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 …