Ancestry DNA test

[shellyesq]

Autosomal tests are better for matching relatives but that requires you to have a tree and the person you are testing with too. However some people do not share trees so you do not get to make provable matches.

It doesn't really require you or other people to have a tree.  I don't know how it works if you don't have an Ancestry account, but I do and I was able to send messages to people whether or not they had a tree.  People may not respond to messages, but most of the people I have contacted have been responsive.  Depending on the situation, you might even be able to figure out who people are based on their screen name. 

You can also use your raw DNA data from Ancestry to transfer to gedmatch.com, which is a free site that gets users from Ancestry and other DNA testing sites and shows you DNA matches.  The matches on there show an e-mail address, so again you may be able to figure out who they are from that.

I am an adoptee, and DNA testing gave me half of my history that I almost certainly never would have gotten otherwise. 

[davidft]

Pheno - if you found taking the test helpful then I am happy for you. Yes it can be successful for some but not for a lot of others and I was just trying to stop some people getting their hopes up.

Shelleyesq - probably best if you don't read my posts to stop any disagreement.

[Gadget]

Ancestry's special offer tempted me - just for the hell of it really.   It might help me find my absent maternal great grandfather but I'm not holding up much hope.  I've done all the searching I can and grt grandmother never told    Also interested in my results generally.

If you don't do it, how will you know if it's any good or not 

Package arrived yesterday.

[Yonks Ago]

Ancestry DNA has just helped me break down a huge brickwall..been looking for my GG Grandfather for over 20 years.

Pre DNA testing I kept going back and back to this family in my searches but I needed more to prove before I could claim them as mine. Now with DNA, a copy of a Will and proving that the information on  these tree's is incorrect I'm now trying to tell 14 tree owners that they have claimed my John and that my John didn't marry the lady they all have him married to.

 I think 2 of that 14 may link to me..but they have "all" just copied each others work..WHY OH WHY!
Why are people not doing their own research??
Yonks

[BRUCE123]

Hi  I have been able through DNA to link up with 1xfirst cousin and 2x2nd cousins, exchange of photo's and branches of our families who settle in USA and Australia. it helps if your DNA site has them as a guest and they let you on there site, I found this very helpful in comparing the same person results on each site. all the best Bruce 

[sugarfizzle]

My autosomal DNA testing has brought up many matches, about 100 closish matches, 4th to 6th cousins, up to 5G grandparents. Many thousands of more remote cousins, 5th to 8th cousins, up to 7G grandparents.

I have broken down 2 brick walls for myself, and 2 for other cousins. I have been able to confirm my paper trail is correct by matching with lots more. About half my confirmed matches are from the first group, half from the second group.

I think I would confirm a match positively with many more if people had a tree, a public tree, a tree with more than a few people in, or responded to messages.

As more and more people get tested, obviously the more matches will show up, I'm expecting a lot more round about Christmas time or a bit later, after ancestry's latest offer.  Also persuaded husband to get tested.

I agree with davidft that a lot of tests appear to be sold on the ethnicity aspect, DNA owners with little or no interest in family history. If all the people who have somewhat dubious trees on Ancestry had DNA testing, there might be some changes to those trees!

Regards Margaret

[LenVin]

I last week purchased 2 DNA kits from Ancestry @ £49 each plus postage for 1 @ £20 and the second @ £10.
I have activated my sample but cannot do the one for my wife. We both use the same account for our family trees. Do I have to get a separate account for my wife, any help in solving this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Len

[sugarfizzle]

Len, Ancestry changed their policy Inthe summer. Each person has to have their own ancestry account and theoretically manage their own DNA.

You will have to set up an account in her name, but she can give you her permission to manage her DNA results.

Margaret

[jillruss]

As a bit of an ignoramus on the matter of DNA testing, can I just confirm that, should I do an Ancestry test, I will discover my ethnicity (can they differentiate between English/Scots/Irish?) and hopefully get some 'matches' to contact. What I don't want, thank you very much, is to know that I'm 95% likely to perish from some horrendous disease/condition before my next birthday!!

I'm assuming the latter is another test completely. Am I correct?