One-stop shop for learning about DNA testing, whether you’re a beginner or an expert on DNA. Topics include Y-DNA, mt-DNA, Autosomal DNA, third-party tools, methodology, organization, and much more.
Broken Branches: How to Detect Cases of Misattributed Parentage in Your Family Tree
Most individuals will have at least one case of misattributed ancestry in the first several generations of these family tree. Genetic genealogy testing is often the source of discovery of such events. Even so misattributed ancestry may go undetected unless DNA test results are analyzed carefully. Learn how to detect cases of misattributed ancestry and how to leverage genetic genealogy test results to identify a previously unknown biological ancestor.
Most individuals will have at least one case of misattributed ancestry in the first several generations of these family tree. Genetic genealogy testing is often the source of discovery of such events. Even so misattributed ancestry may go undetected unless DNA test results are analyzed carefully. Learn how to detect cases of misattributed ancestry and how to leverage genetic genealogy test results to identify a previously unknown biological ancestor.
Practical chromosome mapping: gaining insights from segments of DNA
Chromosome mapping helps you understand how you inherited DNA from your ancestors and can be highly addictive. Join DNA Painter founder Jonny Perl as he explores hands-on examples demonstrating what you can learn from the segments you share with your matches.
Chromosome mapping helps you understand how you inherited DNA from your ancestors and can be highly addictive. Join DNA Painter founder Jonny Perl as he explores hands-on examples demonstrating what you can learn from the segments you share with your matches.
Do you have mystery matches? Would you like to figure out how they are related to you? Which ancestors you share? Here are six ways to do exactly that!
Do you have mystery matches? Would you like to figure out how they are related to you? Which ancestors you share? Here are six ways to do exactly that!
A lot has changed at 23andMe in the past few months, and we’ll review the differences and their new normal. Their best feature, the genetic tree, provides valuable family associations along with hints, as does their ethnicity segment painting. We’ll learn how to use and optimize both. My Heritage provides many helpful features and tools for genetic genealogists, including ethnicity, Genetic Groups, easy triangulation, segment information, smart matching, location and surname info, along with AutoClusters which clusters your matches into groups. They offer many filters to assist with viewing matches in multiple ways. Their leading edge tool, Theories of Family Relativity, combines DNA matches, trees and records information to create theories about your common ancestors. Next, there’s an overview of third party resources, DNAPainter, GEDmatch, Genetic Affairs, WikiTree, and FamilySearch – when and how you want to utilize each one. We close with how to create your own recipe for success. I share my own tools and methodologies.
A lot has changed at 23andMe in the past few months, and we’ll review the differences and their new normal. Their best feature, the genetic tree, provides valuable family associations along with hints, as does their ethnicity segment painting. We’ll learn how to use and optimize both. My Heritage provides many helpful features and tools for genetic genealogists, including ethnicity, Genetic Groups, easy triangulation, segment information, smart matching, location and surname info, along with AutoClusters which clusters your matches into groups. They offer many filters to assist with viewing matches in multiple ways. Their leading edge tool, Theories of Family Relativity, combines DNA matches, trees and records information to create theories about your common ancestors. Next, there’s an overview of third party resources, DNAPainter, GEDmatch, Genetic Affairs, WikiTree, and FamilySearch – when and how you want to utilize each one. We close with how to create your own recipe for success. I share my own tools and methodologies.
FamilyTreeDNA, the first genetic genealogy testing vendor, beginning in 2000, is also the only vendor that provides Y-DNA (paternal/surname line for males,) mitochondrial DNA (direct maternal line for everyone), autosomal and X-DNA testing and matching. Additionally, they provide ethnicity testing and segment chromosome painting, ethnicity match comparison, a chromosome browser, group projects, time trees, advanced matching across product lines, matches map, family side matching, a match matrix of matches you select, and limited triangulation. We will discuss the added tool of X matching, which is includes with autosomal and has a unique inheritance path, creating additional hints as to common ancestors. We discuss why you want to create a genetic pedigree chart, what you will learn, and how to find information for lines that you can’t test either Y-DNA or mitochondrial DNA for directly. Group projects can be and are extremely helpful. FamilyTreeDNA’s flagship Big Y-700 is the only test of its kind in the industry, provides many tools and integrates with the free Discover tool to provide unique information about your ancestor’s paternal lineages – both individually and through group projects. Lineages can often be defined quite granularly, with branches every few generations. Discover also provides both ancient connections via archaeology digs and notable connections documented through other testers. The Million Mito Project is rewriting the maternal tree of humankind and will have its own MitoDiscover soon.
