Autosomal DNA Tests

You've heard someone say that DNA matches can be helpful for family tree research. What if you already have a big tree? Can DNA matches still be helpful?

If you have just gotten your 23andMe DNA results back and you are trying to figure out how to understand your results, you have come to the right place. In this post, I will explain each aspect of your 23andMe ancestry results in order to help you get the most from your DNA test. 23andMe …

Did you get the France DNA ethnicity on Ancestry? If you live in the U.S., you can count yourself as one of the more than 10.4 million Americans who have known French ancestry. In this post, I'll explain more about this DNA ethnicity, including: Where the France DNA ethnicity is located How France got its …

Have you ever wondered if there is some way to know whether your family tree is accurate? Perhaps you've heard that DNA testing can help you determine whether what you know about your family history is true. As it turns out, taking a DNA test is an excellent way to verify the accuracy of your …

Are you wondering what you can learn from 23andMe results? The answer is SO MUCH. Whether you are interested in your distant ancestry, are searching for a living relative, or want to know where your recent ancestors likely lived, the 23andMe ancestry test has got you covered. To write this post, I decided to make …

If you want to learn more about My Heritage DNA tests and see an example of My Heritage DNA results, then you have come to the right place. I've been using My Heritage DNA for a couple of years now, and I want to share what I've learned with you. In this post, I'll show …

Wondering how to get an ethnicity estimate test? Perhaps you've seen DNA results from others and you'd like to get them for yourself. Learn more here!

Did you know that your DNA match list is the most useful aspect of your DNA results? In this post, learn about the most common mistakes people make with their DNA matches.

If you are reading this post, you might have a sister who shows up as a cousin on your DNA match list. Alternatively, you are just curious about how this might occur and want to know what this could mean. Is there any way to tell if you and your DNA match are full or …

If you got your DNA results and saw that you have Native American DNA from the North, Central, South region on Ancestry, you are among the hundreds of millions of people who can trace their ancestry back to the indigenous peoples of North and South America. This is an amazing legacy. In this post, I …

Did you get the Sweden DNA region on Ancestry? More than 4.5 million people in Canada and the United States have known Swedish roots, and even more have Swedish ancestry that they are just beginning to discover. In this post, I'll discuss the most common questions related to the Swedish DNA region on Ancestry. Where …

In this post, I'll tell you everything that you need to know about how to understand the accuracy of 23andMe Ancestry Composition reports. Plus, you'll learn a little about how ethnicity or ancestry is inherited, and whether or not you can really expect your estimate to match your family tree. If you wonder if the …

Are you wondering if 23andMe has a chromosome browser? Do you want to learn how to use it? If you are curious about how you can get more from your 23andMe results and compare your DNA with your matches at a chromosome level, you have come to the right place! In this post, I'll teach …

In this post, you will find suggestions as to the first things that you should do if you get a surprise DNA match. If you check your DNA matches and you find someone unexpected, what should you do? Should you contact them? Should you hide? Should you tell your family members? This post primarily discusses …

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 …

Have you ever wondered what the Family Tree DNA Chromosome Browser is and how it can help you?  In this post, I will explain how to use this very cool tool, and what type of helpful information you can learn, and how it can be useful for your family tree research.  FTDNA has recently released …

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 …

If you are considering giving a DNA test as a gift for a holiday, birthday, or other special occasion, but are wondering if it is a good idea, you aren't alone.  In this post, I'll discuss some of the pros and cons of giving a DNA test as a gift, as well as give you …

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 …

Do you want to know how to get started with DNA testing?  In this article, learn how to choose the best DNA test for you and get the most information from your experience. If you have been thinking about taking a DNA test for a while, and have read about the different companies and even …

Are you brand-new to the idea of DNA testing?  Do you have questions about which test to take and what to expect from your test results?  In this post, I'll answer some of the most common questions about DNA testing for ancestry. Which DNA test should I take While there are a few different types …

If you are interested in DNA testing, and you are a female with male siblings, or a male with female siblings, you might be wondering which one of you should be the one to take a DNA test.  Does it make any difference?  Will your results be the same?  If you are full siblings, don't …

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 …