Are you an adoptee looking for your biological parents? Maybe you’re helping an adoptee or you have someone in your family tree who was adopted. In each case, you might have tested with the various DNA companies and have a slew of results but you’re stymied with what to do next. I’m currently helping my adopted sister, Nancy, locate her biological father. Years ago I helped her find her bio mother using traditional genealogy sleuthing....
Should children take DNA tests? Thought leaders and genetic genealogy experts say yes. In keynote speeches and interviews at RootsTech 2018, Cece Moore, Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Living DNA co-founders David Nicholson and Hannah Morden, reveal their thoughts about the booming DNA industry and how it can benefit children. Overcoming Prejudice LivingDNA is making great strides in the industry, especially in pinning down ethnic origins to specific regions within the British Isles. Yet...
On Saturday, our local genealogy society (PCGS) learned about the power of DNA from genetic genealogist Cece Moore. Cece painted a vivid picture of autosomal DNA inheritance – that our DNA is literally made up of small pieces of our ancestors. We carry bits of them in our cells and this information can be used to help us solve long standing genealogy brick walls. Cece said that after testing with Ancestry DNA, we should sort our...
Have you heard of SLIG – the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy? I recently attended and want to share my experience today. I had heard of SLIG and other institutes but had never attended. Because registration is several months prior, in the summer of 2017, I decided to attend my first institute. Browsing the course titles, I decided “A Practical Approach: Establishing Genealogical Proof with DNA” would be the most beneficial for my research. Knowing...
Are you taking advantage of the tools Ancestry DNA has provided to discover and track your cousin matches? If not, read on and discover three tools on the website that are often overlooked and can greatly aid your DNA research. Tool #1: Add a note To illustrate I’m using my first cousin’s DNA match (with permission) to show you how effective and easy this can be. The screenshot below shows the information displayed on...
What are you doing with your Ancestry DNA matches? Are they just sitting there waiting for some action? If you haven’t yet explored the surname search capabilities of the website you’re missing out on a valuable tool. Let’s take a look at how a simple surname search works and discover what it can do for you. Because a picture is worth a thousand words, I’m going to guide you through this process with screenshots of...
What happens when you discover a new cousin through DNA? You may find exciting family photos and information. You might even be able to meet that individual who shares your family history. I had the pleasure of meeting my cousin, Patty Hoskins, last month. We connected through Ancestry DNA and today I’m sharing 3 tips to help you connect with your DNA cousins. DNA cousin, Patty, and Diana. Tip # 1 Reach out to your...
What would you do if you discovered a huge family secret when you were ten years old that shook your world? Paul Joseph Fronczak learned from old news clippings that he had been abandoned in front of a New Jersey store as a toddler. FBI agents determined he was the missing child of a Chicago couple whose infant had been kidnapped from the hospital two years earlier. Reunited with his supposed parents, Paul grew up...
Have you taken the Ancestry DNA test and now you’re wondering what to do with your results? Besides viewing your ethnicity estimate, what else can you do to get the most bang for your buck? Today I’ll give you three tips that will get you started on your DNA adventure. TIP #1 Download your Raw Ancestry DNA and Upload to Other Websites Now that you’ve tested with Ancestry DNA, you can take advantage of your...
Are you intrigued with the idea of using DNA to break down your brick walls? Have you done a DNA test but don’t know what to do with your results? Have you wondered what the future holds for DNA and genealogy? You might want to consider attending RootsTech 2017 where more classes than ever will focus on DNA. Popular genetic genealogist, CeCe Moore, will be giving the Saturday keynote address and she is certain to entertain and...
