Are you wondering how to blend DNA and traditional genealogy research? Have you been thinking you’d like to try a DNA project to solve a brick wall or prove a conclusion in your research? With my southern U.S. heritage, I have a lot of empty spaces on my pedigree chart. These brick wall ancestors are brick walls for a reason. Records connecting them to parents haven’t been discovered and may not exist. I’ve used indirect...
More and more people are taking DNA tests, either for fun – to see their predicted ancestral origins or ethnicity – or to learn more about their family history. DNA is a highly useful part and an important part of genealogical research. The Board for the Certification of Genealogists has added new standards regarding DNA to help genealogists in their research and analysis of family relationships. “Meeting the Genealogical Proof Standard requires using all...
If you’ve been following this series of DNA blog posts, you are ready to create a research objective and move ahead in your genetic genealogy journey. With access to DNA results and information about matching relatives, you now have a tool that is like a sledgehammer that can break down brick walls in your family history research. DNA alone does not tell you anything about your family history. But when it is used in conjunction...
With DNA testing turning up skeletons in the closet left and right, I was interested to read Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. This fictional account of a family describes the horrific Tennessee Children’s Home Society operated by Georgia Tann in Memphis, Tennessee, from the 1920s to 1950. (The above is an affiliate link). Wingate created her story based on recollections of children who were kidnapped from their families and put into Tann’s “orphanage.” It...
Are you challenged with visualizing how you connect to your DNA matches? DNA companies provide match lists, but sometimes we need to take control of our DNA data and organize it in a way that works for us. Creating a genetic family tree for your DNA matches might be easier than you think. Robin Wirthlin, FamilyLocket’s new genetic genealogist shares three ways to view your DNA matches in the following article. I’m looking forward to...
The latest, greatest information about DNA and Genealogy was presented at Roots Tech. There were exciting new programs, tools, and technology announced and explained by DNA companies, and leading experts in the field. Nicole wrote eloquently about some of the classes she attended, and the fascinating concepts presented. It is an exciting time to be involved in genealogy, with new and improved ways of accessing and analyzing information at our fingertips! This article will highlight...
Updated 25 February 2022 I know the feeling–you finally submitted your DNA test, excitedly awaited the results, they finally arrived, you logged in, and then…what? After poking around the website, it all seems interesting, but the question remains…What do I DO with it? There are 4 simple steps that will initially help you to understand and evaluate your DNA matches. As you work systematically through these steps, you will gain a better understanding of...
We are pleased to introduce our new genetic genealogy guest blogger, Robin Wirthlin. Robin has a B.S. in Molecular Biology from BYU and a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University. Robin loves to use genetic genealogy to solve family history mysteries and break through “brick walls.” We hope you enjoy the first of her series of genetic genealogy posts! -Diana and Nicole An exciting type of information that can be used to identify and connect...
In May of last year, I wrote about a new third party DNA analysis tool called Gene Heritage in this post: Review of Gene Heritage – a Third Party DNA and Inherited Traits Analysis Tool. Today, I have an update! The grandchild report has been released, and I love it! Gene Heritage has done a wonderful job creating an accessible, fascinating, and research-based experience for learning more about your DNA results. As you know, we inherit 50%...
Are you struggling to make sense of the clues to your ancestry found in DNA results? Maybe you’re an adoptee or working on an adoptee line in your family history. You might be missing an entire branch of your family tree and need a way to discover it using DNA. I recently helped my adopted sister, Nancy, identify her biological father through DNA networks and mind mapping. Today I’m sharing how I did it. I...