Adoption & Genetic Genealogy

*"Can DNA help me find my biological family?" We share one client's journey from skepticism to success story. Shared with client permission.Colette had always known she was adopted— her parents never hid that from her. They would say things like, "when we got you" instead of "when you were born." She knew that she was different from her family and that she didn't resemble either of her parents. From a very early age, Colette wanted to know whom she resembled and find out more about her birth … [Read more...]

DNA Painter, a DNA analysis tool created by Jonny Perl, was the well-deserved winner of the 2018 RootsTech DNA Innovation Contest. Jonny’s creation effectively meets key needs for genealogists as they engage in genetic analysis and interpretation.Evaluating Amounts of Shared DNAOne of the first approaches employed by genealogists in genetic analysis is evaluation of shared DNA between known and unknown genetic cousins. Some amounts of shared DNA are more likely for certain levels of … [Read more...]

Resources to help you in documenting the unknown in your DNA test results.Each DNA testing company warns that DNA testing can reveal surprises and previously unknown information about your family. In fact, customers of these databases make unexpected discoveries every day. These discoveries can be distressing and traumatic but might also be exciting and compelling. As you navigate the emotions and reactions of this experience, we recommend reviewing this list of resources to help. In other … [Read more...]

At Legacy Tree Genealogists, we are often contacted by individuals seeking assistance in finding information regarding biological family members. Utilizing advancements in genetic genealogy and thorough genealogical research, we have helped many clients find closure. However, for many, the journey does not end at identifying their birth mother, birth father or siblings. We consulted with industry experts Richard Weiss of DNAAdoption.org and Curry Wolfe, for insight and guidance into the next … [Read more...]

If you haven’t checked your AncestryDNA results recently, you’re in for a treat. The recent AncestryDNA update includes some big changes to its ethnicity estimates, and there’s something for everyone to explore. Here are six things you need to know to get the most out of this new tool for learning more about your ancestors.1. Everyone has access to the updated reports. Like most new Ancestry features, this one was gradually rolled out to Ancestry users. That left some of us to watch and wait … [Read more...]

Your AncestryDNA results are in. Maybe you’ve always been interested in genealogy, or perhaps you received the test as a gift, and really have no idea what to expect. There is a learning curve to understand DNA test results, even for seasoned genealogists.AncestryDNA’s test is an autosomal DNA test, which looks at chromosomes 1-22 and the X-chromosome and provides information about many relationships and ancestors from both paternal and maternal ancestral lines. This post focuses on … [Read more...]

This article is part one in a series evaluating the different admixture tools available from the main DNA testing companies – MyHeritage, 23andMe, Family Tree DNA, and Ancestry. What can we glean from ethnicity estimates from each company?We’ve all heard the warnings: take DNA admixture predictions with a huge lump of salt. But can those ethnicity estimates provided with an autosomal DNA test still yield some valuable clues? The tools available at testing company 23andMe include some unique … [Read more...]

*Nita was born in Puerto Rico and adopted by American missionaries. With a desire to learn more about her Puerto Rican heritage, Nita contacted Legacy Tree Genealogists. We share her story of self-discovery with client permission Nita’s Story I was born in the mountainous region of Puerto Rico and adopted by American missionaries when I was 2 weeks old.   My biological mother died from complications 2 weeks postpartum which left my biological father with 7 children whom he could not take … [Read more...]

A helpful guide detailing how to use chromosome browsers in your genealogy researchWhat is a Chromosome Browser?Chromosome browsers are tools that allow you to see the unique DNA segments, or blocks of DNA on chromosomes, shared between you and either one genetic match or a set of genetic matches. It is typically displayed showing your 23 chromosomes with colors indicating shared segments. Using a chromosome browser, you can view the start and stop locations of specific shared … [Read more...]