How To Accurately Interpret DNA Test Results

DNA has become an integral part of personal genealogy research, and knowing how to accurately interpret DNA test results can be complicated. We’ve compiled the basics of our best DNA articles to give you an overview of different genetic genealogy concepts you’ll need to know to accurately expand your family tree. Read this article and enjoy the free downloadable eBook to start your journey towards mastering genetic genealogy.

How To Understand Your Closest Autosomal DNA Matches

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
• Genetic cousin match lists

Ethnicity estimates are a central focus of companies’ marketing efforts and a significant motivation for many testers. They can provide important context for genealogical investigation. However, genetic cousin match lists are more useful for solving family history mysteries and answering long-standing questions about a family tree.

Read more here to find out how to understand your autosomal DNA matches. 

6 Reasons Why Taking An Autosomal DNA Test Can Bring New Insights Into Your Known Ancestry

How can taking an autosomal DNA test bring new insights into your known ancestry? In this article, we talk about 6 ways a DNA test could further your understanding of your family history:

1. Verify and validate documented research
2. Discover concealed family tree lines
3. Add descendant lines to complete family units
4. Collaborate with new-found family members 
5. Help others learn more about their family ancestry
6. Preserve family history

To dive deeper into each of these reasons, read the full article here. 

Using Ethnicity Estimates To Generate Genealogical Hypothesis

When carefully analyzed, ethnicity estimates can sometimes aid in forming hypotheses that can be tested through more in-depth research with genetic cousin match lists. Even so, ethnicity estimates are still estimates, and will continually be refined as company reference panels and algorithms improve. These ethnicity estimates should be considered within the context of all available evidence, including genetic cousin relationships. 

Learn more about:

• Why and how to use caution with ethnicity estimates
• How to make sense of the percentages
• How to use an absence of information to find genealogical answers
• How to use and interpret ethnicity chromosome paintings
• How to determine paternal or maternal chromosomes
• Understand the difference between x-DNA, y-DNA, and mitochondrial DNA
• How to pinpoint the source of unexpected autosomal DNA test results

Read the full article here: Using Ethnicity Estimates to Generate Genealogical Hypotheses

6 Signs of Misattributed Parentage In Your Genetic Family Tree

What is misattributed parentage? This is where a presumed parent is not the biological parent of an individual or their ancestor, and is quite common in people’s family trees. Rates of misattributed paternity are estimated to be between 2% and 12% and may vary between populations. 

Even with a conservative estimate of 2% probability of misattributed parentage event per generational linkage, this suggests that approximately 13% of individuals in the general population will have at least one case of misattributed parentage in the first three generations of their family tree (for themselves, a parent, or a grandparent). 

How do you know if you have misattributed parentage in your genetic family tree? Read about 6 signs that will help you determine this in our article here. 

Introduction To Ethnicity Admixture DNA Test Results

First of all, what is ethnicity and what does it tell you about your ancestry? How does each DNA testing company define ethnicity? It may seem straightforward, but there are a few things to know before you begin interpreting your DNA ethnicity results.

• Ethnicity is a grouping of people based on shared attributes like traditions, ancestry, language, culture, history or religion.
• Each DNA testing company defines populations and regions differently. For example, at AncestryDNA, Danish admixture is sometimes split between Norway, Sweden and Germanic European regions, while at FamilyTreeDNA, Denmark is included in both the Scandinavian and Central Europe designations.

Some individuals who test at multiple DNA testing companies receive different ethnicity estimates from each of them. These differences and changes are not a reflection of the validity of the underlying science, but rather the differences between the reference populations, algorithms, and approaches used by each of the companies. 

There’s a lot to learn about how DNA test results can help you accurately validate and expand your family tree. Our team of genetic genealogists can help you answer any questions you may have. Set up a consultation to get your specific questions answered.