Test FAQs

Do you have questions about the Ancestry DNA test? In this post, learn how long Ancestry DNA takes, what you learn, whether it's worth it - and more.

Are you interested in learning how to test your DNA? Here, learn how to test your DNA, beginning with the basics - including how to choose a DNA test.

Have you heard that law enforcement catches criminals using genealogy combined with DNA? In this post, read more about DNA privacy and law enforcement.

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 …

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 …

I always recommend to my readers that they do a DNA test with Ancestry and build their tree there, too.  There is no better place to combine access to documents and records, public family trees, and more than six million (as of February 2018) DNA test takers.  One of the coolest features of Ancestry DNA …

If you just got your Ancestry DNA results back, you might be wondering what you should do now.  In this post, I'll talk about some of the easiest and most common things you can do next.  Everyone does a DNA test for different reasons, so whether you are looking for new family members, or just …

If you have already done a genealogical DNA test, you might be wondering if there is any point in having your mom take one, too.   If you want to know what you can learn from testing your mother, you have come to the right place.  It turns out, you can unlock a wealth of information …

What should you do if your elderly relative's DNA test fails?  Are there any options?  This post will give you some ideas about what to do if it happens during your DNA journey. Have you received the dreaded "New DNA Sample Required" e-mail from Ancestry DNA?  It is wonderful when our elderly relatives agree to …

Are you worried that your first cousin does not match on your DNA results? In this post, learn reasons why this might have happened and what to do next. More often than you might expect, people are surprised by their DNA results.  It can be disappointing or shocking to expect someone to be genetically related …

Do you want to know how to change your Ancestry DNA test settings? In this post, learn how to adjust settings for privacy, sharing, family tree - and more! If you've done your Ancestry DNA test, you might be interested in learning about the different options available to you on your test settings page.  Believe …

In order to get the best results from your Ancestry DNA results, you should consider attaching your DNA to your family tree on Ancestry.  In this post, I'll explain how to quickly attach DNA to an Ancestry tree. Even if your tree isn't completely finished, or even if you only have a few people in …

Do you want to see an example of Ancestry DNA results? Find out how Ancestry can help you learn where your family came from and what your DNA shows.

Are you wondering how much it costs to do a DNA test?  So many people are under the impression that doing a genealogical DNA test is too expensive, but I am happy to say that this is not always true.  There are reasonably priced DNA kits, and easy ways to make sure that you get …

One of the most popular reasons for doing a DNA test is to determine ethnicity.  Many people start out on their DNA journey trying to learn about their ethnicity and end up discovering new family members, or learning something really cool about their family history.  Is there such a thing as a DNA test for …

Are you thinking about doing a DNA test for ethnicity?  I didn't know much about DNA testing when I first ordered my test from Ancestry DNA, but I do know what I was hoping to learn.  This is my story. For years, my husband and I had what some people in the US call a …

In the first post about how to understand your Ancestry DNA results, I discussed how to understand your ethnicity results.  In this post, we will talk about the really, super cool part:  finding new family members and tracing your family tree.  DNA matches are my favorite part of my DNA results.  I love my DNA …

I'll go through an example here of Ancestry DNA results to show you how to understand them a little better.  Also, if you haven't tested and you want to see what you might get if you do test, this might help nudge you off the fence.  DNA testing has been amazing experience for me, and …