You took an AncestryDNA test. Now how do you use all of those cousin matches to break through some of your genealogy brick walls? Join Crista Cowan as she walks you through the tools and processes she uses to find information about common ancestors among her matches.
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How can you add other test to your tree?
Does the fact that a DNA match and I both have trees with a common ancestor verify that the common ancestor is indeed my ancestor, or could we both still be 'barking up the wrong tree'?
The problem I have is my mom was adopted and she never knew her biological parents. Even her brother was adopted from different parents, so there is absolutely no DNA value on that side.
On my father's side I have confirmed matches which go back to my 3x great grandfather on my father's line, but that's my brick wall. I have not been able to positively identify his parents. More frustrating is there is a very large community which I believe I am related to with a very high degree of confidence. This family is the origins of my sir name in the US, and where they settled seems to be the same place where all branches of my sir name (and common variations) trace back to. However, I have a gap of 1-3 generations where I have not been able to establish a link to the early settlers.
It's a shame Ancestry doesn't provide a way for you to select a well established person, to see if your DNA is a match for that person. Unfortunately the person I would use is not in my family tree because I have not established a connection, and the same applies to trying to establish a connection starting with that person and building forward.
I took a DNA test on Family Search years ago. It is still active. The problem I'm finding is that I really don't understand it and their explanation doesn't help. I'm also finding that all the surnames I'm being matched to aren't any where in my family tree and I've found over 8000 people. Also these people don't respond to queries via email, so they are no help.
I also found that the results are based on the number of people that have actually supplied DNA in each country, so if 500 people in Ireland supplied DNA and 5000 supplied DNA in England, the results will probably give you a higher percentage of matches in England even though your family may have originated in Ireland. So you can't say "Yea I'm English". You're
really Irish.
The migration of people has a lot to do with your results also. If your family originates in Ireland and the majority migrates to England and prospers there but the remaining Irish dwindle, your results will show you're English when in fact you are Irish.
These sites and TV spots keep telling you, you can" find out who you are and find long lost family", but you can't.
Now tell my is Ancestry.com DNA test is any different?
Doesn't that get expensive testing multiple family members? Isn't it $99 per person?
Can you do a video on a DNA case study for an adoption that does not have supporting records?
What really gets me are all my shared matches who have "private" trees and won't respond to communications. They get the benefit of my test and my tree without sharing their information.
Ancestry should block people with "private" trees from seeing/using public tree DNA info.
Hey Crista, I have been really trying to get a first cousin on my father's side to test and she is just half-hearted about it—even though I have really pumped up AncestryDNA. I think she is looking at 23&Me, even though I have told her about the AncestryDNA sale going on. If she does go that route, will I be able to have her upload her DNA file into Ancestry? I don't know that much about the 23&Me service–if it's Autosomal or the Y-DNA/mtDNA.
Thanks!
If there's no family tree, how were you able to figure out where they fit in your own family tree?
what if your parents and siblings are all dead. I found that I have no connections to my dad.
Crista, the circled "i" which for you came after the Confidence bar, for me comes after the Possible Range information. I can't see the shared DNA info on my list of matches, only the possible relationships within the ranges. Is this something that hasn't been fully implemented yet?
How far back can Ancestry DNA go on the Y cromizone?
Being able to go to a particular page of results, instead of having to page through 1 by 1, would be EXTREMELY helpful.
The DNA test is VERY difficult to use. Beware, ancestry.com uses USPS for shipping. My test kit bounced around quite a bit and was deemed "undeliverable" at one point. I would never recommend ancestry DNA to anyone.
J. VESELY
How do you find the DNA circles? I don't see any on my account.
We had my wife tested and she started a limited family tree. However, I have an extensive tree built with both of families included so how can I administer her test in my tree?
Can a person's DNA be connected to more than one family tree? My husband has a tree and I have him on my tree. I now have his DNA connected to his tree. Would it be beneficial to have his DNA connected to my tree as well. Is it possible? Thanks…
Crista, in looking at mine and my husband's Beta DNA group, the groups identified the maternal side instead of the paternal side. I didn't think to much of it as my lineage is very difficult to trace my Dad's side; however my husband has a very well researched lineage, and his Beta DNA group doesn't identify his paternal side. Is this normal?