FamilyTreeDNA, the first genetic genealogy testing vendor, beginning in 2000, is also the only vendor that provides Y-DNA (paternal/surname line for males,) mitochondrial DNA (direct maternal line for everyone), autosomal and X-DNA testing and matching. Additionally, they provide ethnicity testing and segment chromosome painting, ethnicity match comparison, a chromosome browser, group projects, time trees, advanced matching across product lines, matches map, family side matching, a match matrix of matches you select, and limited triangulation. We will discuss the added tool of X matching, which is includes with autosomal and has a unique inheritance path, creating additional hints as to common ancestors. We discuss why you want to create a genetic pedigree chart, what you will learn, and how to find information for lines that you can’t test either Y-DNA or mitochondrial DNA for directly. Group projects can be and are extremely helpful. FamilyTreeDNA’s flagship Big Y-700 is the only test of its kind in the industry, provides many tools and integrates with the free Discover tool to provide unique information about your ancestor’s paternal lineages – both individually and through group projects. Lineages can often be defined quite granularly, with branches every few generations. Discover also provides both ancient connections via archaeology digs and notable connections documented through other testers. The Million Mito Project is rewriting the maternal tree of humankind and will have its own MitoDiscover soon.
In the first part of Tests, Vendors, Tools and You, we will discuss how and where to start your genealogy and DNA testing. Every testing vendor has different tools to help genealogists. We will learn how to best utilize the resources of each vendor. First, we’ll start out by discussing goals, along with an overview and best features of the four major vendors; 23andMe, Ancestry, FamilyTreeDNA and MyHeritage. We will also touch on five third party tools that will be more fully explored in the third session of this series. I’ll introduce the four types of DNA for genetic genealogy, when to use each, and a tried and true methodology to create a genetic pedigree chart. We cover the basics of ethnicity, triangulation, why you’ll want to use a chromosome browser to prove ancestors, and chromosome painting. Ancestry offers a wide variety of genetic genealogy features and tools, and we’ll discuss how to get the most out of your DNA test at Ancestry, including ethnicity, Communities, SideView, matching, shared and parental matches, common ancestors and their flagship tool, ThruLines.
In the first part of Tests, Vendors, Tools and You, we will discuss how and where to start your genealogy and DNA testing. Every testing vendor has different tools to help genealogists. We will learn how to best utilize the resources of each vendor. First, we’ll start out by discussing goals, along with an overview and best features of the four major vendors; 23andMe, Ancestry, FamilyTreeDNA and MyHeritage. We will also touch on five third party tools that will be more fully explored in the third session of this series. I’ll introduce the four types of DNA for genetic genealogy, when to use each, and a tried and true methodology to create a genetic pedigree chart. We cover the basics of ethnicity, triangulation, why you’ll want to use a chromosome browser to prove ancestors, and chromosome painting. Ancestry offers a wide variety of genetic genealogy features and tools, and we’ll discuss how to get the most out of your DNA test at Ancestry, including ethnicity, Communities, SideView, matching, shared and parental matches, common ancestors and their flagship tool, ThruLines.
The Power of Siblings – the DNA Tests of Five Brothers
This presentation takes the viewer through the results of 5 full brothers who have done a DNA test. It covers the comparison of their ethnicity estimates through to the various differences in their DNA matches including the variance in the sharing amounts. It helps people understand why testing siblings can really enhance their genetic genealogy, even more so if they can not test a parent or parents. The talk will also include a look at some advanced sibling topics, such as utilising X DNA results to establish if two females have the same father, through to advanced tools like visual phasing and creating lazarus kits.
This presentation takes the viewer through the results of 5 full brothers who have done a DNA test. It covers the comparison of their ethnicity estimates through to the various differences in their DNA matches including the variance in the sharing amounts. It helps people understand why testing siblings can really enhance their genetic genealogy, even more so if they can not test a parent or parents. The talk will also include a look at some advanced sibling topics, such as utilising X DNA results to establish if two females have the same father, through to advanced tools like visual phasing and creating lazarus kits.
Great news! FamilyTreeDNA is now using the MyHeritage tree platform. You can easily transfer your existing FamilyTreeDNA tree, create a new tree, or link to your existing MyHeritage tree. Each option has benefits. A handy decision guide is included in the syllabus. This webinar provides step-by-step instructions on both platforms, plus a problem-solving section, aka, “things I wish I had known…sooner.” We close with a 10-point summary.
Great news! FamilyTreeDNA is now using the MyHeritage tree platform. You can easily transfer your existing FamilyTreeDNA tree, create a new tree, or link to your existing MyHeritage tree. Each option has benefits. A handy decision guide is included in the syllabus. This webinar provides step-by-step instructions on both platforms, plus a problem-solving section, aka, “things I wish I had known…sooner.” We close with a 10-point summary.
