My DNA Experience as a Newbie

[chiddicks]

Lots of good information coming through on here and there are tons of blogs and online guides which are helpful and useful.

I would always suggest taking another test with another company and also uploading your raw data to as many different places as possible especially if you hope to match with distant cousins, which is one of my reasons for taking a test.

There are some very good tips and hints here

https://www.family-tree.co.uk/how-to-guides/expert-blogs/guest-blog-dna-and-genealogy


https://www.family-tree.co.uk/how-to-guides/dna-testing/autosomal-dna-transfers-summary-of-which-companies-accept-which-tests

[chiddicks]

DNA The Next Step (5) https://chiddicksfamilytree.wordpress.com/2018/03/04/dna-the-next-step-5/ via @chiddickstree

[Finley 1]

May I assume that the Ancestry DNA Test could possibly give me the breakdown I am looking for ? Your comments would be greatly appreciated.

No it will not. In truth autosomal DNA tests do not tell you your ethnic inheritance. Don't believe me do the same test with several different companies and you will get several different results.

The way the tests work is to take your DNA and compare them with sample populations they have. There are a number of problems with this, first some of the samples are very small, second different companies use different sample populations and third no one can unequivocally say any of the sample populations are correct.

In truth the DNA companies rely on peoples ignorance of the subject when taking the tests. Whilst what you get may amuse you it should be treated as no more than a bit of fun. It is certainly not scientific fact. This has been covered in many of the threads on here before as well as on other sites should you want to search them out

I wish I had studied and studied every single for and against on Roots before I went ahead and wasted £99.00 on this dna malarky... it has shown me this as my ethnicity !!!   How is that possible when on most branches of my tree and I can provide more info on this.. I link back to Scotland - Cornwall - and other UK places up to the late 1700's   WHAT  !!!

xin

[chiddicks]

The ethnicity estimates are at best a guide. The key is to look at Cm values and matches rather than the ethnicity estimate.

The percentage will only ever be a percentage of the database so will be biased because of that.

[davidft]

The ethnicity estimates are at best a guide.

No they are not they are just guesses that is why you can get quite different results from different companies using the same data. Still if you want to be a snake oil  salesman carry on but all you are doing is leading people to future disappointment.

[davidft]

I wish I had studied and studied every single for and against on Roots before I went ahead and wasted £99.00 on this dna malarky... it has shown me this as my ethnicity !!!   How is that possible when on most branches of my tree and I can provide more info on this.. I link back to Scotland - Cornwall - and other UK places up to the late 1700's   WHAT  !!!

I, and many others, know how you feel but chin up the raw data behind the results is sound and can be used for "relatives" matching if you have close matches. Trying to match at 4th cousin or higher level though is a hard slog for most. Good luck and hope you get something out of the results in the future.

[chiddicks]

I have corrected a couple of small errors on my previous blogs and have updated them.

[chiddicks]

I said they were a guide

The ethnicity estimates are at best a guide.

No they are not they are just guesses that is why you can get quite different results from different companies using the same data. Still if you want to be a snake oil  salesman carry on but all you are doing is leading people to future disappointment.

[davidft]

I said they were a guide

The ethnicity estimates are at best a guide.

No they are not they are just guesses that is why you can get quite different results from different companies using the same data. Still if you want to be a snake oil  salesman carry on but all you are doing is leading people to future disappointment.

I know you did and I said they were not and explained why.

So if they are a guide how can the same data interpreted by two different companies give quite different results, as sometimes happens?  Oh and that is before companies "update" their analyses and your supposed ethnicity changes quite significantly.