give you a better idea of where your British ancestors might have come from. Who are the British …

Are you wondering if there are any downsides to the Ancestry DNA test?  In this post, I'll talk about some of the cons of an Ancestry DNA test - including whether or not those mysterious ethnicity estimates are as accurate as we would hope they could be. There were definitely some aspects of our testing …

Are you trying to decide if you would like to do a DNA test with Ancestry? Here, find an honest, complete review of Ancestry DNA's testing service.

Do you see a new feature called "Ancestry Personal Discoveries Project" on your Ancestry DNA results summary page?  In this post, you'll learn a little bit about the types of questions they ask in this project and how it might benefit you to answer them. I first noticed that they had added this feature to …

Do you have Mali in your ancestry DNA results?  Are you wondering how you inherited this DNA ethnicity and which countries your ancestors might have come from?  You have come to the right place.  In this post, I'll answer these questions, as well give you some strategies for tracing your Mali ancestry. I decided to …

Are you confused by a DNA match?  In this post, I'll go over some tips and strategies - ranging from the basic to the advanced - to help you figure out your connection. We all have that one match - trust me.  Each time we log in to our results, we can't help but see …

Want to know how half-siblings show up on Ancestry DNA? I'll show you how to find out if your match is a half-sibling and so much more! Read more now!

If you have the Native American DNA ethnicity in your results, you probably want to learn more about it.  In this post, you will learn why you have Native American DNA even if you weren't expecting it, as well as: Where is the Native American DNA ethnicity located? Many people read "Native American" and immediately …

You got your DNA results back, and you've taken a look through your DNA matches.  Maybe you recognize some of the names from the top matches, and everything seems to make sense. There is more to see, however.  In this post, I'll teach you how to analyze your DNA results using your DNA match list. …

If you got your DNA results back a while ago, you have probably already checked over your ethnicity estimate.  You may have even looked through your first page or so of DNA matches, and everything seems in order. Everyone says that there is so much to learn from your DNA, but how do you really …

Most people aren't really expecting surprises when they do a DNA test, but almost everyone gets at least a small surprise - if they look hard enough at their results.  Some people find out that they have different biological parents than they thought they did, others discover new close relatives, and others find out that …

When you are examining a DNA match, one of the best indicators of how far back your common ancestor might be is the size of your shared DNA segments.  Generally, the common wisdom is that the longer the segment, the closer the relationship between you and your DNA match.  In other words, the longer the …

If you are exploring your DNA results and find a new sibling, or are wondering if you and your known siblings share the expected amount of DNA, you have come to the right place. In this post, I'll tell you what you need to know about the number of shared DNA segments between siblings. How …

Want an example of how DNA segments get smaller over generations? Here, see how a segment breaks up over time, and how this affects your DNA match list.

The best way to figure out how you are related to a DNA match is to build a basic family tree for them back to your common ancestor. In this post, learn why this works and how to do it. I know that this sounds like a crazy idea.  You have enough work on your …

What is a double-fourth cousin, and how are they related? Do double-fourth cousins share more DNA with each other than they would otherwise? In this post, I'll explain the meaning of a double-fourth cousin, show you an example of my own double-fourth cousin, and talk about how this "double" relationship affects the amount of DNA …

Are you wondering what to expect from your DNA ethnicity estimate?  Perhaps you are trying to determine which company offers the most detailed, or most accurate ethnicity estimate.  In this post, I will show you my complete ethnicity results from Ancestry DNA, 23 and Me, Family Tree DNA, and My Heritage DNA.  My sincere hope …

If you discover a secret through DNA testing, should you keep the secret, or should you expose it? What you decide to do is up to you, but you will get some ideas and guidance in this post. Most people get interested in DNA testing to find out where their family came from.  Basically, they …

Want a way to use your unique DNA to find biological family connections? You can use DNA testing to find relatives, and I'll tell you exactly how to do it.

Why don't I have an ethnicity that my parent has? How is this possible? Does it mean DNA results aren't real? Find answers to these questions and more!

Should your ethnicity estimate match your family tree? In this post, learn whether your DNA results will match your known origins.

Are you wondering what you can see on Ancestry DNA without paying a monthly subscription?

Do we share DNA with all of our relatives? Find out when a relative should share DNA, and when you might not share DNA with people in your family tree.

What does it mean if you don't match the parents of your DNA match? Here, I'll explain reasons that you might match the parents of your DNA matches.

Are you looking for an easy way to figure out if your DNA matches are on your paternal or maternal side?  If one of your parents has done a DNA test, and you have access to the results, you can using the Phasing tool on Gedmatch to separate them by maternal and paternal lines.  This …

If you are looking at a DNA match and wonder if it is normal for you and your siblings to share different amounts of DNA with said match, you have come to the right place.  In this post, you will learn why sharing more or less centimorgans (cMs) with a match than your sibling doesn't …

Read here to find out what to do when you get a close DNA match. Plus, learn a few strategies that might help you find out how you are connected.

"Low sharing" is a term often used by genetic genealogists to describe an amount of DNA that is towards the low end, or even lower than the bottom range of the typical amount of shared autosomal DNA for two people for a given relationship.  In this post, you'll learn: Note:  "Low sharing" is a term …

If you took a DNA test, you should know that your DNA matches are actually the best part of your results. In this post, learn what you can do with your DNA matches.