I recently stumbled across a 2022 FamilyTreeDNA blog post offering suggestions to improve your Y-DNA age estimates for the time to most recent common ancestor (TMRCA). I was intrigued and decided to give the recommendations a try. Some of their suggestions produced a more immediate change, while others were a bit more difficult to discernContinue reading “3 Tips to Improve Your Y-DNA Age Estimates (TMRCA)”
Category Archives: DNA
A Big Y-700 DNA Experiment
Have you received your Y-DNA test results but don’t feel like you learned as much as you thought you would? This is how I felt, too, until I immersed myself into the scientific details of FamilyTreeDNA’s Big Y-DNA test and designed an “experiment” to refine my test results. The experiment is replicable and can helpContinue reading “A Big Y-700 DNA Experiment”
Fewer DNA Matches in the Future
For genetic genealogists, the promise of new DNA matches is both exciting and a necessary component of our research strategy. However, a recent demographic study finds that the number of living kin for the average person will reduce by 38% in the future suggesting we may have fewer DNA matches. The demographic shifts are notContinue reading “Fewer DNA Matches in the Future”
Genealogical New Year’s Resolutions
We are all used to making New Year’s resolutions, but what about genealogical New Year’s resolutions? Can we set ourselves up for being more productive in 2024? To make good genealogical resolutions, we need to approach the process from an informed position keeping in mind the skills and personality traits that make for good researchersContinue reading “Genealogical New Year’s Resolutions”
“Y” Gift DNA? Unwrapping Paternal Ancestry
We’re all looking for the perfect holiday gift for our loved ones, but what if the gift could be enjoyed by you as much as by them and perhaps others as well? A Y-DNA paternal line ancestry test is the perfect gift for someone who has everything – and by everything, I mean they alreadyContinue reading ““Y” Gift DNA? Unwrapping Paternal Ancestry”
Small DNA Matches as a Compass in Genetic Networks
We’ve been told not to rely on segments/matches having small amounts of shared DNA. This warning is true, but in genetic networks, small matches can act like a compass and direct us where to research. I’m not talking about small matches below 6 to 8 cM in length. Testing companies like Ancestry, FamilyTreeDNA, and 23andMeContinue reading “Small DNA Matches as a Compass in Genetic Networks”
Genealogy Ping Pong: Alternating Between Documentary Research and DNA
Ping Pong is the perfect metaphor to describe how to use both documentary records and DNA to break down genealogy brick walls. The strategy begins by analyzing evidence from documentary records and then using your findings here to guide the analysis of your DNA matches. Next, use the patterns observed within your DNA matches toContinue reading “Genealogy Ping Pong: Alternating Between Documentary Research and DNA”
DNA and Google Maps: Breaking Through Brick Walls to Reveal a Love Story
Our DNA holds the answers to many of our family history mysteries, and simple tools like Google Maps can help make the task of breaking through these brick walls easier. See how my cousin learned the identity of his great grandfather.
#ancestry #familyhistory #ancestrydna #genealogy #ancestors @ancestry
Genealogical Evidentiary Networks: A Tool for Presenting Indirect Evidence
Organizing and presenting indirect evidence can be a challenge. Using the Genealogical Evidentiary Network diagram can help you write overcome these challenges. #ancestry #genealogy #familyhistory
Poor Ancestors are not Invisible: Part 3, Debtor Records
Courthouse debtor records can provide valuable insights into understanding the plight of our ancestors and may also discover important vital statistics. Several case studies highlight the rich information found in these sources. #ancestry #genealogy #familyhistory
Poor Ancestors are not Invisible: Part 2, Poorhouse Records
Poorhouse records can provide valuable insights into understanding the plight of our ancestors and also discover important vital statistics. Several case studies highlight the rich information found in these sources. #ancestry #genealogy #familyhistory
Poor Ancestors are not Invisible: Part 1, Pension Applications
Pension applications can provide valuable insights into our poor ancestors’ lives including vital statistics. Several case studies highlight the rich information found in these sources. #ancestry #genealogy #familyhistory
Breaking Through 18th and 19th Century Brick Walls: ‘Don’t Let Go of Your EGGOS’
How to break through genealogical brick walls using an EGGOS search strategy with shared or in-common with DNA matches. #ancestry #genealogy #familyhistory @ancestry
Targeted Y-DNA Testing: Uniting a Band of Brothers, Part 2
In the previous blog post, I introduced the research objective, which was to use Y-DNA testing to determine whether five Wilson men, who were all living in a small rural Meigs County, Ohio town, were brothers. The hope was that if I could do so, I would be able to cast a wider genealogical netContinue reading “Targeted Y-DNA Testing: Uniting a Band of Brothers, Part 2”
Targeted Y-DNA Testing: Uniting a Band of Brothers, Part 1
Sometimes the solution to breaking through your own genealogical brick walls resides within the DNA of other people. You could wait around for that “other” person to test, or you could proactively search that person out. Constructing a research plan to find the living descendants of the family to whom you think you are connectedContinue reading “Targeted Y-DNA Testing: Uniting a Band of Brothers, Part 1”
Identifying John Wilson’s Irish Origins, Part 2: Autosomal DNA Analysis
Having identified the probable ancestral origin of John Wilson (1716-1799) using Y-DNA in Part 1 of the blog post series, Part 2 uses autosomal DNA (at-DNA). The purpose here is to provide corroborating evidence that John’s ancestral origin is County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland as well as to offer greater geographic specificity within the county. Compared to Y-DNA,Continue reading “Identifying John Wilson’s Irish Origins, Part 2: Autosomal DNA Analysis”
Identifying John Wilson’s Irish Origins, Part 1: Y-DNA Analysis
Have you been fortunate enough to trace one of your American ancestors back to the 1700s but found no records indicating where in Europe they originated? Oh, and what if you are “lucky” enough for this ancestor to have a common or occupationally derived surname, such as Smith or Miller, providing no clues as toContinue reading “Identifying John Wilson’s Irish Origins, Part 1: Y-DNA Analysis”