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2025 Week 17: DNA #52Ancestorsin52Weeks

 I can't remember exactly when I first had my DNA tested. Initially it was with Ancestry and later with 23andme. I did it out of curiosity - not for my ethnicity results, which frankly turn out to be so boring - nor to find an unknown close relative - but mainly to find out what 'cousins' are out there and if the DNA matches I get help corroborate the genealogical research I have done. I thought I would find the results interesting. What I didn't realise was analysing my DNA matches and the DNA we shared from a common set of ancestors would turn into an obsession! :)

I was lucky to be in at almost the start of DNA analysis and was able to pick up new techniques and make use of new developments provided by the testing companies and others as I went along. I also studied a few courses on genetic genealogy with the University of Strathclyde. So what have I been doing with all this 'knowledge' over the years?

Personally, I have managed to confirm the ancestors I have in my family tree up to 3 x great grandparent level (and some beyond) as being genetically related to me, not just names on a paper trail.

Tree of my genetic ancestors from dnapainter.com 

All of the coloured sections on that fan shaped tree are people I have confirmed as having inherited DNA from down the generations. Many people add their DNA matches to their tree once they have confirmed who they are, but years ago I started using hand drawn trees and polypockets and, for the most part, that is what I have stuck to. I also have a reference notebook of the surnames down the various generations of my branches and sibling branches which I can use as a quick reference to guiding me to a potential line if I'm trying to place someone. All very interesting to me at least but has it led to anything?

Well, I have been lucky enough to meet up with some of my 'cousins' - from Lorraine, a half-fourth cousin once removed, who lives locally,  to Robyn, a third cousin once removed who lives in Australia! I have also met up with Rick from the USA who is related to me somehow but we haven't worked out how yet! I am now really conscious of the fact that as I walk about Lanarkshire, I am probably walking past some distant relative!

Of course, it is not always possible to discover how you relate to a match. I have three large groups of matches, that I am still investigating - the largest involves the descendants of a couple from Shotts who became Mormons and set off to found a 'dynasty' in Utah, one is a large group that I cannot find a common ancestor for and the other newer mystery involves descendants of a couple from Aberdeen, a part of the country I have no, as yet, known connection to.

My closest mystery/scandal?? Well, it appears my grandfather may have had an illegitimate child before he married my grandmother.

My biggest success? Not a personal one but one that gave me a lot of pleasure. DNA helped me discover the birth parents of a friend's father - her unknown grandparents. It took a while, testing my friend and her elderly mother, grouping matches, drawing out multiple large trees, locating people, finding records, initially finding a common ancestor born in Ireland in 1786 for one side using multiple DNA sites and tools, finally locating the common ancestor on the other side who was in Scotland, drawing down the trees to find a couple in the right place at the right time - and then, the original birth certificate which I could present to my friend. What an emotional moment!

I am not ashamed to be a DNA 'nerd' :)



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