RootsChat.Com
General => Ancestral Family Tree DNA Testing => Topic started by: kooky on Friday 09 March 18 18:48 GMT (UK)
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A young relative asked for a DNA test as a birthday gift.
She knows I have an interest in genealogy ??? and is expecting me to help when she gets her results.
She has not done any research herself but could have access to her aunt's family tree.
Unfortunately I do not have any knowledge of DNA or the results. :-[
Could anyone recommend a simple guide to DNA for dummies?
I would prefer a written book rather than a web site.
Kooky
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Sorry had not realised there was a specific board for DNA :-* :-*
Kooky
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Why does she wish to have the test? if it's for "geography" then I believe that it's a waste of money as the ethnicity descriptions are too vague and, as a consequence, misleading. Where test results do play a part is in supporting old-fashioned paper-based research supplemented by online research through ancestry.co.uk or Findmypast both of which require a membership subscription (payable monthly or annually).
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I am not sure!
She has a Norwegian grandmother and is keen to see evidence!
Kooky
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I think the best a test would give her is "Scandinavian". Now, given that my mother's family is West Wales back to the early 18th century and my father's line is Suffolk back at least to 1760 but he also has County Louth back to 1812, Aberdeen back to 1725 and a bit more Ireland here and there, you might wonder why according to my DNA results I am 35% Scandinavian!
I tell you this simply to prove how unhelpful they are in determining "ethnicity".
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My husband & I took DNA tests, and the ethnicity did comport with the paper trail. Perhaps it helps that we're American and know that our ancestors came from various countries, mostly in the 19th and 20th century.
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No the Ethnicity thing for me is rubbish..
My years and years of proven research = full British, with a drop of Viking maybe... ok also a tiny possibility that the Retallicks came over from somewhere in Europe.
BUT .. my results are 70% European.
I know everybody says this is from the year 'dot' but oh no it is NOT.. I have gone back to 1600 in some cases and still UK..ridiculous.
xin