Author Topic: How satisfied are you with your DNA test experience?  (Read 26575 times)

Offline DavidG02

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Re: How satisfied are you with your DNA test experience?
« Reply #36 on: Friday 16 March 18 11:06 GMT (UK) »
Have enjoyed the varying responses. It seems most are Ancestry responses. My DNA is with ftDNA.

In 14 months I now have nearly 2000 'matches' . Like jillruss above I have a look at my 5th cousin + more matches but only to name match. Otherwise I put them to one side.

I have 205 4th or better matches. These are the ones I concentrate on. I am not disappointed. Just as the paper sites had issues ie bad trees or dead links and absent users , so do the DNA sites. Each person has their own reasons

Mine were for the genealogical. I have posted elsewhere my absolute amazement and happiness to be able to break through a brickwall by matching with a lady in Tasmania who confirmed a story I had concerns about. Sure it creates its own frustrations but at least I have confirmation/direction

I have also matched with another Aussie and we confirmed a match to a GGGGgrandmother and sister. But the paper trail has to be there to help.

Never disappointed and to the oldies like me , the best defense is to leave your password in your will. Someone , somewhere will get the bug. Maybe even point them in the direction

Good luck everyone
Genealogy-Its a family thing

Paternal: Gibbins,McNamara, Jenkins, Schumann,  Inwood, Sheehan, Quinlan, Tierney, Cole

Maternal: Munn, Simpson , Brighton, Clayfield, Westmacott, Corbell, Hatherell, Blacksell/Blackstone, Boothey , Muirhead

Son: Bull, Kneebone, Lehmann, Cronin, Fowler, Yates, Biglands, Rix, Carpenter, Pethick, Carrick, Male, London, Jacka, Tilbrook, Scott, Hampshire, Buckley

Brickwalls-   Schumann, Simpson,Westmacott/Wennicot
Scott, Cronin
Gedmatch Kit : T812072

Offline Finley 1

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Re: How satisfied are you with your DNA test experience?
« Reply #37 on: Friday 16 March 18 11:10 GMT (UK) »
Last night :)   I finally sorted one of mine out.. It kept telling me that she was born in UTAH and I knew darn well she wasnt.

BUT

after a lot of research - I found a descendant of hers did..... / was  they actually travelled out in the Wagons and all that.

So -- I now comprehend a little more :) but cos my old head is tired these days, it takes a bloomin while.. Now which button is for record :) 

 ::) ::)

xin

Offline DavidG02

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Re: How satisfied are you with your DNA test experience?
« Reply #38 on: Friday 16 March 18 11:14 GMT (UK) »

I wish there was some way of marking a confirmed match other than marking it as a favourite because I already use that to keep track of matches I need to revisit.

Jane :-)
Yes agree. The ability to separate the matches into various fields for easier reference would be a wonderful addition
Genealogy-Its a family thing

Paternal: Gibbins,McNamara, Jenkins, Schumann,  Inwood, Sheehan, Quinlan, Tierney, Cole

Maternal: Munn, Simpson , Brighton, Clayfield, Westmacott, Corbell, Hatherell, Blacksell/Blackstone, Boothey , Muirhead

Son: Bull, Kneebone, Lehmann, Cronin, Fowler, Yates, Biglands, Rix, Carpenter, Pethick, Carrick, Male, London, Jacka, Tilbrook, Scott, Hampshire, Buckley

Brickwalls-   Schumann, Simpson,Westmacott/Wennicot
Scott, Cronin
Gedmatch Kit : T812072

Offline Penholder

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Re: How satisfied are you with your DNA test experience?
« Reply #39 on: Wednesday 21 March 18 22:23 GMT (UK) »
I have had some very helpful replies and managed to confirm some of my paper trails so I'm not regretting taking the test with Ancestry but on the whole I would say my experience has been disappointing.   There are far too many people without trees, which is obviously their right, but it's so frustrating!   Then there are the people who don't have the courtesy to reply when contacted - by far the majority in my experience.   And a final gripe is regarding one person who didn't even say thank you for information I sent.   It took me ages to put it together and it would have taken him less then a minute to send a short message back.

I agree that some way of sorting matches into groups would be really helpful.   In the beginning I put stars on everyone of interest but when that started getting out of hand I took them off the 4th - 6th matches because they're relatively easy to find again.   The 5th - 8th matches that have shown up as shared are impossible to keep track of if they're not starred and I have several hundred of them now.   I'm tempted to ditch those that don't have trees but then there's always the hope that they will add them in the future.

