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Ancestry DNA vs 23andMe? Find out which test you should take

Do you have Ancestry DNA vs 23andMe on your mind? In this post, find out which DNA test you should take. These two tests offer something slightly different, and I'll help you figure out which one is best for you. If you are thinking about taking a DNA test and already know that you should …

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Is 1% of an Ethnicity Region Always Just Noise?

Did you get 1% of an unexpected region in your DNA results? Maybe your ethnicity estimate shows 1% Irish, 1% European Jewish, 1% Bantu, or 1% North African DNA. You might be tempted to brush off these "trace" amounts of DNA from a particular region as statistical noise, but should you? In this post, I …

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23andMe Tutorial for Beginners - Ancestry Test Results

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 …

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What is the France DNA Ethnicity on Ancestry?

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 …

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Can You Verify Your Family Tree With DNA Testing?

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 …

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What Can You Learn From 23andMe Results

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 …

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What is the Native American—North, Central, South DNA Ethnicity on Ancestry?

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 …

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What is the Sweden and Denmark DNA Ethnicity on Ancestry?

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 …

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Is the 23andMe Ancestry Composition Accurate?

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 …

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What to Do if You Get a Surprise DNA Match?

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 …

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How Do You Know if Your DNA Doesn't Match One of Your Parents

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 …

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Cameroon, Congo and Southern Bantu Peoples on Ancestry DNA

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 …

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DNA Match That Doesn't Match Close Relatives on Either Side?

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 …

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You've Tested With Ancestry DNA - Is There a Benefit in Testing With 23 and Me?

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 …

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What Can We Learn From Our Ethnicity Estimates?

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" …

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Got Questions About the X Chromosome?

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: …

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How Can DNA Matches Help Build a Family Tree?

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 …

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Total Centimorgans Shared vs. Shared DNA Segments

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 …

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