DNA testing stories

YDNA for Finding Surnames | Genealogy Brick Wall Buster!

YDNA for Finding Surnames | Genealogy Brick Wall Buster!

YDNA can help you find surnames that go with a paternal family line. So helpful when trying to break down a brick wall for a male ancestor! Learn how YDNA testing helped Kathleen with not one but TWO genealogy brick walls. YDNA testing can be a useful tool when researching paternal lineage. While...

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Mitochondrial DNA for Ancestry? Yes!

Mitochondrial DNA for Ancestry? Yes!

Can you use mitochondrial DNA for ancestry? Yes, mtDNA can be useful in genetic genealogy research, though it is a less commonly used type of DNA. Kelli shares mtDNA research tips and strategies. How many times have you heard someone say that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) doesn’t help with genealogy?...

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Finding 3XGG with DNA: Splitting Genetic Networks

Finding 3XGG with DNA: Splitting Genetic Networks

Finding 3XGG with DNA is easier when you use proven genetic genealogy strategies. Here, we see how splitting genetic networks and the Leftover Strategy are useful for finding mystery ancestors. But there was a key thing Clare did first that improved her chances of success! Clare came to the DNA...

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DNA Story: Tester Discovers and Reunites Sisters

DNA Story: Tester Discovers and Reunites Sisters

Inspiring DNA story! Thanks to the heroic actions of a DNA tester, two sisters who both matched him--at different testing companies--have been reunited. Read this wonderful DNA story below.  Not everyone who has taken a DNA test puts their results on multiple DNA testing sites. Many times, people...

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Sally Hemings | A Presidential Paternity Case

Sally Hemings | A Presidential Paternity Case

Whether the children of Sally Hemings were fathered by U.S. President Thomas Jefferson was debated for more than 200 years until YDNA testing provided new evidence. Read more about this presidential paternity case and the results of a YDNA test.  In January 2000--more than 20 years ago--a research...

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Finnish DNA | Finding Finland Roots with MyHeritage DNA

Finnish DNA | Finding Finland Roots with MyHeritage DNA

Got Finnish DNA? Explore your matches at MyHeritage, known for relative strength amongst Scandinavian DNA testers (think Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, etc). Read about Diahan's mother-in-law's experience using MyHeritage and meeting her Finnish relatives. My mother-in-law does not sleep. Even...

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DNA Stories | Storytelling Tips and Examples

DNA Stories | Storytelling Tips and Examples

DNA can tell us many stories about our families and where we come from. Learn some storytelling tips and see examples of DNA stories from Your DNA Guide's team in this post. What’s your DNA story? Your DNA story is still unfolding. After all, you’re still discovering the people and places you’re...

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Genealogy Brick Wall Needed DNA: Finding a 3XGG

Genealogy Brick Wall Needed DNA: Finding a 3XGG

Does your genealogy brick wall need DNA to make a real breakthrough? Maybe. Consider this success story--and how you might find the DNA match who may hold the clues you need to your family history. Sometimes the genealogy records that you need to break down brick walls aren’t easily accessible....

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MyHeritage DNA AutoClusters | Finding Your Matches

MyHeritage DNA AutoClusters | Finding Your Matches

MyHeritage DNA AutoClusters tool can help you target the DNA matches you want to work with--and find unique matches who may not have tested anywhere else. Here's how Kelli used MyHeritage DNA's AutoCluster tool to do just that. MyHeritage DNA is one of many DNA testing services to which you can...

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Is He Really My Biological Grandfather?

Is He Really My Biological Grandfather?

Is my grandfather really my biological grandfather? Vicky's DNA test results made her ask this intriguing question. Here are strategies she learned to use her DNA to look for answers. While looking at her DNA results, Vicky Grover noticed she had no apparent connections on her maternal...

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Half-Siblings On Your Family Tree? Try This DNA Strategy

Half-Siblings On Your Family Tree? Try This DNA Strategy

How can half-siblings of your relatives be "better" than whole ones (at least, from a genetic genealogy perspective?) Here's what Joy learned about using descendants of half-siblings to cluster the shared matches she wanted. How can half-siblings be better than whole ones? At least, from a genetic...

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YDNA Surname Project Administrator? Learn the Skills

YDNA Surname Project Administrator? Learn the Skills

YDNA surname project administrators help other project members and answer questions. But how do they learn do work with surname project data? Here's a resource to help you become a better YDNA surname project administrator--or just work with your own YDNA data more effectively. Once you or a...

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YDNA Test Upgrade | Is It Worth It?

YDNA Test Upgrade | Is It Worth It?

Considering a YDNA test upgrade? It can be well worth it. Here's what happened after Kelli updated her husband's YDNA test. And then--after a little patience--along came an exciting new match! See what YDNA can do for your research questions. Have you ever had a DNA surprise that felt like...

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Genetic Distance | YDNA Matches

Genetic Distance | YDNA Matches

Genetic distance is a key clue for helping you understand what makes a good YDNA match. Read Ginny’s story to learn how the YDNA for Genealogy Course helped her better evaluate YDNA matches and know which ones are worth further attention. YDNA can be a wonderful tool to help you better understand...

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