07-28-2017, 04:39 AM
Hello Everyone,
I wanted to post about a recent experience of mine regarding DNA testing for tracing your family history. When I told my friends I was going to have it done, the responses were mixed. One said it was too expensive, another two or three joked about getting "tied to the scene of the crime" and some really couldn't care less.
Being the terminally curious person I am, I went full steam ahead and ordered my kit. I spent the next few days anxiously checking my mail box, because I just couldn't wait to see what surprises I would find (or rumors to substantiate or eliminate). When it finally arrived I stared at it for a few days, thinking I'd wait until everything was perfect to do the test. I cleared about an hour one morning and did the deed - you have to wait at least 30 minutes after eating or drinking, and then spit into this little test tube thingy before attaching a screw-on cap and shaking it a few times to stabilize your sample.
Then came the worst part... WAITING. I got an email that my sample had arrived, but it said because of unexpected demand, there would be a small waiting period before my sample could be processed. Finally a few extra weeks later, I received an email telling me that my results were in. I jumped on (one of the pay sites for family history research) to see my results. One part was pretty much expected, but I did not see something I expected to see, and that was Native American. I watched several videos explaining why that may be, but it didn't help. I was still disappointed, so I concentrated on some smaller percentages that totally surprised me.
The results are not the definitive "tell-all" that more expensive tests would be. I have a basic breakdown of different regions, the largest of which actually verifies much of what I already knew regarding part of my family tree. My results show 51% Europe West, which includes Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein. I was already aware of the German and French of my family tree, so no huge surprise there.
Great Britain showed 20%, which is made up of England, Scotland and Wales. A lot of my tree points to England, mainly Kent and Surrey. Not amazed yet. The 14% Ireland that showed up includes Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Again, a lot of surnames in my tree echo English, Irish and Scottish connections.
Now it gets a little more interesting. The Iberian Peninsula region, which includes Spain and Portugal, came back at 5%. Next on the list was Scandinavia, which includes Sweden, Norway and Denmark, at 4%. All these (and the following results) are listed under "Low Confidence Regions," meaning it is probable that I have this area in my history somewhere, but there is not enough testing in these areas to be more certain. As more are tested in each area, the rate that certain markers show up is more indicative of a distinct population of certain peoples in a certain area.
Also coming in at 3% was the Caucasus region, which includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. Okay... no idea of that connection... and also at 2%, West Asia, or the Middle East, including Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman, Yemen, United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, and Israel. Central Asia came in at around 1%, and this includes Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Wow, no idea of that connection either! Although, when I told my sister that no Native American showed up, we were both kind of surprised, and then she proceeds to tell me that she heard about several generations back using Native American to hide the fact that they were Jewish. I had NO IDEA that could even be a possibility.
After doing the DNA test I realize i have a lot of lost history in my family tree. I don't know if any can ever be recovered, due to so many people being gone. I just don't have anybody to ask. The only hope I have is to find a surname history book in genealogy rooms in area libraries. I lucked up and found one book specific to one branch of my family, and it's on its way to me from Amazon.
Another branch of my family had a lot to do with starting a college to help promote the fine arts and to help graduates conduct themselves with integrity and honor in all pursuits throughout their life, and I am so proud of that. I've always wondered where my lofty ideas, dreams and career goals came from, LOL!
I guess the main reason I wanted to post this was to share my great experience with DNA analysis in relation to discovering just what parts of the world contributed to making me who I am. I feel like I have a better idea of the people who came before me, forging a way to make their own dreams and goals into reality. I am so happy I decided to take the plunge and have this done.
My own struggles throughout my life have dragged me down, for the most part, and at 52 have made me consider giving up once and for all. After peeking behind the veil of history and seeing what these people who came along before me were made of, I no longer feel like giving up. I have a renewed sense of purpose. Dang, if they traveled to a totally different country to start a brand new life, I can tough it out in the comfy confines of the place I've called home for all of those 52 years, and smile right on through as I do it!
