Genealogy Chat

Just wondered if anyone has even done DNA testing for genealogy, would be interested to do this but need to find out more about it.

What does it actually tell you, where is the best website to get one and the best one to get etc.


Would be grateful for any information from anyone who has had experience with one of these, thinking of getting one for Christmas maybe.

Thanks, Marilyn

DNA Testing at present will only tell you where abouts in the world your ancestors came from ie you may have ancestors who 1000 years ago came over from Scandinavia, Germanic areas, or Africa (this is even farther back).

There is no central DNA database whereby you could find relatives at present that would be illegal.

And unless other members of your family did DNA testing with you what would you want to know? You know who your family are (and if by some quirk someones DNA brought up a question around their paternity that could prove to be very embarassing for all)

I personally think you would be wasting your money. But I would suggest that you google and do a lot of reasearch to see what you can actually learn from DNA and then decide. Do not look at any US sites, stick to those in the UK. So I would google 'DNA Testing UK'. Sadly many US sites will have a tendency to overstate what you will find out.

As always I would say Buyer Beware - do your research :-D

DNA testing to find your ancesters is about as accurate as the rule 7. that means for every 7 people you meet you share 1 common ancestor, so there are 7 billion people in the world, so you share 1 common ancestor with a billion of them.when you work back through the DNA. your DNA is 50% of your father and 50% of mothers , now work it out if you co back 20 or 30 generations or more work out the percentage of DNA your share with them, the results would become in accurate and we dont have a DNA pool going back that far

Thanks `Piglets Pal` and Robert. I think you may have turned me off that idea, seems a lot of money if I dont find out anything definite.

I have gone back as far as about 1765 with my surname, verified through certificates and parish records and just come to a stand still really. Thought I may be able to go back further through having this DNA thing done. I have done some research on it, some good, some bad but just wanted a few opinions.

Funnily enough, apart from one Jonathan and one James, all the rest are John Williams, so it is such a common name.

Thanks again for your help and advice.

Marilyn