Has anyone done DNA tests

Ancestry is so huge now that their accuracy is improving all the time. Expensive, yes, but the village in Ireland where my folks were from was there on the ethnicity map. I guess because so many American emigres are tracing their roots and famine ships left from the port of Sligo, there is more to go on than ever before.
www.sligoheritage.com/Archcoffinships.htm
Poignant in view of refugees today.

I did Ancestry, and came back as a mix of all the Celtic nations with no English background - a surprise as my father traced his family several centuries back to a small English village where they had a strong presence. DD found an extra living relative on her paternal side, the wider family were aware but we hadn’t been told.

It is almost a year since the OP posted this thread. I would love to know whether you went ahead with DNA and whether you found anything of interest Molly.

I am not interested in DNA for ethnicity. One or both parents may have ethnicities that they didn’t end up passing down. Most of our great-great-grandparent’s DNA was not passed down to us. This is because from our great-great grandparent’s generation down to us, we inherited DNA from 15 other people too. And since the DNA we receive is random, we don’t inherit a neat 50% of each ethnicity. There are some ethnicities we may not inherit from them at all. This is why we can have ancestors who came from regions we may not have DNA ethnicities from.

What can be useful for family tree research is DNA which links us to other Ancestry members via Ancestry ThruLines. It can help break down genealogical brick walls. You need to evalute the links Ancestry provide. So long as the other members have done accurate research, it can be invaluable.

tanith

I’ve done it nothing unexpected popped up just some cousins I knew about and my Grandson.

A very close friend discovered the identity of his biological father through a DNA test with Ancestry. He was contacted by a first cousin he’d never heard of, and it went from there. Mystery solved.

DNA test is easy. Good sites are Ancestry and 23andme. You can set up one, then transfer your data to the other at a lower cost. I find it is hard work trying to decifer the cousins etc, maternal or paternal etc and it can be addictive but fun ?

I ve recently done mine which was predominately English Swedish Denmark and Norway no big surprises there but my granddaughter has done here has no English dna surely she should have inherited some from me !!!
Any answers on a postcard

Yes, I have done my DNA through ANCESTRY and wish I'd never spit in that tube and sent it off.

The reason for doing my DNA was to find who my biological father is, so all I can advise is be prepared. To me it was like opening Pandora's box.

My reply sounds depressing, I'm sorry, I don't mean it to be, many, many people have been evermore thankful for doing it.

All the very best if you go ahead and do it.

The whole family did 23 and me - very interesting results - especially the medical side - reassuring for me as well. I have a slightly increased risk of Celiac but nothing else on their various tests.

I found out why coriander/cilantro tastes like soap to me - genetic - and was so accurate on 'tendency to have' blonde hair, green eyes, freckles, the muscle type of an elite athlete - and to wake at 6 am!

When I did community teaching, the basic IT classes in libraries naturally led on to making good use of the free access to Ancestry available.

The learners were mainly retired and lovely 'after -class club groups' and friendships formed (with tea and biscuit breaks of course). Happy times!

I haven't, but my daughter has. All the expect results, except for our Breton side came back as Irish/Scottish. I guess the Celtic genes are strong (my dad being red-head freckled Breton), but the company hadn't nailed down enough results from Brittany.

BlueBelle

I ve recently done mine which was predominately English Swedish Denmark and Norway no big surprises there but my granddaughter has done here has no English dna surely she should have inherited some from me !!!
Any answers on a postcard

Is your granddaughter the child of your son or daughter?

I used ANCESTRY and I am happy with the results. Don’t forget that in certain counties, for example France, it is illegal to do a DNA test. There is the fear that it will destroy families.

BlueBelle

I ve recently done mine which was predominately English Swedish Denmark and Norway no big surprises there but my granddaughter has done here has no English dna surely she should have inherited some from me !!!
Any answers on a postcard

You would think that, logistically, your grandchildren would inherit 25% of your DNA as they inherit about half from each parent, but it doesn't work like that.
One grandchild might inherit more from one grandparent than another and she might not have inherited that part of your English genes. She may have inherited a larger proportion from her other three grandparents.

My brother and I did ours.
Immediate relations were as expected.
I didn’t have time etc to research fully into the past but my brother who is retired and loves all this stuff spent a good few years doing research on line, visiting the registry offices etc
He trace my Dads side way back and discovered that we are related by marriage to Ulysses Grant!
I’m not impressed lol

I did a DNA test back in 2016 after my DM had died, to check whether my DDad was actually my biological father. I believed him not to be because I have hereditary medical problems not present in either my DM or DF's families.

The test showed that in fact there was a Non Parental Event in the 1870s and I have acquired a whole new family, who look like me and my DDad.

It also confirmed my research in several areas, but I've seen the post above advising against it and I would say you have to be careful.

I did it recently and have started my family tree on ancestry.

My late mum used to tell us about our Romany ancestry, which she related to the ‘Thakes ’ in our family tree. There are books and sites which help people to trace Romany ancestry through family names, but never Thake.
You have prompted me to wonder if DNA might help?

The name Thake in England drives from thatcher. The biggest concentration of the name at the end of the 19C was in Herts and Essex. Ancestry list Hake, Taake, Thate, Shake, Thane, Thaker, Chae, Hale, Blake, Hare as similar names. DNA can link you to other researchers on Ancestry which can help to break through brick walls in family trees research.

No, one of my parents was adopted and finding out who their birth parents were, did not work out. Believe me, it's not all wonderful, heartwarming, family reunions like you see on some fantasy TV programme. You do not always like or are able to deal with what you find out. I would think very carefully before doing this and don't think for one moment that long-lost family are going to be delighted you exist. Even if you do meet, you have no shared past and end up with absolutely nothing in common or, you cannot stand them. Then what? Your expectations can be one thing, someone elses another. I also wonder what exactly do these companies do with your DNA? Not something I will ever be doing. Safer to research through documentation and/or Parish Records.

I did a DNA test with Ancestry and was very disappointed, I understand I ‘could be’ related to everyone and their dog.

OakDryad

The name Thake in England drives from thatcher. The biggest concentration of the name at the end of the 19C was in Herts and Essex. Ancestry list Hake, Taake, Thate, Shake, Thane, Thaker, Chae, Hale, Blake, Hare as similar names. DNA can link you to other researchers on Ancestry which can help to break through brick walls in family trees research.

Thank you Oak Dryad. That’s really helpful. (Only just caught up with the thread.)

Ladygrace me too it didn’t tell me anything much I didn’t know already
Many many years ago long before DNA testing my then boyfriend who was adopted wanted to find out where he came from he got a name for his mother and I went with him to meet her she had no idea who his father was as she was a prostitute He didn’t get on with her at all and never had any relationship with her he did find a couple of sisters but they never became very close either
You’re right pepper it’s not always wonderful

The important thing with family history and DNA testing too is to find out the truth. The truth is everything. I would never want to live under an illusion or a lie, thinking I was someone I was not. The truth may not always bring happiness but to know who you really are is the most important thing that will ever happen to you.

You will only find relations if they have taken a DNA test. For instance only one of my many first cousins has done so.

More and more people seem to be taking the test, my DNA results have updated about three times in the past month. I'm sorry none of my American relatives haven't tested yet, I would like to know more about my late Uncle.