I'm a Genealogist - AMA

[TheGenealogist]

Have loads of experience researching my family tree and academic qualifications to back my experience. Like to think I know what I'm talking about genealogy-wise, so ask away!

What qualifications do you have? Can you make a living from genealogy?

An ancestry DNA test turned up a woman who came back as a cousin but who (from conversation) I suspect actually might be my mum's sister.

How many centimorgans do you share? A full aunt normally is more closely related than a first cousin, but a half-aunt and first cousin will be indistinguishable.

I’m curious to do a DNA test as there was allegedly an “uncle” that my great grandmother resembled more than her father.

How much overlap in terms of DNA is there for first cousins? I have a cousin who did a dna test and published the breakdown on FB. I’m curious as to how much of that would likely apply to me, or for eg would there be some ancestry that shows up on one person’s DNA test but wouldn’t show up on their relatives?

@PegasusReturns

This is a bit specific but I was a twin, lost before birth. I don’t know whether there is a birth or death certificate. Is there a way of finding out?

Sorry for your loss. It will depend on the circumstances. If your sibling lived even for a few seconds, then there will be a birth and death certificate. Stillbirths are registered in a different way and you have to apply for access to the register, and you have to be next of kin to do so, as far as I know.

@CobraChicken

From Ancestry's FAQ:

"Full Sibling

Someone in this category is likely a brother or sister who shares both biological parents with you. In the rare situation that you have a half sibling who is also your first cousin, they may appear in this category too. You will share about 2,400–2,800 centimorgans with a full sibling."

Could this person be both a cousin and a half sibling do you think Gingerkittykat?

I have no idea, I only know snippets of the stories from the potential cousin or aunt about her biological family. She was born about 18 months before my mum and the stories of the reasons for their adoptions is almost identical.

I'm in Scotland, when Registry House in Edinburgh opens back up I'm going to go and hunt for birth certificates so I can do it without spending a fortune ordering them online (you can't see any details apart from birth name before you order).

@Absy

I’m curious to do a DNA test as there was allegedly an “uncle” that my great grandmother resembled more than her father.

How much overlap in terms of DNA is there for first cousins? I have a cousin who did a dna test and published the breakdown on FB. I’m curious as to how much of that would likely apply to me, or for eg would there be some ancestry that shows up on one person’s DNA test but wouldn’t show up on their relatives?

You share 50% of your DNA with a sibling and each parent.

12.5% with a grandparent or cousin. It's not exact though and there is a range. If you google "shared centimorgan project", there's a great tool which lets you plug in the numbers and identify possibilities.

@TheGenealogist thank you.

She was definitely still born. My mother will not discuss it so would never agree to me trying to find out more.

And yes, if you have cousins marrying cousins or a community which marries within community members over many generations then the percentages of shared dna are skewed and the paper trail is more important. This is a common problem researching Jewish families.

[quote PegasusReturns]@TheGenealogist thank you.

She was definitely still born. My mother will not discuss it so would never agree to me trying to find out more.[/quote]
I'd say that was very common. Mums in the past were often not encouraged to speak about baby loss. If your parents have both died, you can request access as a sibling.

@NotDavidTennant

An ancestry DNA test turned up a woman who came back as a cousin but who (from conversation) I suspect actually might be my mum's sister.

How many centimorgans do you share? A full aunt normally is more closely related than a first cousin, but a half-aunt and first cousin will be indistinguishable.

Roughly 600 so from the % charts could be several different relations.

@JSL52

What qualifications do you have? Can you make a living from genealogy?

I'm currently doing a Masters in genealogy and other bits like Heraldry. I'm already self employed so I see any earnings as adding to existing income streams rather than replacing entirely.

There are LOADS of people earning money from genealogy - everything from trekking to the archives for people too far away to go themselves to writing articles, researching house history.

So interesting OP.
My problem like a pp is tracing back from an illegitimate GG grandparent with a different surname, who is down as a son on one census but as a lodger on another, whereas an illegitimate sibling is a son on both and has his mother’s surname . Does that suggest he may have been taken in ? So far I have had no dna matches that I can see.
Dna has been interesting but so often the connection is just out of reach as pre the 1841 census, and I don’t know how to look before that.

@dancealittleclosertome

What kind of academic qualifications do you need to work as a genealogist?

As with the previous - you don't need any but most people have something. Most genealogists are members of an industry body like the Register of Qualified Genealogists or the Society of Genealogists.

Joining means proving you have the skills to research properly, reference your work etc.

Hello! I've been trying for years to find my great grandmother (born 1896) on the 1901 and 1911 censuses. There is mystery surrounding her childhood, who brought her up, and I just can't find her. I've searched very broadly with her name, tried all the tricks. Do you think it's possible that somebody could be genuinely missing from 2 censuses?

