If you're confused on how and where to start using DNA in your genealogy research, genetic genealogy expert Blaine Bettinger has some great tips to get you started. Links to everything are in the show notes at: www.amyjohnsonc...
What I learnt from Blaine's book that is helpful to me is: *There is only so much DNA to go around so you will nor receive all of it, nor equally. I liken it to a roll of the DNA dice. *We can be genealogy related to a person but not genetically. I have found other people's FTs who have the same ancestors in them as mine but we are not related by DNA.
If you already have a fairly extensive family tree and then do a DNA test, it's a great way to verify parts of your tree that you might not have much documentation of. I have found matches as low as 6 cM who share very distant ancestors with me, 6, 7, or 8 generations back. This can verify that you've not gone off track with one family line or another. I have a few lines that go back to the 1200's which would be hard to verify except for the fact that a couple of lines were British aristocracy. When you find those, you hit a gold mine, because they are so extremely well researched.
The worst thing you can do in genealogy, whether you're in it for fun or for real, us copy and paste. Don't accept ANYTHING unless you've validated by independent record. Work backwards from yourself. By the time you get so far back where records become scarce, you'll be accomplished enough to know how to dig for clues in more obscure places.
Bettinger means, "start your tree" NOT copy your tree from many others and copy bad info. Leave trees as "hmmm" and not facts. Solid research in the records reveals truth.
23 & me gave me a biological grandpa that I didn't know about. My father suspected this man was his real father. I had never heard of the closest match and learned that she is also his grand-daughter. She never replied to my inquiries but another close relative did. That's how I found all of it. It didn't upset me. My alleged grandpa had died before I was born and the real one died in 1971. Interesting
True, but you might be surprised how many people start by trying to find those whose ethnicity matches theirs or have the same surname (even if it's something like Smith!).
Thank you, but I do understand what you said and my maiden name is Bell and the information that my Great Aunt gave me when I was 10 years old was invaluable and through DNA apparently I do have relatives in the Glasgow area and my GGGrandfather emigrated to Philadelphia from Paisley, Scotland in 1859. My DNA dilemmas are the priviously unknown Baltic Cousins which are on my Mother's side she didn't have any knowledge of through her Father's side and her Father abandoned her, she never met him. His last name was Cox but apparently either his Mother or Grandmother was from what used to be Yugoslavia. Waiting for the courthouses to reopen here in PA so hopefully I will find out who my Grandfather's parents were. According to 23 and Me I have third Cousins in Croatia and Serbia and I know they are on my Mother's side, my Father's side is what I already knew.
In addition to the link that kman543210 posted, Blaine Bettinger has some additional links on his page about the Shared cM Project: thegeneticgenealogist.com/2015/05/29/the-shared-cm-project/
