WHAT IS GENETIC GENEALOGY?
THE BASICS
You share DNA with countless other people in the world. When you upload your DNA into a database, it matches you with people who you share DNA with, who have also uploaded into the same database. The database will give a range of possible genetic connections for each match.
A genetic genealogist will start by looking at the amount of shared centimorgans you share with each match. Depending on how many you share with an individual helps to determine your relationship to them. Based on this, family trees can be built and rebuilt to determine the exact relationship and thus, clues to the answers you are looking for.
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The use of genetic genealogy has taken-off because of the growing use of commercial DNA testing to determine genetic relationships. As testing has become more accessible and affordable, the databases have grown and the ability to locate lost relatives, confirm genealogical paper trails and unlock family mysteries has grown along with them.
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HOW CAN IT HELP ME?
Genetic genealogy has been a game changer for people looking for answers in the search for their genetic history. In cases where the information that is known (names, dates, places) turns out to be false, genetic genealogy can help separate fact from fiction.
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT FOR MY SEARCH?
Maybe you were told that a particular person was related to you. Maybe you were told nothing at all. When you start your search for true answers, you may feel lost and overwhelmed at how to begin. Genetic genealogy gives us a place to start. By comparing your shared amount of DNA with your matches, the picture becomes clearer. Like pieces in a puzzle, every match tells a little bit about who we are and where we come from. Using those matches, along with investigative work, the puzzle starts to be built, piece by piece. But you need that first piece - YOU! - to begin!
ARE THERE ANY LIMITATIONS?
Although genetic genealogy can be a powerful tool to help solve a family mystery, there are some things to be aware of.
Endogamy (the custom of marrying only within the limits of a local community, clan, or tribe), cases of incest etc. can affect how your results should be interpreted. Interpreting your results can be much more challenging when either of those situations are present. Cases where only a small portion of a population (Indigenous groups, some European countries based on legality of DNA testing etc.) are also to be noted and may affect the success of your search. If this is the case for you, don't give up! It may be more challenging, or it may take more time for the databases to grow, but don't give up!
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
If you have already have your DNA results from one of the major testing companies (Ancestry, 23 & Me, Family Tree DNA, etc.), you have already taken the first step. Identifying your highest matches and learning to utilize them is the next step. This is the step where a lot of people get overwhelmed and give up. Don't give up! I am here to help!
WHY HIRE A GENETIC GENEALOGIST?
When analyzing your DNA results, it can sometimes take months or even years to learn how to effectively use all of the tools available. The world of genetic genealogy is developing rapidly and understanding how to interpret the results but also how to use that information to track family lines back generations and then forward to living people, can be daunting and time-consuming. A genetic genealogist can save you money, but more importantly, time.
