Do you have a DNA match to me? Have you added a family tree?

While there are different reasons to take a DNA test, one reason is to find unknown relatives. If you have taken a genetic genealogy oriented DNA test you are probably interested in determining your genealogical link to people you match. When you add a family tree at either the DNA testing company, FamilyTree DNA, MyHeritage, LivingDNA, or AncestryDNA, etc., or at a genealogical website which you link your DNA results to, GENI, WIKITREE, TribalPages, etc., please be as complete with the data for deceased individuals as you can. This means that you include locations, at least county and state in the USA, and full dates of birth, marriage, and death, as far as you know them.

Please don't list deceased persons as Private unless you don't want genealogical relations to find you. In the USA the most recent public population census is that for 1940. The 1950 census will be available in 2022. Having locations and dates allows the person looking at your family tree to make connections with people in their tree to allow identification of the most recent common ancestor/s, (MRCA). This will greatly enhance the possibility of extending your genealogy research.

My suggested minimum family tree would go back to your Great Grandparents with their spouses and children, and work forward and stop at living people on each line. Ideally going back to before the 1850 census would probably work for most people in the USA.

If your ancestry in the 1800s or 1900s was mostly in Europe or otherwise outside of the USA, testing at MyHeritage and/or AncestryDNA will probably be of most use to you. For genealogical records I also suggest using FamilySearch.org due to its worldwide coverage.

I hope this will help you find your relatives.

Genetic Genealogy DNA test sales: FTDNA; 23andMe; AncestryDNA; MyHeritage

The largest USA based DNA testing companies have Holiday sales going on at this time:

Family Tree DNA:
• Family Finder $59, usually $89
• Y-DNA $129, usually $169
• mt-DNA $169, usually $199
• Big Y $475 (includes Y-DNA test for 111 markers)

If you have already tested at FTDNA you will be receiving Discount Coupons that can further reduce these sale prices.

23andMe:
23andMe is charging $49.00 if you buy 2 Ancestry Service kits. The normal cost of the Ancestry Service is $99.00.

AncestryDNA:

AncestryDNA costs $79.00, a $20 discount from their regular price of $99.00. Rumor is that Ancestry will have a Black Friday price of $49.00.

MyHeritage:

This weekend, 24 Nov-27 Nov, MyHeritage is offering their normally priced $99.00 DNA test for $49.00 with free shipping for 3 or more kits.

Check all of the companies on Black Friday and Cyber Monday for possible lower costs.

Danish travel site does DNA testing

DNA Results Reveal Surprising Truths in This Travel Site's Experiment

Momondo Encouraged 67 People to Find Out More About Their Origins

By Alexandra Jardine. Published on Jun 02, 2016

Danish travel search site Momondo conducts a mass DNA experiment in this revealing mini documentary, which sets out to prove that our views about foreigners could be fundamentally changed if we knew more about our own genetic origins.

http://creativity-online.com/work/momondo-the-dna-journey/47554

MyHeritage is accepting DNA data uploads from FTDNA, 23andMe, and AncestryDNA for DNA matching

The MyHeritage blog has posted details of the new feature:
http://blog.myheritage.com/2016/05/myheritage-is-adding-free-dna-matching/

Judy Russel has posted about the consents asked for by MyHeritage. If you are considering uploading your DNA data, you should read her blog at The Legal Genealogist.

One requested consent is required to allow the use of your DNA in matching. The other covers use of your DNA and non-identifying personal information in current or future "research". That consent is not required to use the DNA matching. Judy has done a fine job describing the issues around this consent and I urge you to read it carefully.

2015 DNA Day sale at AncestryDNA

The AncestryDNA autosomal DNA test is $79.00 through the 27th of April, 2015. The announcement is here http://dna.ancestry.com/?o_xid=57463&o_lid=57463&o_sch=Social

AncestryDNA new features: New Ancestor Discoveries and DNA Circles

Ancestry has a new feature called "New Ancestor Discoveries (NAD)". This is a misnomer since the NAD can be an ancestor or a relative. 

I have one NAD, with the surname of Walker, who married a James Ball. I have James as a 1st cousin 4 times removed and the NAD is listed in my program as his wife but without parents. I'll build this out to see if she and I are related. What I have found is her Walker family was in VA/WVa while mine are from MD to NC to TN and KY.