What are reasonable testing goals for Y-DNA, and why do we want to take Y-DNA tests anyway? What can we discover when we test, and when we encourage our cousins to test? Where and how do we find those cousin? I’m “collecting” Y-DNA testers from each of my ancestral lines to reveal their history that has been forgotten to time – and to assure my recent genealogy is accurate. Who were my ancestors? Where did they come from? How are they related to other people, including ancient burials and notable people who lived more recently?
I’m sharing several fun case studies from my own genealogy. Come join me on my journey as I discover that my ancestor is related to a burial along the old Roman Road in France, who lived there before the Romans, and what that means to me today. I’ll also share with you how I solved an adoption case within a generation with JUST Y-DNA, and how I then used autosomal DNA matches to augment and refine that information. In another case, we learned something VERY interesting!!! Oh, and I almost forgot, another of my ancestors appears to have been a retired Roman soldier in England. My Jewish friend provided that his ancestors settled in Spain and exactly when they migrated to Eastern Europe, and another tester discovered that he and a famous lineage match. Their ancestors are found in the baptismal records of the same church in England, but their common ancestor reaches back to the peoples buried beneath the Saxon tombstones outside. How did we Discover all of this???
Once you adopt Y-DNA testing, you’ll have fascinating success stories of your own too.
What are reasonable testing goals for Y-DNA, and why do we want to take Y-DNA tests anyway? What can we discover when we test, and when we encourage our cousins to test? Where and how do we find those cousin? I’m “collecting” Y-DNA testers from each of my ancestral lines to reveal their history that has been forgotten to time – and to assure my recent genealogy is accurate. Who were my ancestors? Where did they come from? How are they related to other people, including ancient burials and notable people who lived more recently?
I’m sharing several fun case studies from my own genealogy. Come join me on my journey as I discover that my ancestor is related to a burial along the old Roman Road in France, who lived there before the Romans, and what that means to me today. I’ll also share with you how I solved an adoption case within a generation with JUST Y-DNA, and how I then used autosomal DNA matches to augment and refine that information. In another case, we learned something VERY interesting!!! Oh, and I almost forgot, another of my ancestors appears to have been a retired Roman soldier in England. My Jewish friend provided that his ancestors settled in Spain and exactly when they migrated to Eastern Europe, and another tester discovered that he and a famous lineage match. Their ancestors are found in the baptismal records of the same church in England, but their common ancestor reaches back to the peoples buried beneath the Saxon tombstones outside. How did we Discover all of this???
Once you adopt Y-DNA testing, you’ll have fascinating success stories of your own too.
Bridging the Gaps: Using DNA to get results in Eastern Europe
Family historians researching in Poland and Ukraine have to deal with gaps in records that could make progress next to impossible. Thanks to genetic genealogy, we can bridge those gaps. Geographic clues from your matches might get you looking in the right direction. This session includes some DNA success stories, based on geography and backed by documented research. It also offers pointers on how to get more value from your tests.
Family historians researching in Poland and Ukraine have to deal with gaps in records that could make progress next to impossible. Thanks to genetic genealogy, we can bridge those gaps. Geographic clues from your matches might get you looking in the right direction. This session includes some DNA success stories, based on geography and backed by documented research. It also offers pointers on how to get more value from your tests.
This lecture will discuss how best to weed out false-positive DNA Matches that test-takers from endogamous groups face daily. After discussing how endogamous matches differ from typical DNA matches, chromosome mapping tools such as DNA painter will be demonstrated to help identify more likely matches. The strengths and weaknesses of every testing company will be considered, when specifically considering endogamy.
This lecture will discuss how best to weed out false-positive DNA Matches that test-takers from endogamous groups face daily. After discussing how endogamous matches differ from typical DNA matches, chromosome mapping tools such as DNA painter will be demonstrated to help identify more likely matches. The strengths and weaknesses of every testing company will be considered, when specifically considering endogamy.
Geoff’s Got ANOTHER Brick Wall! What Can DNA Do for It?
Wed, November 6 2024: 19:00 UTC
Geoff Rasmussen has never used DNA on his most famous case: John McCall in Tennessee/North Carolina. It’s a SERIOUS brick wall. BUT: his grandmother AND her sister have taken DNA tests, and John is their 2x great grandfather. What light can their DNA test results shed? DNA expert Diahan Southard gives him advice you may be able to apply to your own brick wall, too.
