Skip to Content

Hanukkah is a Great Time to Research Your Jewish Roots

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. …

Read More about Hanukkah is a Great Time to Research Your Jewish Roots

Does Iberian Peninsula Mean Native American?

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 …

Read More about Does Iberian Peninsula Mean Native American?

Does the Ancestry DNA Test Show Neanderthal?

Scientists say that everyone who lives outside of Africa in modern times has at least a tiny percentage of Neanderthal DNA.  Have you ever wondered how much you have, if any?  This article will explain whether Ancestry DNA will show your Neanderthal roots. The Neanderthals lived in Europe and Asia, and when humans arrived out …

Read More about Does the Ancestry DNA Test Show Neanderthal?

Is Iberian Plus Native American Hispanic?

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 …

Read More about Is Iberian Plus Native American Hispanic?

How to Understand Family Tree DNA Results

Did you just get your Family Finder test results back?  If so, this article will help you understand Family Tree DNA results.  My goal is to help you get the most from the experience.  Your DNA results contain a wealth of information about your family's past and present. In this post, you will learn: About …

Read More about How to Understand Family Tree DNA Results

Why doesn't my Native American ancestry show up in my ethnicity results?

We were you expecting to see Native American DNA in your ethnicity estimate from your DNA test?  You are not alone in asking the question of why Native American ancestry doesn't show up in your ethnicity results.  There are a few common reasons why this happens, and we'll talk about them in this article. Reasons …

Read More about Why doesn't my Native American ancestry show up in my ethnicity results?

Best Gedmatch Test for Native American Ancestry

In this article, you will learn the basics about what makes the Gedmatch admixture results different than the ones provided by your testing company in your ethnicity estimate, and which admixture calculator is the best Gedmatch test for Native American. One of the most popular reasons for people to upload their DNA to Gedmatch is …

Read More about Best Gedmatch Test for Native American Ancestry

The Best DNA Test for Finding Living Relatives

Are you interested in taking a DNA test for finding living relatives? There are many excellent choices for DNA testing, and this post will explain why Ancestry DNA is the best choice for finding living family members. When trying to find living family with a DNA test, you should choose a company that: is reliable …

Read More about The Best DNA Test for Finding Living Relatives

How to Know if a DNA Match is Paternal or Maternal?

Do you want to know if a DNA match is paternal or maternal? Using the information and techniques described in this post, you'll be able to figure out which side of your family your match is on. It's very common to have trouble determining whether a match is paternal or maternal, especially if you haven't …

Read More about How to Know if a DNA Match is Paternal or Maternal?

Ideas for Getting Responses from DNA Matches

If your DNA match hasn't responded, and you haven't given up hope that they someday might write you back, there are a few things that you can consider to improve the probability that they will write you back.  In this post, I've listed six secret tips that you can try to improve your chances that …

Read More about Ideas for Getting Responses from DNA Matches

Elderly Relative DNA Test Failed: What to do?

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 …

Read More about Elderly Relative DNA Test Failed: What to do?

My First Cousin Does Not Match on my DNA Results - Help!

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 …

Read More about My First Cousin Does Not Match on my DNA Results - Help!

Does Polish DNA Show Up On Ancestry?

Did you get your Ancestry DNA results back expecting to see Polish as your ethnicity?  Surprise! In this article, you will learn why your Polish DNA might not show up on Ancestry's DNA ethnicity estimate. This post was originally published in October, 2017, but was updated in August, 2018 to reflect the most current information …

Read More about Does Polish DNA Show Up On Ancestry?

Ancestry Europe East: What Does It Mean?

Did you find Europe East in your Ancestry DNA results? In this article, you will learn a bit about what it means to have Europe East Ancestry, including: What countries are included in the Ancestry "Europe East" category Why the DNA ethnicity results aren't separated by country Discussion about whether you might be able to …

Read More about Ancestry Europe East: What Does It Mean?

Same Parents, Different Ancestry? Ethnicity Results Explained

Is it possible for two siblings to have the same parents, but have different ethnicity results?  This question sometimes causes people to panic, wondering if they have uncovered a family secret.  Is it possible that two full siblings who have the same two parents show different ancestry? The resounding answer is YES.  This is totally …

Read More about Same Parents, Different Ancestry? Ethnicity Results Explained

Does Ancestry DNA Test For Native American?

People have all sorts of motivations for doing an Ancestry DNA test.  One popular reason is to search for Native American Ancestry, or to confirm it.  This leads to an obvious question:  Does Ancestry DNA Test For Native American ancestry? In this article, I'll show you what Native American results look like on the Ancestry …

Read More about Does Ancestry DNA Test For Native American?