Diana
Hakes - Piddington, Northants; Bucks
Hillyard, Lebatt & Bodsworth - Piddington, Northants
Bonner - Warwickshire & Leicestershire
Caughlin - Clonmore Co. Wicklow/Carlow
Muzzell - Sussex
Jones - Rushbury, Shropshire; Nuneaton & Birmingham, Warwickshire; Piddington & Northampton, Northants
Penhorwood - Devon
Shutt - Devon & Kent
Oliver, Davies & James - Pembrokeshire
Green, Enser, Oldham, Bramman, Billings & Watmough - Nottinghamshire


Offline panda40

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Re: How satisfied are you with your DNA test experience?
« Reply #40 on: Thursday 22 March 18 08:17 GMT (UK) »
I got mine back yesterday and so far I have had a quick look through. Some connections are viable some will need further time spent on them. I am going to look at everything before sending out any requests for information but overall I’m pleased so far.
How many requests from others have you had? Has it increased or stayed the same since you did the test? Do people bother contacting others?
I’m interested to hear from others if it has knocked down brick walls
Happy hunting
Regards
Panda
Chapman. Kent/Liverpool 1900+
Linnett.Kent/liverpool 1900+
Button. Kent
Sawyer. Kent
Swain. Kent
Austin/en. Kent
Ellen. Kent
Harman. Kent/ norfolk

Offline pharmaT

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Re: How satisfied are you with your DNA test experience?
« Reply #41 on: Thursday 22 March 18 10:35 GMT (UK) »
On one hand my DNA results have helped provide extra evidence for my tree.  For example the paper trail suggests that one of my 3 x grt grandfathers was the son of one particular family and changed his name when he married.  The birth brothers of this 3xgrt grandfathers appeared to have kept their birth names and I have cousin matches who are descended from these brother suggesting that I was correct with my conclusions re this 3 x grt grandfather.  It has also led to cousin matches linking back to a 4x grt uncle who had emigrated.  Until I had these matches I had had no idea what had happened to him.

On the other hand, the value of my results have been diluted because I dare not try and contact any more matches despite the number of matches increasing.  On top of the reply rate to my messages being less than 5% about 30% of replies I did receive were very rude and freaked me out that I was inadvertently causing offence.

My messages to an unknown match generally took the form:

Hi according to Ancestry DNA tests we match ***cM and that suggests we are 3-4th cousins.  According to my paper trail so far my ancestors come from............ and my main surnames of research are......... but I have more surnames going further back.  I was wondering if we could work together to narrow down where the match is.

If There was a tree that helped me narrow down the match I would start the message a similar way but say: I see you have the surname....... in your tree.  I have this surname too....<details of where that name appears in tree>.

I occasionally see a match that intrigues me ad I am tempted to message the test owner but I dare not.

I have been messaged by about 4 matches and I have always replied to them.
Campbell, Dunn, Dickson, Fell, Forest, Norie, Pratt, Somerville, Thompson, Tyler among others

Offline groom

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Re: How satisfied are you with your DNA test experience?
« Reply #42 on: Thursday 22 March 18 11:21 GMT (UK) »
Quote
My messages to an unknown match generally took the form:

Hi according to Ancestry DNA tests we match ***cM and that suggests we are 3-4th cousins.  According to my paper trail so far my ancestors come from............ and my main surnames of research are......... but I have more surnames going further back.  I was wondering if we could work together to narrow down where the match is.

If that is how you phrased your messages, then there is nothing in it that could possibly have caused offence or warranted a rude reply. Ignore those people and ask yourself if you'd really want to be related to them anyway.  ;D
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Offline jillruss

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Re: How satisfied are you with your DNA test experience?
« Reply #43 on: Thursday 22 March 18 12:36 GMT (UK) »
I have messaged loads of matches with more or less the same wording. So far, thank goodness, I haven't had any rude replies. I will never ever understand anyone who goes to the expense and trouble to take the test and then ignores - or, worse, is rude to - anyone who contacts them. But then, that's human beings for you: not always very delightful!

You shouldn't let that put you off, pharmaT, but I can see how it would.

The majority of messages I've sent have, as yet, remained unanswered, but the ones who have replied have been more than worth it.

For now, I'm concentrating on the 4th-6th predictions who share one or more matches with me - it should be easier to home in on the common denominator. Well, that's my theory!

Jill
HELP!!!

 BATHSHEBA BOOTHROYD bn c. 1802 W. Yorks.

Baptism nowhere to be found. Possibly in a nonconformist church near ALMONDBURY or HUDDERSFIELD.

Offline hilarykellis

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Re: How satisfied are you with your DNA test experience?
« Reply #44 on: Thursday 22 March 18 16:15 GMT (UK) »
On the other hand, the value of my results have been diluted because I dare not try and contact any more matches despite the number of matches increasing.  On top of the reply rate to my messages being less than 5% about 30% of replies I did receive were very rude and freaked me out that I was inadvertently causing offence.

My messages to an unknown match generally took the form:

Hi according to Ancestry DNA tests we match ***cM and that suggests we are 3-4th cousins.  According to my paper trail so far my ancestors come from............ and my main surnames of research are......... but I have more surnames going further back.  I was wondering if we could work together to narrow down where the match is.

If There was a tree that helped me narrow down the match I would start the message a similar way but say: I see you have the surname....... in your tree.  I have this surname too....<details of where that name appears in tree>.


Wow, what did they respond that was rude? I'm curious as to how someone could ever take offense to such a polite email.

At worst I've had a couple of people say they don't agree that there is a match (which baffles me because DNA doesn't typically lie) or no response at all (most commonly).