Genetic Genealogy

Do you want to get in touch with your DNA matches? Here, find a template for contacting DNA matches that can be used for several different situations.

If you are wondering how the Turkey and the Caucasus DNA ethnicity showed up on your Ancestry DNA results, you are not alone.  In order to explain this DNA region on Ancestry - to really understand - we have to learn a bit about geography, history, and genetics.  Turkey and the Caucasus is a fascinating …

In this post, you will learn how to find shared matches on Ancestry DNA, what a shared match is, what it means when you share a match with someone, and how to use the information to get the most from your DNA results. The "Shared Matches" feature is one of the most helpful features available …

A common question about ethnicity estimates is whether a child can have more of an ethnicity than a parent does. Find out how this can happen in this post!

If you are exploring your ethnicity results on Ancestry DNA, you might wonder what those little numbers are next to all of the ethnicities on their list.  In this post, I'll explain to you what those numbers mean, and how to know which ones apply to you and your ethnicities. Which numbers am I talking …

If you just got your ethnicity results back from Ancestry DNA, you might be curious to learn more about the European Jewish DNA ethnicity.  Even though it's fairly common for this to show up when someone has European ancestry, you might want to learn more.  In this post, I will explain what the European Jewish …

Have you heard of Gedmatch?  Are you wondering what you can learn from it, what it can do for you, and how to use it?  In this post, you'll find the most common Gedmatch frequently asked questions. What is Gedmatch? Gedmatch is a free website where you can upload your DNA and have access to …

Are you curious about the number of DNA matches that you have, and why it doesn't exactly match the number that your parents have? If both of your parents have also tested their DNA, you might wonder why you don't match all of the people that they do.  You might even have DNA matches that …

Ethnicity estimates, DNA matches, and chromosome browsers? I'll explain the different aspects of My Heritage DNA results and help you learn the most!

In this post, I'll explain the different ways to find out if you are Irish - just in time for St. Patty's Day this year.  You just might be wearing your "Kiss me, I'm Irish" t-shirt with confidence... who knew? Are you interested in finding out if you have Irish roots?  You aren't the first …

Do you want to know if your Ashkenazi or Sephardic Jewish heritage will show up on a DNA test? Find out which DNA test is best for Jewish ancestry.

While Ancestry DNA continues to be my favorite place to test DNA and build a tree, there have been some exciting things going on at My Heritage DNA.  I have uploaded all of the kits that I manage, with the test taker's permission, of course, to My Heritage DNA, and I have begun to recommend …

Did you find Europe West in your Ancestry DNA results?  Many people were hoping for something a little more specific - isn't Western Europe made up of many different countries, each with their specific language and culture?  You aren't the only person to wonder what the Europe West DNA ethnicity really means. In this post, …

In this post, you will learn whether MyHeritage DNA matches are legitimate, and the basic ways that you can determine how your match might be related to you.

Is your MyHeritage DNA Ethnicity Estimate different than the one you got from Ancestry DNA or another testing site?   You aren't alone in spotting major differences in your ethnicity estimate. 

Did you get your DNA results back from Family Tree DNA?  Do you want to know how to read your FTDNA Family Finder results to get the most information?  This post will show you all that you need to know to make the most of your DNA testing experience with Family Tree DNA (FTDNA).   Whether …

Is it possible to get an ethnicity estimate for free? In this post, learn a few ways to find out your ethnicity for free - with and without using DNA.

Learn why siblings don't have the same DNA, how much DNA siblings share, and what you can learn from your siblings results. Easy-to-understand explanations!

