"Genetic genealogy is the use of DNA profiling or DNA testing in combination with traditional genealogical methods to infer biological relationships between individuals. Genetic genealogy involves the use of genealogical DNA testing to determine the level and type of the genetic relationship between individuals. This application of genetics became to be used by family historians in the 21st century, as tests became affordable. The tests have been promoted by amateur groups, such as surname study groups, or regional genealogical groups, as well as research projects such as the genographic project."
I have personally used genetic genealogy to verify the information collected within my own Ogston family tree. Ancestry DNA tests are a great way to find matches, confirm information in your tree, or even just learn about your own ethnicity, etc.
At the time of writing this post there are numerous companies that can perform DNA tests for you. The main ones are Ancestry DNA, Family Tree DNA, MyHeritage, 23andMe, and Living DNA.
Ancestry DNA has the largest database of people that have been tested and also has the largest dataset that they test from for your ethnicity, etc. This is who I tested with and I have found hundreds of matches and confirmed multiple lines of ancestors using their website.
Once you have performed a DNA test with Ancestry or one of the other sites you can also download your DNA data. This will allow you to upload your DNA to other websites such as MyHeritage, FTDNA, and more. In doing this you will be able to find even more matches with people who may have only tested with one particular company.
Whichever company you choose, know that each site has its own pros and cons. Be sure to read reviews or speak to someone who has tested with one of the companies before purchasing. Some of the companies such as FTDNA and LivingDNA also provide Paternal and Maternal haplogroup testing which may be more beneficial if you are only trying to trace one particular line. The majority of the sites perform Autosomal DNA tests which gathers your DNA from all sides of your family and is best for overall genetic genealogy. Either way, the decision is yours and you can always test with multiple companies if required.
To learn more about Genetic Genealogy you can visit the sites below:
Genetic Genealogy on Wikipedia
Genetic Genealogy on ISOGG
To see the various DNA testing companies you can visit the sites below:
This is not a sponsored or affiliate post.