How satisfied are you with your DNA test experience?

[JAKnighton]

Just received my results.

Overall, I am satisfied with the experience as I immediately received a message from a match, which has the possibility of shedding light on the paternity of my illegitimate great-grandmother.

My biggest frustration is, as I was warned, the sheer number of matches who don't have any trees.

But the actual service is good.

[Gadget]

I've just downloaded and unzipped the raw data - don't understand a thing. Help, please  

Many of the close matches are cousins, etc. that I know of. Others are mainly in US and some names are familiar in the trees that are available.

[diplodicus]

Not sure what to do now - do I go through the list and make contacts

If you haven't already done so, I strongly recommend that you read some of the stuff in the Ancestry Academy section. It is important to understand things like:

• number of matching segments
• total length of matching segments

I have had mixed results from contacting people. I reckon my response rate is slightly less than 50% which many subscribers deem disappointing. However, you need to bear in mind that many people submit a test purely to see if they really are Irish/Finnish/Pixie. They may have no interest in genealogy or family trees etc. I wish my third cousin would respond but he won't. I know here he lives; I know what he did before he retired; I don't know why we're related!!!

Among those that have responded, I have found only three people where I can identify a common progenitor. I can get near (same village, same time) but can't nail an individual. Possibly someone was a bit naughty??

I would focus only on just the top few matches and follow them up. Then pause and take stock before contacting any more. (BTW, Ancestry's messaging system is very limiting so I urge you to keep a detailed record of contacts.)

[Gadget]

Thanks 

I know exactly how my great/grand nephew is related to me (he's my sister's grandson!) and I know quite a few of the other 2nd-4th cousins (as we've corresponded)  and their ancestors appear on my tree.

I'll read up on some of the wider info - I do have all the raw data and I think I understand the various categories.

[Sinann]

I didn't think anyone unzipped the Raw DNA, I thought it was just for uploading to other sites.

[Gadget]

I didn't think anyone unzipped the Raw DNA, I thought it was just for uploading to other sites.

I wanted to have a look as it has some useful info, but my genetics info is more than a bit rusty:

#
#Genetic data is provided below as five TAB delimited columns.  Each line
#corresponds to a SNP.  Column one provides the SNP identifier (rsID where
#possible).  Columns two and three contain the chromosome and basepair position
#of the SNP using human reference build 37.1 coordinates.  Columns four and five
#contain the two alleles observed at this SNP (genotype).  The genotype is reported
#on the forward (+) strand with respect to the human reference

PS - also, I'm nosey 

[Phil Goater]

                      I took the ancestry DNA test with a view to unlocking some brick walls in my Goater and Langdale ancestry. My paper trail tells me that my 3 x great grandfather was Joseph Goater and his son Henry definitely married Jane Langdale in India who was the daughter of William Langdale who joined the 11th Light Dragoons in England. I was hoping to find out if I linked with the large Goater clan which emanates from Sparsholt and get an idea where William came from.
                     So much for that! Not a single tree of any of my ancestry DNA matches has a Goater or a Langdale in it! I have definite matches with the family of my great grandmother Goater (nee Smith) and other lines on my mother's side have been clearly confirmed and strengthened through DNA cousins sharing common ancestors. On the other hand there are no unexplained close matches either. Should I assume my great grandmother was unfaithful ? I am loathe to let go of the Langdale connection which has generated some interesting research!

Phil Goater

[diplodicus]

How long ago did you receive your test results?

Have you tried gednatch.com or familydna.com?

My own unknown 3rd cousin match and two of my highest 4th cousin matches arrived months after my own results were published. I knew nothing about any of them!!

[Finley 1]

I have filed my results... for later ... but I havent got much Later ...   the offspring will have fun..

xin