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
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
The 23andMe family tree feature was introduced in 2019, and is very different from a traditional genealogy tree. A 23andMe family tree is a graphical representation of the potential relationships between you and your DNA relatives. If you opt in, 23andMe calculates your genetic tree. What is a 23andMe Family Tree? If Ancestry’s tree software … Read more
Your Ancestry DNA matches are other people who have tested with Ancestry and share some DNA with you. Ancestry sets a minimum threshold at which it is confident that you share enough DNA to be genetically related. This is a guide on how to read, interpret, and use your Ancestry DNA matches to maximum effect … Read more
Some people find it hard to produce enough spit (saliva) for the DNA test kits from Ancestry or 23andMe. I’ve gathered twelve different suggestions from people who managed to overcome their difficulties in getting enough spit into the vial. One of these may work for you! 1. Massage your Cheeks This is one of the … Read more
A question keeps popping up on genealogy forums: does Ancestry have a chromosome browser? Ancestry does not have a chromosome browser. You can transfer your Ancestry DNA to MyHeritage, FamilyTreeDNA, or GEDmatch, and use their chromosome browsers instead. This article is a guide to the different ways you can use a third-party chromosome browser on … Read more
This is a step-by-step guide and case study on using the Leeds Method with mostly 4th Cousin DNA Matches on Ancestry. What is the Leeds Method? The Leeds Method is a way of color-coding your DNA matches into ancestral groups without needing family trees to do so. The aim is to discover four clusters of … Read more
Even experienced users of Ancestry.com will learn plenty of new tricks among these Ancestry search tips. We keep each tip short and sweet, but we link to expanded articles with case studies and examples. Some specialist tips apply to specific research scenarios, so bookmark this page for future reference. Let’s go! Ancestry Search Tips – … Read more
Adoptees and people with unknown parentage are using DNA Tests to identify birth parents, health information, and ethnic heritage. Which DNA test is best for adopted adults or anyone who doesn’t know the identity of a biological parent? AncestryDNA is the best DNA test for adoptees researching birth family. Use 23andMe if you only want … Read more
Ancestry Shared Matches are those that you have in common with another match. This is sometimes referred to as ICW, an abbreviation of “In Common With”. Ancestry rolled out the Shared Match tool in August 2015. There have been more recent new features, but Shared Matches remain one of the most powerful tools for your … Read more
If you’re thinking of transferring your Ancestry DNA to MyHeritage, then you should consider these questions: How do you transfer your Ancestry DNA to MyHeritage? How big is the MyHeritage DNA database compared to others? What are the advantages of having your DNA on MyHeritage? How much do the DNA features cost with MyHeritage? How … Read more