Geoff Rasmussen has never used DNA on his most famous case: John McCall in Tennessee/North Carolina. It’s a SERIOUS brick wall. BUT: his grandmother AND her sister have taken DNA tests, and John is their 2x great grandfather. What light can their DNA test results shed? DNA expert Diahan Southard gives him advice you may be able to apply to your own brick wall, too.
DNA Case Study: Reconstructing A Family Tree Using DNA
Wed, December 4 2024: 19:00 UTC
This special case study will walk you through how to solve multiple unknown father mysteries within the same family tree. Where can you turn when both of your maternal and paternal grandfathers are unknown and both of your grandmothers’ fathers are also unknown? It may seem far-fetched but this was the genuine situation my client was faced with – two mystery grandfathers and two mystery great grandfathers on the same tree! There were mysteries on top of mysteries in this amazing case with six out of eight great grandparents unknown and at least four mystery fathers to identify. This webinar will tell the story of how this tiny tree was reconstructed using a combination of DNA results analysis and traditional research methods.
This special case study will walk you through how to solve multiple unknown father mysteries within the same family tree. Where can you turn when both of your maternal and paternal grandfathers are unknown and both of your grandmothers’ fathers are also unknown? It may seem far-fetched but this was the genuine situation my client was faced with – two mystery grandfathers and two mystery great grandfathers on the same tree! There were mysteries on top of mysteries in this amazing case with six out of eight great grandparents unknown and at least four mystery fathers to identify. This webinar will tell the story of how this tiny tree was reconstructed using a combination of DNA results analysis and traditional research methods.
Leveraging MyHeritage DNA Tools to Make New Discoveries
Tue, December 10 2024: 19:00 UTC
Your DNA Match list is full of incredible discoveries waiting to be made…with the right tools and a little know-how. MyHeritage offers the most comprehensive set of DNA tools on the market, making it ideal for genetic genealogy. In this session, Ran Snir, VP Product at MyHeritage, will give you an overview of the DNA tools available on MyHeritage and show you how you can use them to make breakthroughs in your research.
Your DNA Match list is full of incredible discoveries waiting to be made…with the right tools and a little know-how. MyHeritage offers the most comprehensive set of DNA tools on the market, making it ideal for genetic genealogy. In this session, Ran Snir, VP Product at MyHeritage, will give you an overview of the DNA tools available on MyHeritage and show you how you can use them to make breakthroughs in your research.
Lost and Found: Locating Ancestral Origins with FAN Club and DNA
Wed, December 18 2024: 1:00 UTC
It’s hard to do genealogy well without studying your ancestors’ Friends & Family, Associates, and Neighbors – their FAN club. If your ancestors are Irish, you might have no luck at all without those FAN principles. But if you combine FAN club research with DNA, you might have just the winning ticket to get you back to your Irish ancestor’s origins. In this case study presentation, learn how focused research pointed the way from Ohio to townlands in County Mayo for an 1850s-era Irish immigrant.
It’s hard to do genealogy well without studying your ancestors’ Friends & Family, Associates, and Neighbors – their FAN club. If your ancestors are Irish, you might have no luck at all without those FAN principles. But if you combine FAN club research with DNA, you might have just the winning ticket to get you back to your Irish ancestor’s origins. In this case study presentation, learn how focused research pointed the way from Ohio to townlands in County Mayo for an 1850s-era Irish immigrant.
Genetic testing has taken the genealogical world by storm—but many good genealogists feel lost in that storm; and more than a few family trees have suffered damage. How do we harness the power of genetic genealogy without being swept away in the surge? This session guides genealogists through four areas: (1) converting DNA data into evidence; (2) turning that evidence into proof; (3) crafting citations that include all genetic details needed for proof; and (4) protecting privacy throughout the research and presentation of our conclusions. The session offers simple but solid ground rules—no geek speak!—illustrated by a variety of case studies.
Genetic testing has taken the genealogical world by storm—but many good genealogists feel lost in that storm; and more than a few family trees have suffered damage. How do we harness the power of genetic genealogy without being swept away in the surge? This session guides genealogists through four areas: (1) converting DNA data into evidence; (2) turning that evidence into proof; (3) crafting citations that include all genetic details needed for proof; and (4) protecting privacy throughout the research and presentation of our conclusions. The session offers simple but solid ground rules—no geek speak!—illustrated by a variety of case studies.
Sense and Sensibility: The Power of Logic, Intuition, and Critical Thinking
Wed, October 16 2024: 0:00 UTC
Is it logical that a woman born in 1752 gave birth to a son in 1848? Do I have enough evidence to conclude that Johan Kannon of Trondheim, Norway, was the same person as John Connell from Cut-and-Shoot, Texas? Why do I share 300 cM of DNA with three people I’ve never heard of? Genealogists make hundreds of decisions everyday based on thousands of pieces of information harvested from various sources. We automatically, and often unconsciously, use common sense, logic, and even intuition, to identify relevant evidence, problem-solve, and answer complex questions.