Earlier Ancestry rolled out DNA Circles consisting of people with DNA connections leading back to the same ancestor or couple. Not everyone in a Circle will have a DNA connection to each other but everyone will connect to someone else in the Circle. I have 24 circles, 5 for GGGps, 10 for GGGGPs, and 9 for GGGGGPs, with the earliest born in 1743; 291 green hints; 502 4th cousins or closer; and 179 pages of matches.

What I would like to do, is to confirm the maiden names and parents of some of my 16 GGGGmothers in Whitley and Pike Co.s, KY; Campbell and Fentress Co.s TN: 

Nancy Ann was wife of Jabez Perkins according to a deed and to the recorded renunciation of his will. Often named as a Creekmore or a White; 

Elizabeth S. was the wife of William Campbell according to the census; 

Who were the parents of Abigail Pennington named as the "consort" of Abraham Strunk in the 1826 divorce of Lucy Strunk and Abraham Strunk. Some call her Abigail Daugherty. Some think she was a sister or daughter of Wells Pennington. Abraham Strunk and Wells Pennington came to Whitley Co., KY together from Ashe Co., NC; 

What is the maiden name of Isabell/a "Nancy", wife of John D. Swain?; 

Who are the parents of Margaret Bagley or Begley, wife of Elias Kidd, married in Tazewell Co., VA?; 

and who are the parents of Susan Hayes, wife of Zorababel Stephens?. So far, none of them have Circles although two of the husbands do. 

In the GGGGGmothers, who are the parents of Elizabeth King, wife of James Harvey May, aka as "Emanuel Mills", in Records of Trials in the Old Bailey; James Harvey May is my most recent know European immigrant ancestor, coming to America from Middlesex Gaol in 1771 on the prisoner ship Justitia. James Harvey May has a Circle.

And I'll repeat myself, AncestryDNA needs a Chromosome Browser!

My current autosomal matching results at AncestryDNA, 23andMe and Family Tree DNA (FTDNA)

My current test stats:

AncestryDNA

• 298 pages of matches with 50 people per page for approximately 14,900 persons. Only two given as 2nd cousins. Neither one confirmed yet. No family tree and one private.
  
• 6 pages of Hints. I have gone through 4 pages checking the pedigree links. Waiting for a known 2nd cousin's results.
  

23andMe

• 2879 matches.
  
• approximately 380 sharing genomes
  
• approximately 30 relationships found in pedigrees.
  
• 3 known first cousins. Matching range from 17.9% to 15.9 to 12.5% 42, 42, 35 segments.
  
• 1 known second cousin, 3.10%, 13 segments.
  
• 2 known third cousins, 3.05% and 1.49%, 13 and 4 segments.
  
• 5 known third cousins once removed. Range is 2.45%, 1.32, 1.26, 0.78, 0.52 and 11, 4, 6, 3, 3 segments.
  
• Some of these are related through both of my parents.
  
• Waiting for a half-first cousin's results to get my paternal grandmother's mtDNA haplogroup and find out if one of her maternal ancestors was Native American.
  

FTDNA

• 113 pages at 10 people per page for approximately 1130 FF matches.
  
• Closest unknown match is predicted 2-4th cousin. 73 cM.
  
• 10 X matches 2 males and 8 females. Relationships not found.
  
• 15 Know relationships.
  

My 2nd cousin's 23andMe Countries of Ancestry graphic is much more complete than mine at 5cM and 1+ ancestor including Colonials.

Big failure at all services:

• No or incomplete family tree. This should at least cover the Great Grandparents and better, the Great Great Grandparents.
  
• Let us know if you are adopted so we can help you.
  
• Check setting to be sure Private is only applied to living persons.
  
• No dates or locations given makes it hard to match a person.
  
• If at 23andMe, include info on Rootsweb or Ancestry tree or GEDMATCH in your Profile.
  
• Response rate is low at all services.
  

Ancestry.com to end Y DNA and mtDNA testing. Will continue autosomal DNA testing [AncestryDNA]

Posted at the Ancestry.com Blog:

We’re always looking to focus our efforts in a way that provide the most impact, while also delivering the best service and best product experience to users. To that end, we’ve decided to retire some of our services: MyFamily, MyCanvas, Genealogy.com, Mundia and the Y-DNA and mtDNA tests.
We will note that the AncestryDNA (autosomal) test will continue to be available for purchase. Only the y-DNA and mtDNA tests will be retired.
- See more at: http://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry#sthash.OkwjiAEU.dpuf

Multiple cousins shown at AncestryDNA (UPDATE)

The problem reported below has been corrected.If you have multiple connections to a cousin, the separate connections are now correctly marked for the degree of relationship.

