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Foundations for Genetic Genealogy Success: Profiles and Family Trees

July 7, 2021 by Paul - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher Leave a Comment

Family Tree

Our own Paul Woodbury follows up on his article about the journey of a DNA sample with a discussion of how profiles and family trees are the foundations for genetic genealogy success.  This article is a reprint from a recent issue of the National Genealogical Society Magazine and is published here with permission.  In my previous article, "From Spit to Screen: The Journey of a DNA Sample" I described the journey of a DNA sample from the moment a sample is taken to the moment a test taker … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DNA Research, Genealogy Tips & Best Practices Tagged With: DNA, DNA test results, history, research, resources, tips, US

How can DNA Solve Unknown Parentage and Break Down a Brick Wall?

April 13, 2021 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 7 Comments

Great Grandfather's Funeral

One of our researchers uses her own family tree investigation as an example to explain how DNA can be used to break down brick walls, solve an unknown parentage case and uncover surprises in genealogical research. Important Female Ancestors Who are the important female ancestors you would like to honor in your life? Sometimes finding historical records about our female ancestors is not enough. Sometimes, all you can do is send in a DNA test, hoping that somehow, some way, you will find a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DNA Research, Writing a Family History Tagged With: DNA, misattributed parentage, research

Better Living Through Statistics: What Are The Odds?

February 16, 2021 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 5 Comments

The What Are the Odds DNA tool is a free resource to help you compare the probability of relationships with your DNA matches.   The advent of consumer autosomal DNA testing has allowed genealogists to use DNA results to break down seemingly impenetrable genealogical brick walls. Whether your research question is “who is my biological father?” or “who is my third-great-grandmother?”, autosomal DNA can be used to find answers about your origins. Suppose you’re looking at your DNA match list … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adoption & Genetic Genealogy, Genealogy Records and Resources Tagged With: DNA, genetic genealogy, tool, WATO, What Are The Odds

The Biological Journey of DNA Inheritance: Meiosis to Fertilization

February 1, 2021 by Paul - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher 2 Comments

Understanding the biologial journey of genetic inheritance can help in the interpretation of DNA evidence for genealogy research. *This article originally appeared in NGS Magazine, and is reprinted with permission. Different DNA inheritance paths  can help solve genealogical mysteries. These unique inheritance patterns provide important context for interpretation of DNA test results and enable genealogical discoveries, but why is DNA inherited the way it is? What underlying biological … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adoption & Genetic Genealogy Tagged With: DNA, fertilization, genetic, genetic genealogy, inheritance, meiosis, paths

DNA to the Rescue! Solving an Irish Genealogy “Brick Wall”

January 8, 2021 by Jamie - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher 8 Comments

solving an Irish genealogy "brick wall" with DNA evidence

A case study that demonstrates how to use document evidence in conjunction with DNA evidence to resolve an Irish genealogy "brick wall". *Shared with client permission Researchers with Irish ancestors have often thrown up their hands in despair when they learn about the massive record loss on that small island. Knowing one’s birthdate or even one’s age was not an Irish cultural value until well into the 20th century, which further complicates Irish research. “Crossing the pond” to document … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adoption & Genetic Genealogy, Genealogy Records and Resources, Irish Ancestors Tagged With: ancestry, brick wall, census, DNA, evidence, family history, genealogy, genealogy resources, genealogy tips, genetic genealogy, Ireland, Irish

The Journey of DNA’s Inheritance Paths: X-DNA and Autosomal DNA

November 16, 2020 by Paul - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher Leave a Comment

X-DNA and autosomal DNA inheritance patterns

The stories in this article demonstrate how X-DNA and autosomal DNA can be used to solve research problems based on DNA inheritance patterns. *This article originally appeared in NGS Magazine, and is reprinted with permission The DNA in humans today has taken a far- ranging journey from ancestors of long ago. The stories in this column demonstrate how DNA can be used to solve research problems based on inheritance patterns. Each human has DNA, a biological code that affects many physical, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adoption & Genetic Genealogy Tagged With: autosomal DNA, brick walls, DNA, family history, genealogy, genetic genealogy, genetic inheritance paths, X-DNA

Shocking Ethnicity Estimate Leads to Life-Altering Discovery

October 2, 2020 by Paul - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher 17 Comments

A surprising ethnicity estimate leads Tom to explore the possibility that the father who raised him was not his biological father. Sometimes, genetic genealogy test results don’t fit with what you might expect given what you know (or think you know) about your family tree. These anomalies can sometimes be explained by the way in which estimates are generated. Other times, surprising ethnicity results are instead due to cases of recent misattributed parentage. Such was the case with Tom.  We … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adoption & Genetic Genealogy, Uncategorized Tagged With: biological father, DNA, DNA test results, ethnicity estimate, genetic genealogy, misattributed parentage

The Journey of DNA’s Inheritance Paths: mtDNA and Y-DNA

September 18, 2020 by Paul - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher Leave a Comment

DNA has taken a far-ranging journey from our ancestors of long ago. The stories in this article demonstrate how mtDNA and Y-DNA can be used to solve research problems based on DNA inheritance patterns. *This article originally appeared in NGS Magazine, and is reprinted with permission. Each human has DNA, a biological code that affects many physical, emotional, and behavioral characteristics. Humans inherit copies of DNA from their parents, who in turn inherited portions of DNA from their … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adoption & Genetic Genealogy Tagged With: ancestry, DNA, dna inheritance patterns, genealogy, genetic genealogy, genetic inheritance, mitochondial DNA, mtDNA, Y-DNA

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