DNA testing recommendations ?

180567

Hi, just wondering if anyone could recommend any of the various DNA testing options that are now available? In the context of adopted people trying to find original parents etc Do they work and can they actually help locate siblings and extended family relations ? Or do they just give vague and general information. Like that you're such a percentage Irish etc.
Would anyone know which is the cheapest of them ? They seem pretty expensive so I wonder are they worth it in terms of the results they give.

Hermy

Hey 180567,

It might be worth posting in the Genealogy forum where this topic has been discussed many times.

I did the Ancestry DNA test which I think cost about €100 at the time.

I have made a number of connections but I can only be sure of those matches on my mothers side whose family I have already researched extensively since identifying her and prior to taking the test.

I may have matches on my fathers side but as I know nothing about him I just can't say for sure which among those matches are for my paternal side.

metaoblivia

My father was adopted and both he and I did an Ancestry DNA test last year. We had his original birth certificate, but his birth mother had put down the wrong name of his father, so we had absolutely nothing to go by for him.

The ethnicity breakdown was interesting, but ultimately the cousin matches solved the paternity mystery. We found several 1st cousins once removed matches, and many 2nd and 3rd cousin matches as well, on Ancestry and then also uploaded the results onto GEDmatch and MyHeritage and FamilyTree and we found a first cousin on MyHeritage.

That combined with the Ancestry records database, which provided records proving that my dad's birth mom and birth father were in the same town at the time he would have been conceived (important, because birth mom was from Massachusetts and birth dad was from Hawaii), helped seal the deal, so to speak. All the records and cousin matches lined up.

Bottom line - without DNA testing, we could never have figured out who my father's birth father was. If you're adopted and trying to find answers, I would recommend it. For Americans, Ancestry has the largest database, but I've heard FamilyTree has the largest database for Irish citizens.

cocoabutter

I'm adopted and joined 3 DNA sites this year, ancestry, family tree DNA and ancestry.com. I've found Ancestry the best for tracing and easiest to use. I downloaded my DNA and uploaded it on GEDmatch also. I would do ancestry one to start. I came up with 1st cousin (grand uncle), 3 first cousinone removed and several 3rd cousins. The combination of these, the fact that one of them added me on Facebook, and the non identifying information I already know, has allowed me to figure out who my birth father is. Ancestry is good at giving you areas of Ireland you are from also, so this helped to pin point the particular cousin. However, the birth father's name does not match the one given to the adoption agency but the DNA is pointing right to him. My non identifying info also says the mother never told the father so this guy knows nothing about me and I don't feel able to tell him until the mother is told that I've figured out who he is. So there's complications with his family members now knowing and wanting to tell him but also wanting to oblige me by waiting until I've found and told my birth mother.
So bottom line, the DNA tests can turn out to be very useful if you are lucky with some close matches, but can also bring about complications! I nearly wish I'd waiting until after I'd traced my BM to do the DNA

cocoabutter

I'm adopted and joined 3 DNA sites this year, 23and me, family tree DNA and ancestry.com. I've found Ancestry the best for tracing and easiest to use. I downloaded my DNA and uploaded it on GEDmatch also. I would do ancestry one to start. I came up with 1st cousin (grand uncle), 3 first cousinone removed and several 3rd cousins. The combination of these, the fact that one of them added me on Facebook, and the non identifying information I already know, has allowed me to figure out who my birth father is. Ancestry is good at giving you areas of Ireland you are from also, so this helped to pin point the particular cousin. However, the birth father's name does not match the one given to the adoption agency but the DNA is pointing right to him. My non identifying info also says the mother never told the father so this guy knows nothing about me and I don't feel able to tell him until the mother is told that I've figured out who he is. So there's complications with his family members now knowing and wanting to tell him but also wanting to oblige me by waiting until I've found and told my birth mother.
So bottom line, the DNA tests can turn out to be very useful if you are lucky with some close matches, but can also bring about complications! I nearly wish I'd waiting until after I'd traced my BM to do the DNA

cocoabutter

FYI I'm Irish and have all Irish ancestry btw.