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My kids got me an Ancestry DNA kit as a Christmas gift. I just got the results, and I was a bit surprised at what the majority of my heritage was (British/Irish). While I do have some lines that go back to the 1500s, they are on one side of my family and European (mostly German). I don’t know much about the other side of my family and research there has been difficult (and since I’m really not all that into it, I haven’t put in much effort). I did not get any of the “unknown relative” links the ads talk about, but I did get some links to others who have had the test and have similar DNA and it looks like I may have stumbled upon a family skeleton in the closet that has impeded some of my previous research on the side I don’t know much about. And alas, I am still an outsider, I still don’t seem to be related to any pioneers or GAs 
Just curious, has anyone else here done one of these DNA tests and what is your reaction?
(And just to be clear, I don’t believe in temple work for the dead and won’t be submitting any new names I might find.)
If you’re looking for LDS pioneers & GA’s use this web site: https://www.relativefinder.org/#/main You maybe surprised. I was.
I did try that link once, MM. I have not connected my Ancestry tree to my Family Search tree, so there’s not much for them to go on. DJ, If you post 2 or 3 generations on FamilySearch you may catch additional generations that other members have worked on. This was my experience. Everyone is working on the same line within your family. In the old days, the church had the “Name Extraction” program where names were basically “harvested” and sent to the temple. Some of my family had temple ordinances done 3 times.
Once I had 4 or 5 generations, I used Relative Finder & it really “blew my mind”. I don’t know how accurate it is.
We had Jewish ancestry when I did mine. It was so crazy. And totally cool. When I did the DNA test I found 1% from the Iberian peninsula (Spain). That was a surprise. I also got an email from someone in Chicago IL who was adopted as a baby. Now he was 40 or 50 (I’m guessing).
He didn’t know any of his blood relatives. The DNA test showed that we were 3rd or 4th cousins.
I told him that sometimes adoption can be arranged through & between families.
I encouraged him to talk to the oldest living relative in his adopted family & see if they know the family name he came from.
He wrote & told me the name & I recognized it immediately as the maiden name of my 2nd Great Grandmother.
I sent him a document with thousands of names from that family line going back before the Revolutionary War.
Family History is very interesting. It is one of those callings you can do within the church without having to go to meetings, training sessions, etc.
Turns out I did have my Family Search and Ancestry accounts linked but on Relative Finder I needed to click the “update tree” thing for some reason (it didn’t automatically download/link). So yes, I do have some pioneer lineage and relationship to a couple GA types (as well as some US presidents, Declaration signers, etc.). The Utah relatives are at best of the 8th cousin twice removed variety. I too have small percentages of European Jewish ancestry, which shouldn’t be a total surprise since I have many German ancestors and about 1/3 of my DNA is in that western European group. There is a bigger percentage of British DNA, with small (greater than 1%) amounts of Irish, Iberian Peninsula (a surprise), and Scandinavian. My wife, who has not yet had the test, has many Scandinavians in the genealogy she has completed so it would be interesting to see the results of one of our kids. I was a little surprised there was no Native American DNA in there, especially seeing as how I already knew I had pre-Revolutionary War ancestors and according to Relative Finder some Mayflower types. (My wife’s researched history includes Mayflower people).
I had recognized that some relatives have had temple ordinances done multiple times as well. I was just browsing Family Search yesterday and noticed that in the last few months my great-grandparents were done by someone in Utah (the whole works, baptism to sealing). I had done them back in the early 90s (again the whole thing). I suppose that’s another topic.
I agree that family history is the kind of calling one could do without having any real testimony or commitment (except in my ward where family history consultants are required to do shifts in the FHC). One of our mainstay consultants for many years wasn’t a member, but she was in the FHC whenever it was open. During my period of inactivity I was offered a FH calling but refused. I wasn’t all that interested in FH (and I’m really still not beyond some mild curiosity) and I definitely didn’t (and don’t) believe in the whole work for the dead thing. Extending the calling actually indicated to me that the leadership had no recognition of my thoughts, feelings, or desires. If I had been in the FHC sometimes, I could understand it – but this seemed to be much more motivated about the church’s “need” than mine. But I digress.
I have had the DNA testing done also. I don’t know if you knew this, but it only tracks one side of your ancestors, depending if you are female or male. If you are female it only tells you where your mothers side of the family is from. If you want to know where your fathers family is from you have to have your father or brothers take the test. So it is still possible you have german ancestors, it’s just that you will have to have someone in the family of the opposite sex tested. I hope that made since. lucysmack wrote:I have had the DNA testing done also. I don’t know if you knew this, but it only tracks one side of your ancestors, depending if you are female or male. If you are female it only tells you where your mothers side of the family is from. If you want to know where your fathers family is from you have to have your father or brothers take the test. So it is still possible you have german ancestors, it’s just that you will have to have someone in the family of the opposite sex tested. I hope that made since.
I do have German relatives in the research I have done – many of them. I don’t have tons of British relatives, but I have done much less research on my father’s side because there is less information available to me (I was born out of wedlock – scandalous in those days – and my father was absent). I am assuming the British/Irish part mostly comes from his side that I have not yet accessed. But there is that skeleton I’m hot on the trail of now.
(So those of you who have always thought I was a bastard are absolutely correct.
DarkJedi wrote:
(So those of you who have always thought I was a bastard are absolutely correct.To paraphrase Lee Marvin in “The Professionals” in some cases it’s due to an accident of birth and some are just self made men. I suspect you’re the former.
🙂 European mutt here, although British (my mother: Westover and Hudson) and Dutch/German (my father) are the largest percentages. I was going to do it, but them both my parents did it and sent me the results, so I just combined it for mine. No surprises, English/Irish on my dad’s side, and German on my mother’s side I suspect they are all a form of data collection. Did you read the small print? Don’t be surprised when you find the database is sold off to health insurers, and you get higher premiums because you carry the genes for whatever. Regarding the Iberian thing. Quite a few people from the Celtic Fringe carry ancient Iberian DNA so don’t be surprised if your roots are there.
SamBee wrote:I suspect they are all a form of data collection. Did you read the small print? Don’t be surprised when you find the database is sold off to health insurers, and you get higher premiums because you carry the genes for whatever.
Regarding the Iberian thing. Quite a few people from the Celtic Fringe carry ancient Iberian DNA so don’t be surprised if your roots are there.
As a matter of fact there is fine print (a privacy policy) which promises not to share the information with anyone. Of course rules are made to be broken and hacking is possible, so any conspiracy theories are not outside the realm of possibility. Because of the way our health insurance works I don’t see it affecting premiums anyway.
Thanks for the info on the Celtic Fringe, I was not aware of that. Irish is small percentage of my DNA, and while I have found some British relatives in my line (no royalty, some lords), I have found no direct Irish ancestors. I am by their estimation 40% British. I am, however, looking for ward to celebrating St. Patrick’s Day this year. Perhaps that heritage is why I like corned beef and cabbage so much
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