Maternal & Paternal DNA “Communities” Updated

New To-Do’s for April; Previews for May

April: Vital Records

  • Concentrate on vital records (birth, marriage, death certificates).
  • Order or obtain missing certificates.

May: Military Records

  • Research military records of ancestors.
  • Visit local archives or use online databases.

New Research: Largest Human Family Tree Identifies Nearly 27 Million Ancestors

“An international team of scientists combined genetic reports of 3,609 individual genome sequences from 215 populations around the globe to produce a massive family tree that identifies nearly 27 million ancestors and where they lived.” – Largest Human Family Tree Identifies Nearly 27 Million Ancestors | Smart News| Smithsonian Magazine

New To-Do’s for March; Preview for April

March: Census Records

  • Focus on census records. Extract information from various census years for your ancestors.
  • Try to locate alternatives for missing Census years

April: Vital Records

  • Concentrate on vital records (birth, marriage, death certificates).
  • Order or obtain missing certificates.

Record of Wikitree 2023 Additions

I’ve been holding onto these for a while, making sure there were no changes coming. I think I can call them “Final” at this point, so here are my additions to Wikitree last year, as well as a comparison to past years.

To-Do List for February; Preview for March

February: Interview Relatives

  • Reach out to relatives for interviews or follow-up discussions.
  • Gather family stories, anecdotes, and information.
  • Record for future use – audio tape, video, cell phone

March: Census Records

  • Focus on census records. Extract information from various census years for your ancestors.
  • Try to locate alternatives for missing Census years

New Feature: Month-by-month To-Do’s to help keep your research moving along smoothly

Genealogy research is an ongoing and often personal journey, and the specific projects you undertake can depend on your family history, interests, and the resources available to you. However, here’s the beginning of a general guide for a year-long plan of genealogy projects, broken down month by month:

January: Set Goals and Organize

· Set genealogy research goals for the year.

· Organize your research materials, notes, and documents.

· Create a research log or update existing ones.

COMING IN February: Interview Relatives

· Reach out to relatives for interviews or follow-up discussions.

· Gather family stories, anecdotes, and information.

DNA Testing – courtesy of ChatGPT: How do you rate it’s accuracy as an article?

DNA testing has become a valuable tool for genealogy research, helping individuals discover and connect with their ancestors, relatives, and ethnic origins. Here’s a beginner’s introduction to understanding DNA testing for genealogy:

Types of DNA Tests:

  1. Y-DNA Testing:
    • Purpose: Traces the direct paternal line (father’s father’s father, etc.).
    • Use: Particularly useful for researching surname lines and paternal ancestry.
    • Test Takers: Typically males (as the Y-chromosome is inherited from father to son).
  2. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Testing:
    • Purpose: Traces the direct maternal line (mother’s mother’s mother, etc.).
    • Use: Useful for exploring maternal ancestry and migration patterns.
    • Test Takers: Both males and females (but results only trace the maternal line).
  3. Autosomal DNA Testing:
    • Purpose: Analyzes a broad spectrum of DNA, providing information on both maternal and paternal lines.
    • Use: Most common for genealogy; helps find relatives across various ancestral lines.
    • Test Takers: Both males and females.
  4. X-DNA Testing:
    • Purpose: Examines the X-chromosome, which is inherited differently between males and females.
    • Use: Useful for understanding relationships on the X-chromosome, especially for genealogical purposes.
    • Test Takers: Both males and females.

Testing Companies:

  • AncestryDNA: Offers autosomal DNA testing, providing ethnicity estimates and cousin matches.
  • 23andMe: Provides autosomal DNA testing with a focus on health reports, traits, and ancestry.
  • FamilyTreeDNA: Offers a range of tests, including Y-DNA, mtDNA, and autosomal DNA testing.
  • MyHeritage DNA: Provides autosomal DNA testing with ethnicity estimates and relative matching.

Interpreting Results:

  1. Ethnicity Estimates:
    • Description: Provides an estimate of the geographical regions your ancestors may have come from.
    • Considerations: Results are estimates, and the accuracy can vary among testing companies.
  2. Cousin Matches:
    • Description: Identifies individuals who share DNA with you, indicating potential relatives.
    • Considerations: Collaborate with matches, build family trees, and communicate to explore common ancestry.
  3. Haplogroups:
    • Description: Indicates deep ancestral origins for Y-DNA and mtDNA tests.
    • Considerations: Useful for understanding ancient migration patterns.

Tips for Genealogical DNA Testing:

  1. Understand Test Types:
    • Choose the test that aligns with your research goals (autosomal for general ancestry, Y-DNA or mtDNA for specific lineage).
  2. Build a Family Tree:
    • Link your DNA results to a well-documented family tree to enhance the understanding of relationships.
  3. Connect with Matches:
    • Reach out to DNA matches, share information, and collaborate on family research.
  4. Stay Informed:
    • DNA testing and interpretation methodologies evolve. Stay informed about updates and new tools provided by testing companies.

Remember that DNA testing is just one tool in genealogy research, and it works best when combined with traditional research methods. As technology advances, new possibilities for genealogical discoveries may emerge.

Are You “Genealogically Defined?”

Robert Charles Anderson, FASG, Director of the Great Migration Study Project and author of Elements of Genealogical Analysis says a person is Genealogically Defined when “we have at least one piece of evidence that will lead to the identification of his or her parents, one piece of evidence for each spouse(s), and one piece of evidence for each child.”

1. Do you have a source that will identify the PARENTS?

2. Do you have a source for each SPOUSE?

3. Do you have a source for each CHILD?

If so, your profile is Genealogically Defined and has a great start on sourcing.

Notice that each of these sources is reciprocal with the person it connects. You can then put that same source on the connected person’s profile and begin the process again.

If every profile had this minimum standard, they become like puzzle pieces and can be linked to other profiles.  

GEDCOM File Has Been Repaired – Surname Database is Functioning Again

It doesn’t happen too often, but the Surname database under the GEDCOM link was corrupted somehow, and continuously gave false links to people other than who you were searching for. I have done some work in my personal database, and had enough new information to make it worthwhile to create a new Surname list. Enjoy…… and be sure to let me know if problems arise again.