Like numerous others I received two additional pages of Hints today at AncestryDNA. In examining the matches I have found that AncestryDNA is now showing all multiple matches at the furthest degree of relationship. As an example I have one person who is a 3rd cousin once removed and a 6th cousin on another line. When I open the match each is shown as a 6th cousin even though there are two different lines of relationship.

There were two 3rd cousins in my predicted 4th to 6th cousin Hinted match list.

I have started using the Note section to tag the match with the person's name, the degree of relationship and the name of the person or couple the relationship is from.

I now have 5 pages of Hints out of 182 pages of matches. Needless to say, I'll never get through looking at all of those pages of matches.

Human Reference Genome Build 37 and FTDNA

It appears that the conversion to build 37 of the Human Reference Genome has been completed by Family Tree DNA. I say this based on the following:

In Build 36 I had 483 matches in Family Finder;
After the first stage of the conversion I had 423 matches, then 438 and finally 443. This week I have 538 Family Finder matches.
I have identified the common ancestor/s with 14 matches.

At 23andme I have 1825 matches and have identified the common ancestor with 16.

At AncestryDNA I have 4100+ matches and have identified the common ancestor in the pedigrees with over 100 matches. I am looking forward to getting segment location and sizes from AncestryDNA so I can make a better comparison with FTDNA's Family Finder and 23andme's Relative Finder.

All three autosomal DNA raw results are now reported in Build 37.

DNA testing for genetic genealogy: some new prices

Family Tree DNA, FTDNA, has changed the price of the 12 marker Y chromosome test to $49.00 as of 1 April 2013. This is the first test a male might take in determining his male line genetic ancestry. 12 marker test should be upgraded to 37, 67, or 111 markers for greater accuracy in determining the correct male line. This test gives a haplotype and a haplogroup for your male ancestry.

FTDNA has announced they will have a lower priced mitochondrial, mtDNA, test later this year.

The cost of their autosomal DNA test, Family Finder, has not been reduced. The test can be taken by both males and females and can find genetic connections back around 6 generations. At the 6th cousin level you will share less than 1% of your DNA with a 6th cousin.

23andMe has reduced the cost of their autosomal DNA test, Relative Finder, to $99.00. People outside of the United States should look at the shipping cost before placing the order. The reduction from $299.00 has made this a more affordable test. The results of the Relative Finder test are similar to Family Finder.

AncestryDNA, a part of Ancestry.com, has reduced the cost of their autosomal DNA test to $99.00. It is not available to persons outside of the USA. Using the pedigrees uploaded to Ancestry.com and a phasing formula developed by them, they are able to match DNA segments to pedigrees in their database. However, unlike FTDNA and 23andme, they do not provide a chromosome browser so you can see where your matches are on each chromosome. This means you could find a pedigree match but that person may not be the one you share DNA with.

Matches at 23andme, FTDNA, and AncestryDNA

As of tonight I have 1700 matches at 23andme; 486 matches at FTDNA; and 3630 matches at AncestryDNA. I have identified ancestors with about 20 people at 23andme; 16 people at FTDNA and approximately 100 at AncestryDNA. While I keep a spreadsheet of the chromosome and the match locations at 23andme and FTDNA, I can't do that with AncestryDNA until they release match locations later this year. This makes it difficult to determine who I have actually inherited the match from at AncestryDNA. As it is they do not show all of your shared ancestors when they provide the pedigree link. I have been entering all of the common ancestors for every match into my genealogy program. Ancestry really needs to make the match chromosomes, start and stop locations and centiMorgan (cM)lengths available to their customers.

Match statistics from FTDNA, 23andme and AncestryDNA

As of today I have:

467 matches at FTDNA on their Illumina V.3 chip;
1540 matches at 23andme on the Illumina V.2 chip;
1145 matches at 23andme on the Illumina V.3 chip;
2300-2350 matches at AncestryDNA on the Illumina V.3 chip:

Other than known 1st and 3rd cousins I had tested, my closest known matches are at the 3rd cousin level. I have a 2nd cousin match at 23andme who has not answered any invitations in 2 years. I have two predicted 2nd cousin matches at FTDNA who have not replied to emails and do not have pedigrees posted there. I have gotten through the first 27 of 47 match pages at Ancestry.com with many matches having either private trees, very small trees, or no trees. Very frustrating.

