DNA - Do Not Ask - Sun Newspaper Article

[BourneGooner]

Hi All

Just a word of caution.....

Anyone thinking of talking a DNA test may be wise to read the centre spread in today's Sun newspaper entitled Do Not Ask, the story is about people who have taken DNA tests sometimes on a whim other times as gifts from others only to be "shocked after discovering dad wasn't her biological parent" others are finding out parents weren't who they thought they were some have siblings they knew nothing about, some do use these to trace their parents and are happy with the results, but just remember what starts out as a bit of fun looking to see if you have any Viking ancestors may not come back with the results you were expecting.
The truth may well be out there, but are you ready for the results it may uncover.
The piece finishes with experts saying "Some DNA experts believe people are opening up a Pandora's box by buying home testing kits for loved ones"

I don't want to rain on anyone's "fun" but please remember these kits can be dangerous and cause no end of upset.....

That's it speech over....back to the normal forms of research.

BourneGooner

[pollycat76]

My Ancestry results came back with a niece I had not heard of, I am pretty sure I have made a connection to one of my late siblings through locality at the time of her birth. My problem is should I keep this information to myself ?

[Braindead]

Part of the reason why home DNA tests are banned in France is the risk of "unexpected" results. The DNA companies don't make much of this.

[coombs]

Sometimes you wonder why you do FH if there is a small chance that due to a naughty ancestor, that some of them are not your real ancestors. DNA opening up wounds that our forebears thought they took to the grave. Extra marital dalliances, informal adoptions.

Say if you had a favourite great, great grandfather and he was in the army and travelled the world, but DNA revealed you shared many matches with the descendants of their male next door neighbour, and not the man you thought was an ancestor, thus meaning they are not one of the people responsible for your existence today due to them not being a blood ancestor.

I hope to get a figure on the rate out of 100% of NPE's took place prior to 1900.

[shellyesq]

I would hope anyone with a functioning brain would realize that DNA testing might throw up some surprises.  It shouldn't be considered "dangerous" to know the truth.  The truth may save your life if it gives you an accurate medical history.

As an adoptee, I consider my adopted family just as real as my biological family.  Both had input into who I am today.

[Mowsehowse]

True to say, when I was given one as a gift, it started a chain of events which has resulted in pain for me as the catalyst, but totally innocent bystander!!

[Ruskie]

I’m not sure that “dangerous” is the best word to use.   

Of course there can still be some unexpected discoveries using the “normal” methods of research.

[Nanna52]

Sometimes you wonder why you do FH if there is a small chance that due to a naughty ancestor, that some of them are not your real ancestors. DNA opening up wounds that our forebears thought they took to the grave. Extra marital dalliances, informal adoptions.

Say if you had a favourite great, great grandfather and he was in the army and travelled the world, but DNA revealed you shared many matches with the descendants of their male next door neighbour, and not the man you thought was an ancestor, thus meaning they are not one of the people responsible for your existence today due to them not being a blood ancestor.

I hope to get a figure on the rate out of 100% of NPE's took place prior to 1900.

What about the ones after 1900?  I have quite a few.  Some I knew of or suspected and a bunch I didn’t know about.  I’ve decided that I have one line who didn’t know where their beds were as I have so many matches answer that they don’t know someone at grandparent or great grandparents level.

[coombs]

Sometimes you wonder why you do FH if there is a small chance that due to a naughty ancestor, that some of them are not your real ancestors. DNA opening up wounds that our forebears thought they took to the grave. Extra marital dalliances, informal adoptions.

Say if you had a favourite great, great grandfather and he was in the army and travelled the world, but DNA revealed you shared many matches with the descendants of their male next door neighbour, and not the man you thought was an ancestor, thus meaning they are not one of the people responsible for your existence today due to them not being a blood ancestor.

I hope to get a figure on the rate out of 100% of NPE's took place prior to 1900.

What about the ones after 1900?  I have quite a few.  Some I knew of or suspected and a bunch I didn’t know about.  I’ve decided that I have one line who didn’t know where their beds were as I have so many matches answer that they don’t know someone at grandparent or great grandparents level.

Yes it did happen after 1900, wars often made infidelity increase, and I talk from a family experience during WW2.