to ask about ancestry etc DNA tests?

[ASpookyUsername]

I have asked for a DNA test for my birthday as I'm really interested in my family tree and really want to get a few questions answered.

Which company is best? Ancestry, My Heritage etc?

DH is complaining about the cost of the tests, and then seemingly you have to subscribe? It looks like it could cost £150 in total which is a lot of money!

I really want a test but DH Is refusing to pay that much.

So which is cheapest but also gives good results? Not just ethnicity which doesn't really interest me. I want to see family members.

Can you get good results with the kit alone?

Anyone got any advice and tips?

I did the ancestry one because I am researching my family tree and didn't know much about my dad's family. I have reconnected with cousins on my DM's side, which is great, and made connections with 2 cousins on DF's side. They have been able to furnish me with details about my GGGF, including a picture, which is something I would never have had otherwise. I had another lovely cousin, who is very elderly, send me photos of other relations.

I was prepared for skeletons to tumble out of closets, but there haven't been any. I only wish my half brother had done a DNA test so I could get to the truth about his parentage (our DM is not around to answer questions), but since we don't speak, I doubt that will ever happen.

Still, I have found it incredibly interesting!

Yet another Spartacus
That's correct. Either that or non existent or mis-attributed to the wrong (closest similar) ethnicity. Some sites are better for some ethnicities than others.

@UserThenLotsOfNumbers - which would you say is best for ethnicity please?

• I'm supposedly half x and half y. My results showed I'm less than a quarter x, so I thought one grandfather can't have been who I thought.* The recent update now has me at less than 10% x so now I'm questioning whether my dad is my dad. Crap.

Don’t jump to conclusions. We inherit different bits of DNA and a sibling may have completely different results even though you are full blood siblings. DNA works in funny ways!

I found over 400 relatives in mine, including 2nd and 3rd cousins, and it confirmed the findings in my tree.

Thanks User! A lot more is making sense now, including why that percentage was so small. The ethnicity in question is a modern made-up name for particular peoples who came from a particular region at a particular time - the region in question has been subject to waves of different people with different names.

They were on Watchdog. The presenter took lots of different tests and each company came back with completely different results. Either all but one (all using the same "scientific methods" were wrong or they're all a load of guff.

If there’s anyone wondering about the results (matches) there is a group on Facebook called dna detectives who are really helpful

Not sure why you are giving your DNA free to government agencies and pharmaceutical companies, as these are the ones who want your DNA.

( it’s all sold on)

I doubt you will find out much, apart from generalities

I firmly believe that if the government said you had to give your DNA for testing , no one would.

I've done Ancestry DNA tests for myself, my mum, my nan and my aunt. Along with a big tree too off course. I've matched with cousins from all over the world, we've shared information, photographs etc and it's been an amazing experience for me.

I was hoping to be able to work out who my maternal grandfathers father was (he never knew) but I'm not quite there yet.

You don't have to take out a full subscription to Ancestry, you can just pay for a month, skip a few months then sign up again ... so you can dip into it as and when you wish, all of your information is retained (including your account obviously) and doesn't disappear when your subscription is over.

Others have mentioned Gedmatch and I would agree that it's a very useful tool to explore your DNA in more detail and find more DNA matches. To use it you simply download the raw DNA data from Ancestry (or whatever testing company you choose) and then upload that into Gedmatch.

Lidoshuffle
It really depends on your ethnicities to be honest. What I'd recommend is checking out the ISOGG wiki. I believe there's a page on there with details about the reference populations used by different sites. Don't forget that if you test with one company, you can upload your results to other companies sites too for free so you aren't truly limited to just one.

@PinkpompomDaisy Exactly. And people actually hand over money to donate their DNA to these companies.

I agree that the motives for harvesting DNA are very suspect and I resisted the desire to do it for a long time. Eventually curiosity got the better of me, but I didn't find anything unexpected, it was very predictable. The results keep changing as testing gets more specific but nothing I didn't know. I now wish I hadn't done it. I would like to know how to look at my genes and what they predict though, that would be more useful, although perhaps worrying.

okay so the test has been sent away, and my DF wants to do one himself so we've agreed to get him one for xmas. Turns out he's not entirely sure his dad was his dad and my gran was with a few men.

My cousin (who I don't talk to anymore) has done her family tree on ancestry as I suspected so I got some information from that although a family tree is not the same as DNA (science!) so the DNA could still be useful when it comes back.

So.....back with an update

DNA results are due mid December

But I've been doing my family tree. Been using the wee 'leaf' thing that tells you if there's a match in another's family tree or census records etc.

Also been using online census records which isn't free but was worth it in the end.

Have found my dad's half sister. She died 2 years ago just streets away from us :( not sure whether to reach out to her kids. not sure if they'd welcome that. Plus from noseying on facebook they have completely different political views from us and giving the upcoming election my dad might get riled up!

Took a lot of digging as she went by a variety of names.

There's someone else showing up who could be the other sister but I'd have to buy her birth certificate to find out and I might be wrong and waste my money....should I risk it? She's still alive if I'm right.

If you have the money and are serious about finding out I would get the birth certificate.

Okay so I have a suspected relative and I know who that relative married.

I can find a marriage certificate for her where her middle name is listed as marilyn....

Its more a birth certificate I'd like however there are numerous "jane doe" in her place of birth albeit without a middle name

There is a Jane MARION doe listed though with a birth date and location that fits. Do you think it would be likely to be her and should I order it?

I've uncovered lots of second/third marriages and affairs from the family tree alone!

The DNA results are due back 18th December