Ancestry DNA
#31
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
re: Ancestry DNA
My wife did a DNA test. There were rumours in her family that there was a native American Indian a few generations back. She does have a lot of the physical characteristics so it would make sense. Results came back with 100% European. There was an unexpected Italian trace that would align with that generation though. Now we all wonder if there was a swarthy Italian guy passing himself off as an Indian all those years ago.
Predictably, my test came back as follows:
99% European:
71% Great Britain
22% Ireland
Trace:
4% Europe West
1% Scandinavia
1% European Jewish
1% West Asia:
Trace:
1% Caucasus (listed as: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey)
I have a 'genetic community' of the Scots in Ulster and central Scotland (obviously), which now apparently has been expanded to include Nova Scotia for some reason, after rechecking my results
My wife's was about as predictable as mine. I don't remember her exact numbers but she came back 100% European with a breakdown vaguely like this:
59% Great Britain
12% Ireland
12% Scandinavia
7% Europe East
6% Iberian Peninsula
2% Finland/Russia
1% Europe West
<1% Nigeria
She had no genetic communities, but what was weird was that she only showed 1% Europe West, even though we know for a fact, as we've seen birth certificates and census results, that her great, great (possibly one more great) grandfather was born in Germany and her dad's line can be traced back to 1498 all in the Schleswig-Holstein region. The Scandinavian will have part of it as for a time that was in Denmark, I suppose, but she came back mostly Great Britain, while her dad's mum came back 72% Europe West. That's when she did the research and found out about how your 50% from each parent is random and you won't always match your grandparents' regional DNA, though Ancestry verified that her grandmother is, in fact, a direct relative.
Our son had the most interesting 'pie chart' though, as being part Mexican, he had 23% Native American DNA, along with his European and a smattering of North African, Nigerian and Senegalese trace regions. His genetic community was the "Mexicans in Durango and Chihuahua", which matches exactly where his paternal grandmother was from.
We got a set for my dad, for him to take when he comes out to visit in the summer, just to get a bit more of a picture of where my DNA comes from.
#33
re: Ancestry DNA
She had no genetic communities, but what was weird was that she only showed 1% Europe West, even though we know for a fact, as we've seen birth certificates and census results, that her great, great (possibly one more great) grandfather was born in Germany and her dad's line can be traced back to 1498 all in the Schleswig-Holstein region.
In my wife's case we are talking 4 generations back, which mean 1/16 of genetic markers are expected from this guy. I don't know how many they use, so while it is possible she got none it is less likely with more markers.
#34
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
re: Ancestry DNA
DNA doesn't care whose name is written in the father section of the birth certificate. My mum's friend found out that her dad wasn't her real dad after a blood test, but with both parents dead she has no idea what the circumstances were. Family tree says one thing, reality is often hushed up.
Or, of course, they might have had no Native American relatives at all. She may never really get an answer to that one.
#35
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,848
re: Ancestry DNA
Did you know that Ancestory.com was originally started up by a couple of Mormon students and that most of the other genealogy websites (eg. Familysearch.org, Findagrave.com) were started up and are mainly owned and staffed by Mormons?
The reasons for this are twofold:
1: To make money - for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (aka Mormon Chuch). They collect records of people at no cost to them, which is their business model.
2: (And this creeps me out): To entice people to share genealogical records so that the LDS church members can proxy-baptize the dead.
Mormons have some weird belief that they can baptize someone even if they have died, going back as many generations as they possibly can. If this is done they are retroactively granted admission into the Mormon afterlife, therefore lots of Mormons try to baptize their non-Mormon ancestors as Mormons.
OTOH the Mormons did start much of the database for genealogical research in the United States today and it seems they are spreading their net to other countries too. There is a history about Ancestry.com on Wikipedia (yes I know it’s not an authoritative source, but there is a lot of surprising info about Ancestry.com if you type it into their search engine).
So from what I’ve learned about Ancestry.com they’re not having my money! I have friends who are gay and due to the Mormons anti-gay stance they won’t have anything to do with these websites either.
Btw my son’s fiancée was adopted as a new born baby and was born in Mexico. She tells me that she has absolutely no interest in trying to trace her parents even though she has had some health problems (I suspect that the biological parents may have been quite poor and she was raised by affluent parents, so would prefer not to know her origins)
The reasons for this are twofold:
1: To make money - for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (aka Mormon Chuch). They collect records of people at no cost to them, which is their business model.
2: (And this creeps me out): To entice people to share genealogical records so that the LDS church members can proxy-baptize the dead.
Mormons have some weird belief that they can baptize someone even if they have died, going back as many generations as they possibly can. If this is done they are retroactively granted admission into the Mormon afterlife, therefore lots of Mormons try to baptize their non-Mormon ancestors as Mormons.
OTOH the Mormons did start much of the database for genealogical research in the United States today and it seems they are spreading their net to other countries too. There is a history about Ancestry.com on Wikipedia (yes I know it’s not an authoritative source, but there is a lot of surprising info about Ancestry.com if you type it into their search engine).
So from what I’ve learned about Ancestry.com they’re not having my money! I have friends who are gay and due to the Mormons anti-gay stance they won’t have anything to do with these websites either.
Btw my son’s fiancée was adopted as a new born baby and was born in Mexico. She tells me that she has absolutely no interest in trying to trace her parents even though she has had some health problems (I suspect that the biological parents may have been quite poor and she was raised by affluent parents, so would prefer not to know her origins)
#36
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,452
re: Ancestry DNA
Did you know that Ancestory.com was originally started up by a couple of Mormon students and that most of the other genealogy websites (eg. Familysearch.org, Findagrave.com) were started up and are mainly owned and staffed by Mormons?
