DNA testing - results

[Cyclops]

Many on here will know of my interest in tracing mine, and others, ancestry.

In June, I sent my DNA for the Ancestry test. I had been sceptical of the value of DNA testing, but having watched some programs on TV and knowing that the DNA pool is much bigger these days, I thought I'd see what came back.

I particularly wanted to see if there was a resolution to my question of who was my paternal grandfather - I had believed for years that he was ThomasC but then found a news report of an affiliation order which indicated he was in fact WCox. But I didn't really think there was much chance of closure here.

I should mention that I hadn't put my tree on Ancestry, so there is no chance they have factored in my known details.

I received my results yesterday. There were 247 close matches!

One definitely confirmed that WCox was my grt grandfather. Worth the price of the test right there.

But then it got weird.

Ancestry ping the 247 people who had matches to my profile and halfway through the morning I had a message from a guy who wanted to compare ancestries. He gave me some names, but there were no obvious links. We got into detail and he mentioned a knowledge of the Hoxton area of London. I had ancestors living there in the 19thC. Now we got serious - bloodhounds on the scent!

He told me there was a rumour in his family that his grandmother had an affair while married. He gave dates of when this likely happened. I replied with a family surname and that they were silversmiths. That was the 'Eureka' moment - the family rumour was that his Grannie had a fling with a silversmith.

Cutting a long story short, it turned out we were talkling about his biological grandfather - he never believed that the man married to his grandmother was his grandfather. We narrowed the suspects down to two brothers. I sent pictures of the brothers and he came back with a positive ID. We knew the name of his grandfather. Further investigation put him in the same street as his grandfather (on paper) in 1901 and I even had a photo of his true grandfather in that street beside a car.

I don't have to tell you how he was feeling. He said he was shaking. I discovered that he's a univeristy lecturer.

Today, I put him in touch with his first cousin who is also a grandchild. I'd love to hear that conversation!

The moral is - if you are interested, do the test
(Memo to TBG)

[A Quiet Monkfish]

Thanks to your efforts we answered a puzzle in my tree which I had been trying to solve for 20 years ! However, I have a family bible with dates of Births, deaths and marriages going back to 1668. There are 5 different surnames so probably been handed down through maternal lines, but can never find the link to one 'name change'. Not sure if the DNA test will help with such an older conundrum, but think I'll definitely give it a try .

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Many on here will know of my interest in tracing mine, and others, ancestry.

In June, I sent my DNA for the Ancestry test. I had been sceptical of the value of DNA testing, but having watched some programs on TV and knowing that the DNA pool is much bigger these days, I thought I'd see what came back.

I particularly wanted to see if there was a resolution to my question of who was my paternal grandfather - I had believed for years that he was ThomasC but then found a news report of an affiliation order which indicated he was in fact WCox. But I didn't really think there was much chance of closure here.

I should mention that I hadn't put my tree on Ancestry, so there is no chance they have factored in my known details.

I received my results yesterday. There were 247 close matches!

One definitely confirmed that WCox was my grt grandfather. Worth the price of the test right there.

But then it got weird.

Ancestry ping the 247 people who had matches to my profile and halfway through the morning I had a message from a guy who wanted to compare ancestries. He gave me some names, but there were no obvious links. We got into detail and he mentioned a knowledge of the Hoxton area of London. I had ancestors living there in the 19thC. Now we got serious - bloodhounds on the scent!

He told me there was a rumour in his family that his grandmother had an affair while married. He gave dates of when this likely happened. I replied with a family surname and that they were silversmiths. That was the 'Eureka' moment - the family rumour was that his Grannie had a fling with a silversmith.

Cutting a long story short, it turned out we were talkling about his biological grandfather - he never believed that the man married to his grandmother was his grandfather. We narrowed the suspects down to two brothers. I sent pictures of the brothers and he came back with a positive ID. We knew the name of his grandfather. Further investigation put him in the same street as his grandfather (on paper) in 1901 and I even had a photo of his true grandfather in that street beside a car.

I don't have to tell you how he was feeling. He said he was shaking. I discovered that he's a univeristy lecturer.

Today, I put him in touch with his first cousin who is also a grandchild. I'd love to hear that conversation!

