This article is based on a similar article in the July - September 2022 issue of NGS Magazine and is republished here with permission. The Leeds Method, developed by Dana Leeds, enables genetic genealogy researchers to identify clusters of genetic cousins, based on color-code assignment of close matches and their shared genetic cousins. Chart created by author. Genealogists reporting on research should consider the use of charts, diagrams, tables, maps, and other figures to clearly … [Read more...]
“DNA Doesn’t Lie”: How To Accurately Interpret DNA Test Results
When you get your DNA test results, there's a good chance your DNA matches aren't as straight-forward as you had hoped, and there's a lot of room for misinterpretation. Here's some helpful things to consider as you begin your journey into the world of genetic genealogy! If you’ve gotten involved in genetic genealogy at all in the last few years, you have probably heard the phrase “DNA doesn’t lie.” This is meant to imply that, while records left behind by our ancestors can sometimes be … [Read more...]
6 Reasons Why Taking an Autosomal DNA Test Can Bring New Insights Into Your Known Ancestry
How can taking an Autosomal DNA test bring you new insights into your known ancestry? What might you discover when you go deeper using genetic genealogy? Read on to find out how DNA can give you more understanding into your family tree. You’ve spent hours and hours digging into documents, interviewing living relatives, or reviewing journal entries. You know your ancestral lines reasonably far back, and you feel your work, at least on some of the ancestral lines, is complete. Is there … [Read more...]
What Is Genealogy? How To Get Started With Family History Research
What is genealogy? What do you need to know to create a solid foundation for your family history research? What is a family tree, and how create an accurate family tree? How can you use DNA to help you with your research? We'll answer these questions and more for anyone who wants to find their ancestors anywhere in the world. What is genealogy? Genealogy can take many different forms, but what does it really mean? Is it simply names, dates, and places? Is it discovering deep roots at home or … [Read more...]
Autosomal DNA Test Results: Using Ethnicity Estimates to Generate Genealogical Hypotheses
The material in this autosomal DNA blog article was originally published in the October-December 2021 issue of NGS Magazine. It is updated and republished here with permission. Autosomal DNA test results at the major genetic genealogy testing companies (23andMe, Ancestry, Family Tree DNA, LivingDNA, MyHeritage) include two main elements: ethnicity admixture estimates and genetic cousin match lists. While genetic cousin match lists are the most helpful resource for solving genealogical … [Read more...]
How to Understand Your Closest Autosomal DNA Test Matches
This article is based on a similar article from the January - March 2022 issue of NGS Magazine and is reprinted here with permission. We hope it helps you know how to better understand your autosomal DNA Test matches and what it means for you. Autosomal DNA test results at the major genetic genealogy testing companies (23andMe, Ancestry, Family Tree DNA, LivingDNA, MyHeritage) include two main elements: ethnicity admixture estimates and genetic cousin match lists. Ethnicity estimates are a … [Read more...]
6 Signs of Misattributed Parentage in Your Genetic Family Tree
While DNA testing and genetic evidence are certainly useful for breaking down challenging historic brick walls, the implications of DNA testing can also hit closer to home in the modern era when it comes to research on misattributed parentage. In cases of adoption, unknown parentage or misattributed parentage, genetic genealogy methodologies enable identification of close biological ancestors whose identities might otherwise remain unknown, and which represent immediate brick walls for any … [Read more...]
Top 5 DNA and Genetic Genealogy Blog Posts in 2022
The use of DNA and genetic genealogy have become widely used strategies for solving challenging genealogy research projects since DNA testing became available to the public in the early 2000s. With our team of expert genetic genealogists at Legacy Tree, we can break through brick walls, discover unknown parentage, and make family tree connections that were impossible just a few short decades ago. In case you missed them, below are the top five DNA and genetic genealogy blog posts of 2022 … [Read more...]