When genealogy is one of your passions, there comes a point in time when you go full nerd.
I’ve been known to get my geek on about life in bygone eras, political and cultural upheaval brought on by The Reformation, migration routes and diasporas.
Nowadays, I find myself fascinated by consumer DNA testing.
“I’m the future with a bunch of antique.” – will.i.am
DNA Day is here and many have been snapping up DNA test kits on sale this week at FamilyTreeDNA and Ancestry.
Most probably test because they want to learn what the test will tell about their ethnic makeup. But for serious genealogists and family historians, testing opens the doors to exciting yet often bewildering territory.
Here are my top three tips for getting the most out of testing your autosomal DNA:
Just wanted to share a recent stunning DNA test revelation.
This finding probably would have been devastating for all parties involved if it had come to light back in the day. Today, it’s just a fascinatingly juicy detail that reveals more about a distant ancestor’s life.
My autosomal DNA test results are in.
Some scraping of my inner cheek promised to give insight on my ethnic background and a chance to find folks somehow related to me.
I wasn’t expecting any surprises or revelations about my ethnic makeup.
A recently published NPR article ponders the connection between DNA and family history and appears to the be the first piece in what could be an intriguing ongoing series.
Writer Alva Noë makes the distinction between genetic (or DNA) ancestors and pedigree ancestors, and touches on some important facts and thoughts to consider when it comes to utilizing consumer DNA testing as a tool for exploring one’s genealogy.
axehandles 