The moral is - if you are interested, do the test
(Memo to TBG)

As you and I once discussed, there will be (and must have already been) claims to people's estates by those who were unknown to the immediate relatives of deceased parties.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Thanks to your efforts we answered a puzzle in my tree which I had been trying to solve for 20 years ! However, I have a family bible with dates of Births, deaths and marriages going back to 1668. There are 5 different surnames so probably been handed down through maternal lines, but can never find the link to one 'name change'. Not sure if the DNA test will help with such an older conundrum, but think I'll definitely give it a try .

Many people may be disappointed to learn via DNA testing that their ancestors are not those who they have populated in their family tree as a result of using conventional records.

[Cyclops]

Thanks to your efforts we answered a puzzle in my tree which I had been trying to solve for 20 years ! However, I have a family bible with dates of Births, deaths and marriages going back to 1668. There are 5 different surnames so probably been handed down through maternal lines, but can never find the link to one 'name change'. Not sure if the DNA test will help with such an older conundrum, but think I'll definitely give it a try .

Let us know the results!
I've recently finished a course on researching Welsh ancestors which was absorbing and instructive.
To my chagrin, the DNA test revealed that I am only 1% Welsh.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Let us know the results!
I've recently finished a course on researching Welsh ancestors which was absorbing and instructive.
To my chagrin, the DNA test revealed that I am only 1% Welsh.

Well we know that DNA doesn't actually define nationality that way. It's about geographical groupings of DNA at a certain point in history, is it not, oh font of such knowledge?

[Cyclops]

Many people may be disappointed to learn via DNA testing that their ancestors are not those who they have populated in their family tree as a result of using conventional records.

You're repeating yerself, mush.
As I said to someone yesterday the DNA test results are like a birth certificate - but are they heck! They are far more accurate than the details dictated to the local parson by folk with an agenda.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

You're repeating yerself, mush.
As I said to someone yesterday the DNA test results are like a birth certificate - but are they heck! They are far more accurate than the details dictated to the local parson by folk with an agenda.

It's not a case of what the parson knows.....

[Cyclops]

It's not a case of what the parson knows.....

I think I'll pretend this is another 'Whoosh' moment.
You've had a few of these recently, aint ya.
It's either a case of people getting thicker or else........ (I couldn't possibly describe the alternative......)

[Wales-Bales]

Let us know the results!
I've recently finished a course on researching Welsh ancestors which was absorbing and instructive.
To my chagrin, the DNA test revealed that I am only 1% Welsh.

Bloody foreigners!

[Cyclops]

If anyone wants more info, have a look at this link and associated articles: https://www.dataminingdna.com/guide-to-ancestry-dna/

One of the more interesting aspects is "You can copy your Ancestry DNA results to other sites to get more DNA matches. Here are the reputable sites where I personally have uploaded my Ancestry DNA results for free.
MyHeritage
FamilyTreeDNA
GEDmatch
LivingDNA
Geni
Although the upload is free, there may be premium features that require payment."
So one can access other DNA pools with the Ancestry results

[Cyclops]

Bloody foreigners!

I'd love to see your ethnicity, mush.
Prolly include - The Borg, The Cylons, The Goauld, The Collosi and a huge chuck of The Reavers
(I'll get bannified for that!)

[Wales-Bales]

I'd love to see your ethnicity, mush.
Prolly include - The Borg, The Cylons, The Goauld, The Collosi and a huge chuck of The Reavers
(I'll get bannified for that!)

I have some relatives from Ireland and London, England.

[OurManFlint II]

Many people may be disappointed to learn via DNA testing that their ancestors are not those who they have populated in their family tree as a result of using conventional records.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...obsessed-italy

Interesting and tragic story of DNA matching and the families that became entangled in a murder investigation.

[North Cardiff Blue]

My uncle started to do our family tree and found out my great great (maybe another great or two) Grandfather was really a Young (different surname to ours) as the original great great Grandfather had been hung for sheep rustling (at least I hope it was that lol) this one moved in and kept our Surname and dropped his own.

[North Cardiff Blue]

Many on here will know of my interest in tracing mine, and others, ancestry.

In June, I sent my DNA for the Ancestry test. I had been sceptical of the value of DNA testing, but having watched some programs on TV and knowing that the DNA pool is much bigger these days, I thought I'd see what came back.

I particularly wanted to see if there was a resolution to my question of who was my paternal grandfather - I had believed for years that he was ThomasC but then found a news report of an affiliation order which indicated he was in fact WCox. But I didn't really think there was much chance of closure here.

