The consumer genetics test market is only getting more and more competitive. There are a number of companies now available to track your genetic history, and when you choose one, chances are that you’re doing it because you want to know more about your genealogical history. Before you take the leap and make a purchase, here are a few important things to know about these genetic tests.
Genetic Tests Typically Measure Recent History More Than Long-Gone History
The way that DNA ancestry tests work is that they compare sections of your DNA to the same sections of other DNA in their libraries. Those libraries largely come from other people who have also taken the test, although there are other sources the library may draw from. Then, it matches up each section, determining what the section is closest to, and spits out a result. If the test says you’re 28% Russian, that means 28% of your DNA genomes matched closest with “Russian” out of all their samples.
Most, although not all, of this DNA is from modern-day people. These resources aren’t comparing your DNA against DNA from Russians 500 years ago; they’re comparing it to DNA from Russians today. This can give you a great starting point, but it’s important to remember that the DNA test doesn’t magically tell you where your ancestors lived over 500 years ago.
No Genetic Test Is 100% Accurate
Whether you’re using a more health-based test or a more genealogy-based test, it’s good to remember that no test can be 100% accurate. After all, with a bit of logic, you can accurately recognize that saying you’re 42% Irish doesn’t really mean anything, as when you trace your lineage, percentages go down by half for each generation—50%, 25%, 12.5% and so on.
The genetic test is trying to give you an idea of your history, and it won’t be the end-all be-all of your genetic history. You should consider using DNA ancestry tests like 23andMe as an added piece of data to help you build your family tree. Only by having a sprawling family tree will you truly know where you came from—an ancestry test won’t do that.
The information that these DNA ancestry companies hold, as well as the algorithms they use, will obviously change over time. The library of DNA that 23andMe has today won’t be the same as the library they have in 10 years. As they get more information and learn more about how to match DNA, the results will be different, and that means your results specifically might change.
Typically, these companies will email you when something changes. You should keep an eye out for these kinds of emails, as they’ll always give you more insight into what’s going on in your genetic history. It can be scary to see new information pop up about your own genealogical history, but it’s a crucial part of truly knowing where you came from.
Reaching Out to Potential Family Members May Be Scary
One of the things these companies are best at is connecting you to immediate family members. If you have any immediate or fairly close family members who have also taken the test, 23andMe can help you connect with those people. However, that can be a scary process, and you might want some extra information before you actually reach out. This is where PeopleFinders can be incredibly helpful.
Once you have the names of people you’re likely closely related to, you can use the PeopleFinders people search to gather more information about them. This may include background information, contact information and more. From there, you can make sure you’re truly completely ready to talk to them before you reach out. This is an important step, so it’s equally important that you prepare yourself for it.
Conclusion
A genetic test from 23andMe can help you learn more about your family history, especially if you have no idea where to start. Whether you’re completely disconnected or you just don’t know as much as you like, a genetic test can help you learn more about your early family history and find people who might be closely related to you. With a bit of help from PeopleFinders, you can be more prepared to contact the people who are the most likely to help you with your genealogical hunt.
Image Attribution: sharafmaksumov – stock.adobe.com
