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If you’re a genealogist, you know Christmas is drawing near when you start seeing more ads for DNA testing kits.
For years now, they have been popular holiday gifts. In fact, more and more specialized versions keep coming out, and the prices have been falling. I like them. They can be quite useful for providing vital information. I’ve gotten a lot of use out of my test.
But, once again, let me remind all my fellow genealogists (and aspiring genealogists) of what exactly they are giving or getting.
Typically, you provide a saliva sample and you get back (after some time) a map or diagram of the places in the world where DNA similar to yours is most commonly found. But that does not mean you should then go around saying “I’m Irish” or “I’m Middle Eastern – case closed.”
Here’s the key concept. No matter what the test shows, you still have to get down to the difficult work of tracing your specific ancestors. That’s because all DNA testing does is give you a good likelihood that you had ancestors at some point in the area marked by circles or colors or numbers or whatever other marking device the particular company uses.
But the test won’t tell you the order in which your ancestors lived in various places or when they left the last one to come to America. All it will tell you is that at some point you very likely had ancestors there in that area (which might be quite large).
Bottom line: Armed with that information, you can now focus your research on a fairly limited part of the world. Yes, you still have to solve the problems of exactly when and where those ancestors lived within those broad regions. So, deploy the census records, the history books, the church documents, the maps, the immigration records, the land deeds and everything else a genealogist uses.
But now, you’ve got a focused start.
The ideal, of course, is to get your DNA mapping and your genealogy research aligned. That will likely take years.
Why do successive DNA tests sometimes show different results? Your DNA can be complex, with many strands representing ancestors over centuries or more. The “when” is something you have to find. Get to work. Gradually, a pattern will emerge. You’ll begin to see the history of your family lines unfolding as your DNA results and your genealogical research begin to align.
Of course, whether buying a kit for yourself or for someone else, you’ll face other questions. Do you want a test that isolates maternal or paternal lines or gives all results? Should you avoid kits whose results will go public? Are you interested in getting lots of cousin updates? Does the person to whom you’re giving the kit understand exactly how to get the most out of DNA?
Trite though it sounds, a DNA test kit can be the gift that keeps on giving.
Genealogical Society News: The Northeast Pennsylvania Genealogical Society’ last open day for 2022 will be Dec. 1. It will then close for the holiday season and reopen Jan. 12, 2023. The policy of assigning research times by appointment only and for members only will continue. Follow the society on its Facebook page. To request an appointment or to get research help, use the society’s email address of [email protected].
Historic Tours: Don’t forget the annual tours of the 18th-century Denison House (Forty Fort) coming up Dec. 11. Information is on the Luzerne County Historical Society website.
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Tom Mooney is a Times Leader genealogy writer. Reach him at [email protected].