Genetic Genealogy – Page 8

What Do You Want to Know? 3 Steps to Focus Your DNA Research

Apr 16, 2019

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...

RLP 40: DNA, Mind Maps, and Diagramming

Apr 15, 2019

In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss one of our new favorite tools, Lucid Chart! After Robin Wirthlin, our genetic genealogist friend and guest blogger, wrote about using LucidChart, and helped Nicole get started using it, we quickly realized how useful it is when doing client projects involving DNA matches. We talked about how Diana found her sister’s biological parents with DNA diagramming complex relationships of matches with MindMup, a free open source...

RLP 39: Tools for Using Your Ancestry DNA Matches

Apr 8, 2019

In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss three tools we love in AncestryDNA for sorting and using cousin matches. In addition to those three tools, we discuss some of the new features that AncestryDNA just announced at RootsTech as well! We talk about adding notes to your matches, using the shared match tool, and using unlinked family trees. We also discuss the new beta features called “New & Improved DNA Matches” that...

RLP 38: Three Tips for Connecting with Your DNA Cousins

Apr 1, 2019

In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss how to best contact your DNA matches so that they respond, creating a family tree in your software that includes living cousins, and sharing research and memories with the cousins you find. We also talk about Diana’s experience meeting in person with a 2nd cousin she found through DNA and what interesting family document she had which gave Diana helpful information to sort through a difficult...

Seeing the Big Picture: 3 Ways to Chart Your DNA Matches

Mar 28, 2019

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...

Understanding and Using Your DNA Results – 4 Simple Steps

Feb 22, 2019

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...

Which DNA Test Should I Take?

Feb 8, 2019

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...

RLP 28: Research Like a Pro with DNA

Jan 21, 2019

In our podcast episode today, Diana and I discuss how to use DNA evidence as you Research Like a Pro. We talk about each step of the research like a pro process and what it looks like when you are doing a DNA research project. Links Research Like a Pro with DNA – Diana’s blog post at Family Locket, including the screenshot of her Royston report where she includes DNA evidence Sample DNA Citations –...

Research Like a Pro with DNA

Oct 21, 2018

How are you using the powerful new tool called DNA to further your genealogy research? Do you look at your matches and have no idea what to do next? What you might need is some order to your genetic genealogy research so you can make progress on your brick walls. Today I’ll show you how the Research Like a Pro process can be adapted to work with DNA. When DNA was just beginning to be...

Autosomal DNA and Solving Brick Walls

Mar 16, 2018

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...