Is there anyway to view a birth certificate without buying it first?

@Gingerkittykat

My mum was adopted in 1950 and I've been trying to find her biological parents. An ancestry DNA test turned up a woman who came back as a cousin but who (from conversation) I suspect actually might be my mum's sister.

How accurate are the Ancestry relationship matches?

Would a genealogist be able to help me in this search?

Other biological relatives of my mum have not answered messages I have sent.

MAybe. The percentage of shared dna between for example a half sibling and a cousin might overlap, I'd need to check the numbers. But in that case you'd work up it match's family tree, trying to identify the potential father/mother.

Those "long lost family " tv shows make it look so easy. But family relationships are often so complex.

@bunburyscucumbersandwich

Is there anyway to view a birth certificate without buying it first?

Yes for Scotland and pre 1920 Republic of Ireland. No for England and Wales.

@mysterymile

Hello! I've been trying for years to find my great grandmother (born 1896) on the 1901 and 1911 censuses. There is mystery surrounding her childhood, who brought her up, and I just can't find her. I've searched very broadly with her name, tried all the tricks. Do you think it's possible that somebody could be genuinely missing from 2 censuses?

Well anything's possible I suppose. Censuses rely on people telling the truth and they often don't- change their age. Swap names around.

I'm assuming you've done lots of wildcard searches? A good one to try is searching for any make of a given surname born in a certain county +/- 5 years. Might throw up lots of results thigh if the names common

Roughly 600 so from the % charts could be several different relations.

That's not close enough to be your mother's sibling, but could definitely be a half-sibling. If she's a similar age to your mother then the other possible relationships (e.g. that she's your mother's aunt or neice) seem less likely (but not impossible).

I've recently done mine : 85% English/N.W Europe , 7% Norway , 5% Scottish , 3% Welsh.
On looking at my thru lines I was somewhat concerned to see I had DNA matches through my father's side via grandmother and grandfather and further ancestors. The same from my maternal grandmother and descendants on her side of the family but not my maternal grandfather. I spent some hours wondering if he wasn't my mother's father ! On further investigations I found DNA links from that side of the family but back a few generations.
Am I right in assuming that is just because it is likely I am the only decendant of his to test, but if I go back to say his greatgrandparents sister, I am a link through her as her descendant has tested ? It's complicated stuff !

@SirVixofVixHall

So interesting OP. My problem like a pp is tracing back from an illegitimate GG grandparent with a different surname, who is down as a son on one census but as a lodger on another, whereas an illegitimate sibling is a son on both and has his mother’s surname . Does that suggest he may have been taken in ? So far I have had no dna matches that I can see. Dna has been interesting but so often the connection is just out of reach as pre the 1841 census, and I don’t know how to look before that.

Before about 1920 adoption was very informal. I've seen on my tree children from a mother's previous marriage being listed as full children, or boarders.

@Sunnyday321

I've recently done mine : 85% English/N.W Europe , 7% Norway , 5% Scottish , 3% Welsh. On looking at my thru lines I was somewhat concerned to see I had DNA matches through my father's side via grandmother and grandfather and further ancestors. The same from my maternal grandmother and descendants on her side of the family but not my maternal grandfather. I spent some hours wondering if he wasn't my mother's father ! On further investigations I found DNA links from that side of the family but back a few generations. Am I right in assuming that is just because it is likely I am the only decendant of his to test, but if I go back to say his greatgrandparents sister, I am a link through her as her descendant has tested ? It's complicated stuff !

Exactly. Nobody on that side has tested so there's nobody to match with. Doesn't mean he's not related to you.

He was born around 1851. Would be a strange adoption as his possible mother was single, and poor, and young. But it is strange that he doesn’t have her name while her other child does, and that he is down as a lodger. I would love to know if his possible mother is my GGGreat Grandmother or not.
I live in hope of a dna match shining some light , so far there are no matches with any descendants of his poss brother, but that doesn’t rule him out as a blood relative.

Hi, I don’t know much about my parents families, and my mum is no longer around and my dad is not on the scene. I did a dna test and my results were: 52.6% English, 29.2% Scottish/Irish, 10.7%Finnish, 4.2% Eastern Europe, and 2.9% western Asian, how significant are the Finnish, Eastern European and west Asian? Can you guess how many generations back that would be from?

@CobraChicken

From Ancestry's FAQ:

"Full Sibling

Someone in this category is likely a brother or sister who shares both biological parents with you. In the rare situation that you have a half sibling who is also your first cousin, they may appear in this category too. You will share about 2,400–2,800 centimorgans with a full sibling."

Could this person be both a cousin and a half sibling do you think Gingerkittykat?

Please someone explain the mechanics of a half sibling who is also your first cousin