Learning to harness the power of logic, syllogism, and our own “Spidey-senses,” can help scale brick-walls, solve DNA mysteries, and organize mountains of information. This talk focuses on how to incorporate logic, common sense, and critical thinking in a more deliberate way to create hypotheses, test theories, and support conclusions. Johnson will share exercises that can bulk up logic and critical thought muscles, as well as practical tips on how to apply common sense and sensibility to your family history research and writing.
Is it logical that a woman born in 1752 gave birth to a son in 1848? Do I have enough evidence to conclude that Johan Kannon of Trondheim, Norway, was the same person as John Connell from Cut-and-Shoot, Texas? Why do I share 300 cM of DNA with three people I’ve never heard of? Genealogists make hundreds of decisions everyday based on thousands of pieces of information harvested from various sources. We automatically, and often unconsciously, use common sense, logic, and even intuition, to identify relevant evidence, problem-solve, and answer complex questions.
Learning to harness the power of logic, syllogism, and our own “Spidey-senses,” can help scale brick-walls, solve DNA mysteries, and organize mountains of information. This talk focuses on how to incorporate logic, common sense, and critical thinking in a more deliberate way to create hypotheses, test theories, and support conclusions. Johnson will share exercises that can bulk up logic and critical thought muscles, as well as practical tips on how to apply common sense and sensibility to your family history research and writing.
Luther, Napoleon and the Kaiser – German History for Genealogists
Wed, October 16 2024: 18:00 UTC
Why is what happened in Augsburg on September 25, 1555 one of the most important historical events in German history and of utmost importance to researchers? And why do we need to know about the French emperor Napoleon? Why does it make such a big difference if a birth took place in 1874 or 1876? Find out in this presentation why knowing the most important events in German history can be helpful for your research.
Why is what happened in Augsburg on September 25, 1555 one of the most important historical events in German history and of utmost importance to researchers? And why do we need to know about the French emperor Napoleon? Why does it make such a big difference if a birth took place in 1874 or 1876? Find out in this presentation why knowing the most important events in German history can be helpful for your research.
Did you know FamilySearch has a wealth of Quebec records that are not widely-known? These records have no search index so you would not be able to access them using the Search Records functionality and entering an ancestor’s name. FamilySearch has images of non-indexed Quebec non-Catholic parish registers from 1763 to 1967; images of Quebec non-indexed Catholic and non-Catholic church records from 1642 to 1902; images of Quebec guardianships from 1639 to 1930; images of Quebec notarial records from 1800 to 1920; plus many more hidden Quebec records. This session will show you step-by-step how to access these Quebec records on FamilySearch.
Did you know FamilySearch has a wealth of Quebec records that are not widely-known? These records have no search index so you would not be able to access them using the Search Records functionality and entering an ancestor’s name. FamilySearch has images of non-indexed Quebec non-Catholic parish registers from 1763 to 1967; images of Quebec non-indexed Catholic and non-Catholic church records from 1642 to 1902; images of Quebec guardianships from 1639 to 1930; images of Quebec notarial records from 1800 to 1920; plus many more hidden Quebec records. This session will show you step-by-step how to access these Quebec records on FamilySearch.
MyHeritage Profile Page: One Stop for Enriching Ancestor Profiles
Tue, October 22 2024: 18:00 UTC
The new profile page on MyHeritage serves as a one-stop hub for researching and enriching your information on any given individual in your family tree. Join Uri Gonen, SVP of Product at MyHeritage, for a detailed tour of the recently improved useful features on the profile page. Learn how to use the page to edit details, make new discoveries and extract them directly to your tree with Hints, check consistency and correct errors, and much more.
The new profile page on MyHeritage serves as a one-stop hub for researching and enriching your information on any given individual in your family tree. Join Uri Gonen, SVP of Product at MyHeritage, for a detailed tour of the recently improved useful features on the profile page. Learn how to use the page to edit details, make new discoveries and extract them directly to your tree with Hints, check consistency and correct errors, and much more.
By registering, you are submitting your information to Legacy Family Tree Webinars and agreeing to let us use it to contact you.
Thank you for registering!
You should receive a confirmation email with a link to the webinar soon.
You’ll also receive a reminder both the day before and one hour before the webinar begins. Didn’t receive a confirmation email?
You successfully registered for %s.
You should receive a confirmation email with a link to the webinar soon.
You’ll also receive a reminder both the day before and one hour before the webinar begins. Didn’t receive a confirmation email?