If you are Mexican, or have Mexican roots, you might be wondering what Mexican Ancestry DNA results look like?  Or if you already got your results back, maybe you want to compare yours to some other people from Mexico to get an idea whether yours fit in.  What you will learn in this post is …

Have you ever heard someone say that doing their DNA test changed them?  I used to think that that was a bit silly, since I felt like much the same person that I was when I first got started with genetic genealogy several years ago.  But then I realized that I check my DNA matches …

In this post, you will learn about DNA matches and genealogy, and specifically how a beginner can leverage the knowledge gained from a DNA match list to build a family tree. Everyone says that doing a DNA test is the best thing that you can do if you are interested in genealogy and family tree …

Does your child have DNA matches that you don't?  There are four main reasons why this happens, and in this post, you'll learn about them. The first thing that you should know is that it is normal for your children to have DNA some matches that are not on your list, and it doesn't mean …

Did you get Scandinavia DNA ethnicity in your results? Learn how you inherited Scandinavian DNA, which countries your ancestors came from, and more!

In this post, you will learn what is a 3/4 sibling, how much DNA 3/4 siblings typically share, and how to know if you have a three quarter sibling.

Are you looking at your DNA match list and trying to figure out if one of your matches could be a first cousin to you?  Did your first cousin do a DNA test, and now you want to know if you share the right amount of DNA based on your relationship?  In this post you …

Do you want to know how to download your DNA file from Ancestry? It's easy to do, and in this post, you'll find the steps for how to do it.

If you got your Ancestry DNA results back, and they show you something that you weren't expecting to see, you might have some lots of questions about the test. For example, you might want to know : Is it possible that my Ancestry DNA results are wrong? How accurate is the Ancestry DNA test? How …

For many of us, the holiday season is a perfect time to reflect on our lives, families, histories, and traditions.  If you didn't grow up Jewish, but you know that you have Jewish ancestry, or you think you might, you might be interested in exploring your family history and learning more about your Jewish roots. …

Here, you will learn what a mirror tree is, the basics of how to make a mirror tree on Ancestry, and what it can do for you in your search for family.

Have a Close Family match on Ancestry DNA? How are they related to you? Could it be a mistake? Read here for answers to these questions and more!

Are you looking for the perfect gift for a family tree researcher?  If you have a genealogist friend or family member who is very dedicated to their hobby, I have a few ideas to help you give them a gift that will keep on giving for years to come.  Here's a hint:  It's a DNA …

One of my favorite aspects of Family Tree DNA is how easy it is to sort and search through DNA matches.  When dealing with a list of hundreds upon hundreds of names, it definitely helps to be able to look for just one particular aspect of a user's profile and test kit. In this post, …

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 …

Do you want to learn more about the Great Britain DNA Ethnicity? Was yours a surprise? How did you inherit it? What is British DNA? Learn more here!

Many people are puzzled when they get their Ancestry DNA, 23 and Me, or Family Tree DNA results back and see that they have a percentage of Iberian.  A question that sometimes comes to mind, especially because of some misinformation that has been spreading online, is whether or not having Iberian ethnicity also means that …

If you have a DNA match who should be a third cousin to you, but you want to make sure, you might be wondering how much DNA you should share with a third cousin.  You have come to the right place, and in fact, learning about DNA shared between third cousins is key to using …

Just when you think you understand all that you need to know about the way DNA matches work, you run into a match that shares more DNA with you than they do with your parent.  What does it mean if I share more DNA with a match than my mom?  Or my dad? There are …

There are many people who do the Ancestry DNA test that never realize that their test results come with a long list of DNA matches.  This article will help you understand your Ancestry DNA matches. Some who see the match list feel like it is overwhelming, and they don't know where to get started on …

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 …

Did you get Africa Southeastern Bantu DNA ethnicity in your results? Learn more about how you inherited DNA from this region.

Ethnicity estimates are a fascinating aspect of DNA testing, and sometimes people are surprised by what they see, and it becomes very important to explain the findings.  If you have Iberian and Native American in your ethnicity results, you might be wondering if the simple explanation is that you have Hispanic or Latino ancestry.  In …

If you have Hispanic or Latino ancestry, you might be wondering which DNA is best for you.  In this post, I will explain which test is best for Hispanic or Latino Ancestry and why. Some people are understandably skeptical about whether or not there is a DNA test out there that can provide accurate results …