Why do people bother with DNA tests?

[Seesure]

It amazes me how many people take the test and that's it, they appear not to want to learn or reach out when they get matches...

Over on Myheritage I have 5 interesting matches...

226.9cm over 9 segments (UK based)
87.4cm over 4 segments (US based)
86.7cm over 3 segments (US based)
78.2cm over 4 segments (US based)
68.4cm over 6 segments (UK based)

I've messaged everyone of these people but nothing back at all... the first person above, I've even created a tree to try and work out the relationship but there is nothing obvious .... so I'm guessing there's another black sheep kicking around as it were... all I can find is that this person has 4 relations buried in the cemetery that was 5 minutes walk from the house I first remember as a child... Also I know which side of the family the link is as they also had a match with a first cousin of mine on my maternal side.

On Ancestry I had a match of 398cm over 20 segments and all that person did was confirm they'd seen the match and that he wasn't prepared to share any details of the family who we have just found... suffice to say I'd imagine there must be at least 50-60 cousins of various degrees based on our common ancestor's prolific child producing capability... enough for a football with subs !!!! Thankfully his tree was public but with relatives still alive their identities are masked.

It's just so frustrating trying to unlock the questions..... 

[HarryW]

There have been a number of threads on this subject over time.   It is incredibly frustrating, but I guess each to their own 

[Ayashi]

Some people only want to find out what their nationality ancestry is, without realising that this function is pretty much useless because it differs between sites and even changes within a site as well. I think others get kits from family members or get badgered into it.

[davidft]

Seesure,

I feel your frustration but would say stick with it as in time some of the matches do pay dividends. For example I had a match of 200+cm on Gedmatch a few years back. I tried drawing up potential trees for the match but got nowhere. Fast forward a couple of years and I uploaded to MyHeritage and lo and behold the owner of the 200+cm match contacted me and we worked out where the connection was. The reason why I had not previously been able to identify it was because of an unknown to me second marriage.

So I would say stick with it just don't expect quick results.

Good luck

[IgorStrav]

I've not had such high cM matches as that, but a couple of mine which are above 100cM should be traceable you'd think.

I am in touch with all of these - though only one or two are interested in FH research - but if it's any consolation to you, we STILL haven't found where the link is.

So the fact that people don't reply may not be the issue - it's the unexpected difficulty of finding the link.  I'd never thought it'd be so hard   

[brigidmac]

Also  some people do tests to help a benefit a relative then don't bother to look .it helps if the relative manages their account then you can message that person

[Craclyn]

Frustrating though it may be for those of us using DNA as a research tool we have to accept that nobody is under any obligation to respond to our approaches.

[jillruss]

I'd add to the 'never give up' brigade, except when I finally got a reply from someone I'd messaged over 18 months previously, it was only for him to say that he'd get back to me. So far, he hasn't!!

I was actually starting to wonder if Ancestry has gone into lockdown as well! I expected quite a few matches to come to the surface around end of Jan/ beginning of Feb after the supposed Christmas rush on testing kits. I think I got 3 new matches round about then - none had a tree. Since then, nothing.

Do you think the DNA bubble has burst and all the people who were interested have already done it?

[aghadowey]

Perhaps situation with Coronavirus is slowing up test results. I manage 3 kits and usually get probably between 5-15 every day for each. However, the last 10 days or so we are down to a trickle-some days none and today 1 for each. I do know that over a week ago another person managing kits for themselves, mother & son have uploaded their DNA results but no sign of them yet (we know from another site all three have matches with one of my kits which may sort out where a lot of matches come from).