I spent this past weekend in Houston at the 8th FTDNA DNA Administrators Conference. I'll post a report later this week.

AncestryDNA: Comments from a non-US user

Debbie Kennett (whom I match on AncestryDNA) has a comment on the AncestryDNA service as it applies to non-US users:

http://cruwys.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/ancestrys-autosomal-test-now-available.html

AncestryDNA out of Beta. Opened to subscribers and non-subscribers in the USA.

AncestryDNA has dropped the BETA label and has opened their autosomal DNA test to Ancestry subscribers and non-subscribers in the USA. The cost to subscribers has increased from $99 to $129 and it is $199 for non-subscribers. There is a combo test and 6 month subscription for $249. AncestryDNA has recently announced they will provide results to those who test with them.

CeCe Moore has more details on her blog:

http://www.yourgeneticgenealogist.com/2012/10/ancestrydna-launch-and-other-related.html

An update on DNA matches

As of 3 Oct 2012:

440 matches in Family Finder at FTDNA.
1509 matches in Relative Finder at 23andm.com(sharing genomes with 450)
1750+ matches at AncestryDNA. I am slowly working through 38 pages of matches.

Most matches that have an identified Most Recent Common Ancestor (MRCA) are from the Boone, Creekmore, Ball, Moses and Barnes families. I descend from over 20 families of 17th century New Haven Colony.

My ancestry is 95% British Isles and then German, French, Norwegian/Finnish make up the rest. Immigrants settled in Connecticut, New Amsterdam, New Sweden, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and the Carolinas. Most were here in the 1600s. My most recent know ancestor was transported from Middlesex Gaol to Virginia in the 1760s for stealing cloth.

GeneTree Closing Notice

Dear GeneTree Customer,

You may have recently heard the exciting news that GeneTree has been acquired by AncestryDNA™ ( http://corporate.ancestry.com/press/press-releases/2012/05/ancestry.com-dna-launches/ ). As we redirect our efforts to the integration with AncestryDNA it will be necessary to discontinue the GeneTree.com website. However, as a valued GeneTree customer, you will be able to access GeneTree.com through the rest of this year, until January 1, 2013. Following this date, access to your account will no longer be available through the GeneTree site, so we recommend that you download your DNA results and pedigree data while the site is still available.

If you’d like to learn more about how to download and continue using your information and family tree outside of GeneTree, see click here To help answer some frequently asked questions, please visit our FAQs. We greatly appreciate you being a part of GeneTree and hope that you continue with your genetic genealogy and family history research.

Sincerely, The GeneTree Team

GeneTree Logo

http://genetree.com/ | genetreesupport@ancestry.com | +1.800.694.6805 | FAQ | Privacy

2480 South Main Street, Suite 200 Salt Lake City, UT 84115 USA

Status of the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, SMGF,genetic genealogy DNA Databases and GeneTree

Like many other people I participated in the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, Y DNA, mtDNA and autosomal DNA testing program.  Recently some of the principal people involved in that program moved to Ancestry.com and their DNA Ancestry program.  I wrote to the SMGF to ask about the status of their databases. With their permission, their reply is printed below :

Hello Steven,

Yes, the databases have been transferred to Ancestry.com. GeneTree will not be continuing; they have stopped taking orders and in the near future www.genetree.com will be taken down. There are not plans to automatically 'convert' GeneTree accounts into Ancestry.com accounts, so GeneTree customers will need to move their information over to Ancestry on an individual basis.

As far as the autosomal database is concerned, our autosomal tests were generated with older technology, making them incompatible with current industry standards. Therefore, they are not included in the autosomal service offered by AncestryDNA. We also don't plan on making them available via smgf.org.
Best regards,

SMGF

As of today, 1 June 2012, the Y DNA and mtDNA databases are still available at the SMGF site: http://smgf.org/ If you have tested I suggest you go and download your results and your matches. It is my understanding that people will be able to remove their results from the Ancestry.com databases if they so desire.

Ancestry launches Beta of DNA Ancestry

Today I received an email from Ancestry announcing the opening of the Beta phase of their autosomal DNA testing program.  The URL is http://dna.ancestry.com/ If you already subscribe to Ancestry.com you should receive the same email allowing your to signup for an invitation.  The cost is $99.00.  At the moment you do not get your raw data file. This may change when the service moves out of Beta. This appears to be in combination with their acquisition of GeneTree and their collaboration with the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation

The Press Release is here .