Pursuing a career in genetic genealogy was a path I largely had to forge myself. Today I share what I've learned, what I would do differently, and advice for those interested in pursuing a similar career path. Person I just met: “What do you do for work?”Me: "I’m a genetic genealogist.”Person I just met: “Wow! I didn’t even know that job existed. How did you get into that?”I probably have this same conversation (or variations on the same theme) every other day. Since … [Read more...]
Before It’s Too Late: DNA Testing Older Relatives NOW
As genealogists we have been encouraged to treat DNA as we would other genealogical records. We are invited to incorporate DNA tests and DNA results as part of proof arguments, we are urged to properly cite DNA evidence and discuss it, analyze it and draw conclusions with it in conjunction with other genealogical records. Increasingly, DNA evidence is becoming part of reasonably exhaustive research under the requirements of the Genealogical Proof Standard. While we have seen major progress in … [Read more...]
Dealing with Endogamy, Part II: Test Multiple Relatives
In a recent blog post, Dealing with Endogamy: Part I, we explored the unique challenges of interpreting autosomal DNA test results for individuals from endogamous populations. Endogamy is the custom of marrying only within the limits of a local community, clan, or tribe over the course of many generations. Pedigree collapse, a related concept, occurs when two related individuals produce offspring. As a result, the number of unique individuals occupying locations in a pedigree … [Read more...]
Dealing with Endogamy, Part I: Exploring Amounts of Shared DNA
Autosomal DNA testing is a valuable resource for genealogists seeking to overcome recent brick walls in their family history, particularly in instances where traditional historical research is limited or unavailing. At Legacy Tree Genealogists, we frequently use autosomal DNA test results to answer questions regarding adoption, unknown paternity, or difficult to trace ancestors. To learn more about autosomal DNA testing see our previous blog post on the basics.Endogamy is the custom of … [Read more...]
How to Prepare for a Family History Trip
After identifying and documenting your ancestry (including the crucial step of determining your family’s foreign hometown), a natural next goal might be to visit the sites, scenes, and places where your ancestors lived and died. Genealogy and research tours can be exciting and enlightening, but require ample preparation. Paul Woodbury, Legacy Tree’s Outreach Manager and genetic genealogist, has made several such trips of his own. Below, he shares some tips both from his personal experience and … [Read more...]
How the X-Chromosome Solved a 100-Year-Old Adoption Mystery
We frequently receive requests from adoptees, foundlings, individuals with unknown paternity, and their descendants to assist in identifying biological ancestors. In a recent case we performed, we were able to use DNA test results to identify the biological parents of a client’s mother. Analysis of the X-chromosome held the key to determining the correct ancestral couple. Here we share their story. (In order to protect privacy, names have been changed.)Lauren is the daughter of a woman named … [Read more...]
Exploring Ethnicity with DNA, Part II: Autosomal Testing
In our Exploring Ethnicity with DNA, Part I blog post a few weeks ago, we reported on how to explore ethnic origins with Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA. Whereas Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA are limited to direct lines, autosomal DNA is inherited from many ancestors across several lines. On the other hand, while Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA represent very deep ancestral lines, autosomal DNA sometimes does not reflect the contributions of more distant ancestors and autosomal testing is most useful for … [Read more...]
Exploring Ethnicity with DNA: Part I
Many of the queries we receive at Legacy Tree Genealogists concern elusive ancestors who are difficult to trace. Sometimes there are rumors of descent from Native American, African, or Jewish ancestry. Other times there are no clues at all regarding an ancestor’s origins. In cases of ethnic origins, DNA testing is a unique tool that can assist in proving or disproving family stories, or revealing the origins of a “brick-wall” ancestor.There are three types of DNA tests: Y-chromosome, … [Read more...]
MyHeritage Name Translation – A Useful Tool for Worldwide Research
Imagine for a moment that a man named Jean Joseph Casanouve was born in France in the early 1800s and had five sons. One immigrated to Mexico, another went to Italy, the third left for Brazil, one remained in France, and the last immigrated to the United States. Today, Jean Joseph has many descendants who revere their French ancestor - Juan José, Giovanni Giuseppe, João José, John Joseph and Jean Joseph Casanouve.Although all of these names refer to the same individual, the descendants of … [Read more...]
The Who, What, Where, and Why of Genetic Genealogy Testing
In the future, genetic testing will become an increasingly integral part of the fields of family history and genealogy. Even now, genetic testing is sometimes considered necessary as part of the reasonably exhaustive search required for the genealogical proof standard.In this introduction to DNA testing for family history purposes, we'll outline how DNA tests work, provide an explanation of the tests available and the companies that offer them, and finally, explain what results you can … [Read more...]
