Genealogy Research and Education
This is Part 1 of an in-depth guide to Ancestry DNA. We aim to take you from beginner to advanced use of Ancestry’s features. The series of tutorials will help you understand and master topics including: Ensuring you have an effective tree on Ancestry Making the most of your Ancestry DNA Matches Understanding DNA to … Read more
AncestryDNA is the largest seller of autosomal DNA kits to consumers, but does Ancestry test Y-DNA or mtDNA? You may not be aware that the company has tested all three types of DNA in the past. Does Ancestry Test Y-DNA or mtDNA? Ancestry.com does not currently sell DNA test kits for Y-DNA or mtDNA. They … Read more
RootsWeb has had a checkered history under Ancestry since the genealogy giant purchased the company back in 2000. Ancestry said at the time that access to the RootsWeb site would always be free, and they’ve been true to their word. But the free site and services are far less active and useful than they once … Read more
The FindAGrave website has been around since 1995, but it is no longer owned by the original founder. As the new owner didn’t rename or rebrand the website, it’s not obvious that it changed hands. So who owns FindAGrave now? The answer is Ancestry.com, the genealogical giant. Ancestry purchased FindAGrave from founder James Tipton in … Read more
This question crops up a lot: is Ancestry owned by Mormons? The answer is no. Ancestry, the online genealogy giant, has never been owned by the Church of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). It has changed ownership several times and was acquired in 2020 by Blackstone, a private equity firm. Who Owns Ancestry.Com? If Ancestry isn’t owned … Read more
The Irish branches of my family tree spread across the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and – of course – Ireland. I use six DNA websites to help research my Irish heritage. Here is the list, ordered by how useful I’ve found them for building the Irish branches of my family tree. … Read more
23andMe started rolling out a reduction of your list of DNA relatives in the second half of 2020. You weren’t aware of this purge? Nor was I, until other customers posted their reactions on genealogy forums. So, what’s happened? 23andMe Reduce Your List of DNA Relatives The 2020 purge by 23andMe reduces your list of … Read more
First, Ancestry gave us centimorgans and segments. Now, they’re showing unweighted shared DNA and the longest segment. What does it all mean, and how can we use this information in our research? This article is an illustrated guide to these genetic genealogy concepts in clear and understandable terms. How to Find Centimorgans and Segments on … Read more
When you purchase a DNA test from Ancestry, your results include a list of genetic relatives and a breakdown of your Ancestry ethnicity estimates. I won’t get too caught up with terminology in this article. Just be aware that there are many definitions of “ethnicity”, and many calculations as to the number of ethnic groupings … Read more
If you’re not using the Ancestry Apps for genealogy research on your mobile device, you are missing out on some excellent features. But there are also some clunky parts to avoid. Here is a round-up of the best features you may not know about, and a review of some common problems and work-arounds. Is There … Read more
MyHeritage Smart Matches are automated suggestions that a person in your family tree is also represented in other family trees. You can copy some minor details to the profile of the person in your tree, or you can trigger an import of an entire new branch (which I don’t recommend). Are you feeling overwhelmed by … Read more