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2019: The Year and Decade of Change
2019 ends both a year and a decade. In the genealogy and genetic genealogy world, the overwhelmingly appropriate word to define both is “change.” Everything has changed. Millions more records are...
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Y DNA: Part 1 – Overview
This is Part 1 of a series about Y DNA and how to use it successfully for genealogy. If you’re in need of a brief DNA testing overview, please read 4 Kinds of DNA for Genetic Genealogy. Y DNA testing...
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DNAPainter: Painting “Bucketed” Family Tree DNA Maternal and Paternal Family...
DNAPainter has done it again, providing genealogists with a wonderful tool that facilitates separating your matches into maternal and paternal categories so that they can be painted on the proper...
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DNA Testing Sales Decline: Reason and Reasons
If you’re involved in genetic genealogy, you’ve probably noticed the recent announcements by both 23andMe and Ancestry relative to workforce layoffs as a result of declining sales. In January, 23andMe...
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RootsTech 2020: It’s a Wrap
Before sharing photos and details about the last three days at RootsTech, I want to provide some general observations. I expected the attendance to be down this year because of the concern about the...
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Free Webinar: 3 Case Studies and How I Solved Them
I recorded my latest webinar live yesterday for Legacy Family Tree Webinars, but Murphy interfered a bit in the last 5 minutes or so. The great news is that we re-recorded that portion and it’s fixed...
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New Countries of Origin Locations for Y and Mitochondrial Ancestors &...
New flags provided courtesy of Family Tree DNA. FamilyTreeDNA rolled out an update that includes new designations for nations, regions and territories – in essence the origins of where your direct...
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Fun Genealogy Activities for Trying Times
My mother used to say that patience is a virtue. I’m afraid I’m not naturally a very virtuous person, at least not where patience is concerned. I don’t seem to take after my ancestor, Patience Brewster...
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Concepts: Chromosome Browser – What Is It, How Do I Use It, and Why Do I Care?
The goal of genetic genealogy is to utilize DNA matches to verify known ancestors and identify unknown ancestors. A chromosome browser is a tool that allows testers to visualize and compare their DNA...
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DNA Day 2020: 9 Great Ways to Celebrate an Amazing 20-Year Journey
DNA Day 2020, celebrated officially on April 25th, is a “big deal” anniversary for genetic genealogy. In the Beginning – Family Tree DNA It was 20 years ago that Family Tree DNA was born and began...
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Four Quick Tips to Make Your Mitochondrial DNA Results More Useful
Mitochondrial DNA is a special type of DNA passed from mothers to all of their children, but only females pass it on – unmixed with any DNA from the fathers. This means that mitochondrial DNA provides...
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Genetic Affairs: AutoPedigree Combines AutoTree with WATO to Identify Your...
If you’re an adoptee or searching for an unknown parent or ancestor, AutoPedigree is just what you’ve been waiting for. By now, we’re all familiar with Genetic Affairs who launched in 2018 with their...
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Y DNA: Step-by-Step Big Y Analysis
Many males take the Big Y-700 test offered by FamilyTreeDNA, so named because testers receive the most granular haplogroup SNP results in addition to 700+ included STR marker results. If you’re not...
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Concepts: Inheritance
Inheritance. What is it? How does it work? I’m not talking about possessions – but about the DNA that you receive from your parents, and their parents. The reason that genetic genealogy works is...
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Genographic Project Participants: Last Chance to Preserve Your Results &...
If you’re one of the one million+ public participants in the National Geographic Society’s Genographic Project, launched in 2005, you probably already know that testing has ceased and the website will...
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Download Your Ancestry Tree and Upload It Elsewhere for Added Benefit
Once you’ve created a tree at Ancestry, you can download or export that tree to upload it elsewhere, or for safekeeping at home. Be aware that while the tree itself is downloaded, any documents you...
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“Earliest Known Ancestors” at Family Tree DNA in 3 Easy Steps
Why should you take the time to complete the information about your earliest known ancestor, your EKA, at Family Tree DNA? The answer is simple – because it helps you with your genealogy and it helps...
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August Hot News: Ancestry Match Tagging Script, DNA Sales, DNAPainter...
This wasn’t exactly how I had in mind to convey these news items, but you know that saying, “Life is what happens when you’re making other plans,”? Well, let’s just say it’s one of those weeks/months...
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Search Techniques for Y and Mitochondrial DNA Test Candidates
I utilize DNA matches in various ways, some of which are a little unusual. In many cases, I mine autosomal DNA matches to search for people whose Y and mitochondrial DNA can provide descendants,...
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Deleting DNA Results or Closing Your Account Does NOT Automatically =...
First and foremost, I want to state unequivocally that I am NOT advocating closing your account at any of the testing vendor sites. That’s not the purpose of this article. In fact, I encourage everyone...
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