Fish in All the Ponds

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Fish in all the DNA ponds

We've heard this advice; do we use it? Most often it is given about DNA testing. No matter what company you choose to test with first, download your raw DNA results and then upload to all the sites which allow uploads that fit your research goals.

If you have the funds, test at both Ancestry and 23andMe. Neither allow uploads, and they have the largest databases. If you are using DNA testing for genealogy research, your goal is the most matches possible, and "fishing in all the ponds" accomplishes that goal. You can download your results from either Ancestry or 23andMe or both, and upload to:
  • FamiyTreeDNA - the earliest DNA testing company, and most often used by researchers. The only choice for Y and mitochondrial testing. Upload is free.
  • MyHeritage - most used by Europeans and is the top choice by those who do not want law enforcement to have access to their DNA results and matches. Upload is free.
  • LivingDNA - the newcomer on the list; based in the UK; has the strongest English, Irish and Scots matching database. Upload is free.
  • Gedmatch - best place to compare with cousins who tested at different companies. Offers tools to analyze your DNA results that no other site offers. Upload is free.
  • Wikitree does not take raw DNA data uploads, however, you can link your DNA kits *and* show proven DNA lines, if your cousins who also tested confirm it.

Fish in all the DNA test ponds

Depending on your research brick walls, you may want to also consider Y and mitochondrial DNA tests, which are less common, more costly and provided only by FamilyTreeDNA. If you are trying to find a missing father somewhere in your tree, consider finding a test subject to do a Y-dna test. The best subject will be the closest in the paternal line descendancy. A good video about Y is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5xHtppMNJY

Maternal-line questions can be answered or clarified using mitochondrial DNA tests. Since mtDNA changes extremely slowly it probes very far in the past, so is less useful for recent questions. Roberta Estes has an excellent series of blog posts beginning here: https://dna-explained.com/2019/05/16/mitochondrial-dna-part-1-overview/

Listen!


Fish in all the genealogy and family history research ponds

We often neglect the most basic advice we give to beginners: ask your oldest relatives. Holiday visits are a great time to do this: bring some photos, ask a few questions, turn on your phone's recorder and just listen.

Reach out to those cousins; share a photo or a story, invite them to your online tree, ask them to fix any errors you have made or add their memories and images. 




Fish in all the genealogy ponds by putting trees everywhere

These can be small trees. Make your profile at each site inviting so that cousins can contact you. An email and your gedmatch kit number along with a nice photo are great! By everywhere, I mean upload a gedcom* to:
Important: care for your tree in FamilySearch, by which I mean find or upload source material, photos, obituaries for each person. Ensure that at least your direct line is correct; merge duplicate profiles, fill holes as you find them, and detach mistaken transplants. Why this is important to your research: https://skcgs.blogspot.com/2019/11/why-i-use-familysearch-family-tree-and.html

Fish in all the ponds for records

While trying to track down a relative who seems to be hiding, hopping from site to site searching for records can yield great results. Sometimes the most minute bit of added information, such as a middle initial, birth or death year, or birth or death locality can lead to cracking open the information you seek. If you have not yet read https://skcgs.blogspot.com/2019/12/have-you-tried-ancestorsearch-on-google.html, get started using Google through that tool too! Ancestry, FamilySearch, MyHeritage, Newspapers.com and FindMyPast all have healthy record databases, and some are available free through the local library and/or Family History Center.


Fish for new skills

As our SKCGS President points out, we have to keep learning or we'll fall behind! Besides our upcoming Seminar, there are great new books, Youtube channels, webinars and podcasts all the time, along with blogs and Twitter projects. 

Fish in the biggest ponds first

If you have an Ancestry DNA kit, to make best use of it you must have a tree and connect your kit to YOU on your tree. The more completely you have "built down" your tree on Ancestry, the more useful it will be to you in your DNA work, and the easier it will be to correctly place all your matches on your tree. More about that at https://www.yourdnaguide.com/ydgblog/2019/8/27/how-to-build-the-best-family-tree-for-dna-matches. Ancestry DNA is by far the largest DNA match database, so it is usually the best place to start. Unfortunately they do not offer DNA segment information, so if you need that for your work, you will need to download your raw data and upload as discussed above.

The second-largest DNA database is 23andme, where both tree features are in beta. If you have already weeded and pruned your FamilySearch tree for your direct line at least, you can easily opt into the beta and link to that tree. See https://skcgs.blogspot.com/2019/10/23andme-wants-you.html for details. Your Family TreeBETA is not yet ready for use, in my opinion, but shows promise.  

MyHeritage is good for both research and DNA matches, and they have good tools for both. A warning -- their software does not allow merging multiple profiles, which makes building a tree there sometimes difficult and the biggest site drawback. In addition, family tree size is limited if you do not pay for a subscription. However, if you have recent immigrants from Europe, MyHeritage is a pond worth fishing in!

As the new year draws near, why not lay plans to fish in more ponds in 2020!

* If you have forgotten how to get or create a GEDCOM, see https://skcgs.blogspot.com/2019/02/ill-send-you-gedcom.html

Valorie Cowan Zimmerman

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