The reasons for this are twofold:
1: To make money - for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (aka Mormon Chuch). They collect records of people at no cost to them, which is their business model.
2: (And this creeps me out): To entice people to share genealogical records so that the LDS church members can proxy-baptize the dead.
Mormons have some weird belief that they can baptize someone even if they have died, going back as many generations as they possibly can. If this is done they are retroactively granted admission into the Mormon afterlife, therefore lots of Mormons try to baptize their non-Mormon ancestors as Mormons.
OTOH the Mormons did start much of the database for genealogical research in the United States today and it seems they are spreading their net to other countries too. There is a history about Ancestry.com on Wikipedia (yes I know it’s not an authoritative source, but there is a lot of surprising info about Ancestry.com if you type it into their search engine).
So from what I’ve learned about Ancestry.com they’re not having my money! I have friends who are gay and due to the Mormons anti-gay stance they won’t have anything to do with these websites either.
Btw my son’s fiancée was adopted as a new born baby and was born in Mexico. She tells me that she has absolutely no interest in trying to trace her parents even though she has had some health problems (I suspect that the biological parents may have been quite poor and she was raised by affluent parents, so would prefer not to know her origins)
The reasons for this are twofold:
1: To make money - for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (aka Mormon Chuch). They collect records of people at no cost to them, which is their business model.
2: (And this creeps me out): To entice people to share genealogical records so that the LDS church members can proxy-baptize the dead.
Mormons have some weird belief that they can baptize someone even if they have died, going back as many generations as they possibly can. If this is done they are retroactively granted admission into the Mormon afterlife, therefore lots of Mormons try to baptize their non-Mormon ancestors as Mormons.
OTOH the Mormons did start much of the database for genealogical research in the United States today and it seems they are spreading their net to other countries too. There is a history about Ancestry.com on Wikipedia (yes I know it’s not an authoritative source, but there is a lot of surprising info about Ancestry.com if you type it into their search engine).
So from what I’ve learned about Ancestry.com they’re not having my money! I have friends who are gay and due to the Mormons anti-gay stance they won’t have anything to do with these websites either.
Btw my son’s fiancée was adopted as a new born baby and was born in Mexico. She tells me that she has absolutely no interest in trying to trace her parents even though she has had some health problems (I suspect that the biological parents may have been quite poor and she was raised by affluent parents, so would prefer not to know her origins)
Other religions take discovering and memorialising the ancestors very seriously, too. For those who have Jewish ancestors, or Jews in their family, Jewishgen is a superb resource. (It's free to use, too, although they do welcome paid memberships.)
I do think the LDS are owed a debt of gratitude for collecting, collating and making available all of the record sets that they have in their care. Parish records, BMD records, and many obscure data sets - some of which might have been lost if the LDS hadn't identified & copied them years ago.
#37
re: Ancestry DNA
She could still have a Native American relative. I don't want to go too much into it because it'll bore you to tears if it's not something you're interested in but although we inherit 50% of our DNA from our mother and father, it's a random 50%, which is itself composed of a random 50% they themselves inherited from their parents. Any Native American DNA markers may simply not have been passed on to her parents, but an uncle/aunt or great uncle/aunt may have got them.
#38
re: Ancestry DNA
Not see much point in doing mine, I know I'm 100% a**hole and that there's a good chance most of my forebears were too.
#39
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,452
#40
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
#41
re: Ancestry DNA
Actually both 23 and me and the Ancestry kits were on sale for $50.
I'm just amazed reading this thread at how many people (Americans and one Brit) who believe they have North American Native American ancestors.
As for the LSD, they can baptize me every day for the rest of their existence. It doesn't make me a member of their dysfunctional institution
I'm just amazed reading this thread at how many people (Americans and one Brit) who believe they have North American Native American ancestors.
As for the LSD, they can baptize me every day for the rest of their existence. It doesn't make me a member of their dysfunctional institution
#42
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
re: Ancestry DNA
Then there's my son, who has confirmed Native American ancestry because he's half Mexican on his biological father's side
#43
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,452
re: Ancestry DNA
Actually both 23 and me and the Ancestry kits were on sale for $50.
I'm just amazed reading this thread at how many people (Americans and one Brit) who believe they have North American Native American ancestors.
As for the LSD, they can baptize me every day for the rest of their existence. It doesn't make me a member of their dysfunctional institution
I'm just amazed reading this thread at how many people (Americans and one Brit) who believe they have North American Native American ancestors.
As for the LSD, they can baptize me every day for the rest of their existence. It doesn't make me a member of their dysfunctional institution
As for our ancestors - in 1800, there were probably approximately 300 people around who were my direct ancestors. (Well, maybe 600 or 1,000, since at any one time two or three generations are living?) The chance of at least one of them being a Native American, or having Native American ancestry is probably substantial.
#44
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,452
re: Ancestry DNA
Take Jay Silverheels for instance. He was a Jew from NYC, so it's equal opportunity.
#45
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
re: Ancestry DNA
While I know I have no North American ancestry as I'm basically all Scottish, I'd still love to know why my genetic community was expanded to show Nova Scotia, unless that was just a common place for Scots to migrate to in the past.
Apparently it tells me I have a bunch of possible 3rd to 10th (or something) cousins floating around on the site as well, but I'm not sure just how related we all actually are.
Apparently it tells me I have a bunch of possible 3rd to 10th (or something) cousins floating around on the site as well, but I'm not sure just how related we all actually are.