I wanted to post about a recent experience of mine regarding DNA testing for tracing your family history. When I told my friends I was going to have it done, the responses were mixed. One said it was too expensive, another two or three joked about getting "tied to the scene of the crime" and some really couldn't care less.
Being the terminally curious person I am, I went full steam ahead and ordered my kit. I spent the next few days anxiously checking my mail box, because I just couldn't wait to see what surprises I would find (or rumors to substantiate or eliminate). When it finally arrived I stared at it for a few days, thinking I'd wait until everything was perfect to do the test. I cleared about an hour one morning and did the deed - you have to wait at least 30 minutes after eating or drinking, and then spit into this little test tube thingy before attaching a screw-on cap and shaking it a few times to stabilize your sample.
Then came the worst part... WAITING. I got an email that my sample had arrived, but it said because of unexpected demand, there would be a small waiting period before my sample could be processed. Finally a few extra weeks later, I received an email telling me that my results were in. I jumped on (one of the pay sites for family history research) to see my results. One part was pretty much expected, but I did not see something I expected to see, and that was Native American. I watched several videos explaining why that may be, but it didn't help. I was still disappointed, so I concentrated on some smaller percentages that totally surprised me.
The results are not the definitive "tell-all" that more expensive tests would be. I have a basic breakdown of different regions, the largest of which actually verifies much of what I already knew regarding part of my family tree. My results show 51% Europe West, which includes Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein. I was already aware of the German and French of my family tree, so no huge surprise there.
Great Britain showed 20%, which is made up of England, Scotland and Wales. A lot of my tree points to England, mainly Kent and Surrey. Not amazed yet. The 14% Ireland that showed up includes Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Again, a lot of surnames in my tree echo English, Irish and Scottish connections.
Now it gets a little more interesting. The Iberian Peninsula region, which includes Spain and Portugal, came back at 5%. Next on the list was Scandinavia, which includes Sweden, Norway and Denmark, at 4%. All these (and the following results) are listed under "Low Confidence Regions," meaning it is probable that I have this area in my history somewhere, but there is not enough testing in these areas to be more certain. As more are tested in each area, the rate that certain markers show up is more indicative of a distinct population of certain peoples in a certain area.
Also coming in at 3% was the Caucasus region, which includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. Okay... no idea of that connection... and also at 2%, West Asia, or the Middle East, including Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman, Yemen, United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, and Israel. Central Asia came in at around 1%, and this includes Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Wow, no idea of that connection either! Although, when I told my sister that no Native American showed up, we were both kind of surprised, and then she proceeds to tell me that she heard about several generations back using Native American to hide the fact that they were Jewish. I had NO IDEA that could even be a possibility.
After doing the DNA test I realize i have a lot of lost history in my family tree. I don't know if any can ever be recovered, due to so many people being gone. I just don't have anybody to ask. The only hope I have is to find a surname history book in genealogy rooms in area libraries. I lucked up and found one book specific to one branch of my family, and it's on its way to me from Amazon.
Another branch of my family had a lot to do with starting a college to help promote the fine arts and to help graduates conduct themselves with integrity and honor in all pursuits throughout their life, and I am so proud of that. I've always wondered where my lofty ideas, dreams and career goals came from, LOL!
I guess the main reason I wanted to post this was to share my great experience with DNA analysis in relation to discovering just what parts of the world contributed to making me who I am. I feel like I have a better idea of the people who came before me, forging a way to make their own dreams and goals into reality. I am so happy I decided to take the plunge and have this done.
My own struggles throughout my life have dragged me down, for the most part, and at 52 have made me consider giving up once and for all. After peeking behind the veil of history and seeing what these people who came along before me were made of, I no longer feel like giving up. I have a renewed sense of purpose. Dang, if they traveled to a totally different country to start a brand new life, I can tough it out in the comfy confines of the place I've called home for all of those 52 years, and smile right on through as I do it!