I should mention that I hadn't put my tree on Ancestry, so there is no chance they have factored in my known details.

I received my results yesterday. There were 247 close matches!

One definitely confirmed that WCox was my grt grandfather. Worth the price of the test right there.

But then it got weird.

Ancestry ping the 247 people who had matches to my profile and halfway through the morning I had a message from a guy who wanted to compare ancestries. He gave me some names, but there were no obvious links. We got into detail and he mentioned a knowledge of the Hoxton area of London. I had ancestors living there in the 19thC. Now we got serious - bloodhounds on the scent!

He told me there was a rumour in his family that his grandmother had an affair while married. He gave dates of when this likely happened. I replied with a family surname and that they were silversmiths. That was the 'Eureka' moment - the family rumour was that his Grannie had a fling with a silversmith.

Cutting a long story short, it turned out we were talkling about his biological grandfather - he never believed that the man married to his grandmother was his grandfather. We narrowed the suspects down to two brothers. I sent pictures of the brothers and he came back with a positive ID. We knew the name of his grandfather. Further investigation put him in the same street as his grandfather (on paper) in 1901 and I even had a photo of his true grandfather in that street beside a car.

I don't have to tell you how he was feeling. He said he was shaking. I discovered that he's a univeristy lecturer.

Today, I put him in touch with his first cousin who is also a grandchild. I'd love to hear that conversation!

The moral is - if you are interested, do the test
(Memo to TBG)

How much are those tests?

[Cyclops]

Interesting and tragic story of DNA matching and the families that became entangled in a murder investigation.

That's a great read - and illustrates the power of DNA matching.
I can't emphasize how helpful the DNA evidence has been to me - to trace my grt grandfather for certain - and then his ancestors. Until now, half of me believed it was the other person to the extent that his callous behaviour after a particularly unpleasant robbery from the person of a dying man reminded me of my father. It transpires there is no connection whatsoever. I can write about it on a kite and let it fly away forever....

[Cyclops]

How much are those tests?

They are usually £79 plus P&P (about £15). But Ancestry often run promotions, like around Fathers Day, for £59 (which is what I did).

They provide updates regularly as the sample goes through the system and my results were back a fortnight earlier than I was expecting.

There are different DNA tests for different results, but for my purposes the Ancestry test was definitely the one for me.

I'm so pleased with the results that I've spent £15 on additional testing for my behavioural traits. I expect to be found to be amiable, easy-going, helpful to others, incredibly interested in people and offering to research others genealogy for stupid recompense.

[Cyclops]

My uncle started to do our family tree and found out my great great (maybe another great or two) Grandfather was really a Young (different surname to ours) as the original great great Grandfather had been hung for sheep rustling (at least I hope it was that lol) this one moved in and kept our Surname and dropped his own.

Name changes are common. I've got two in my maternal family and my wife has one. I dont think Tuerto will mind me saying that there is one in his FH. That was a devil of a problem to unpick, but we got there in the end, even solving why it had happened.
DNA testing can obviously help here to - the question to ask is if there's a match, but you don't know why, work thru the evidence.

I should add that as well as my 247 close matches, there are thousands of other matches.

[WJ99mobile]

How much are we talking for a test

[Ninja]

How far back can the direct DNA links go?
Just curious as DNA testing in general isn't something that's been around for that many generations. Just wondering roughly how far back they can get?

[Cyclops]

How far back can the direct DNA links go?
Just curious as DNA testing in general isn't something that's been around for that many generations. Just wondering roughly how far back they can get?

My matches are mainly 4 to 6th cousins. For me, I have matches back to the start of the 19thC and some even earlier than that.
My new grt grandfather was born in 1840 and his parents also showed up as a match.

[Cyclops]

How much are we talking for a test

See #18

[Ninja]

My matches are mainly 4 to 6th cousins. For me, I have matches back to the start of the 19thC and some even earlier than that.
My new grt grandfather was born in 1840 and his parents also showed up as a match.

Wow, a bit further back than I would have expected to be honest.
Is this dependent on how many family members further afield have actually had DNA profiles done at some point?

[Cyclops]

I should add to all this, understanding the results is complicated and folk may want to consult an expert to help.

The experience I related at the start of the thread should give an idea of difficulties which took a several hours to sort out.

Before I bought my test I bought "Tracing Your Ancestors Using DNA". That took some wading through!