DNA Tests

Test Types and Results

Note that there are differences between the types of DNA tests available.  Most tests designed for family history are autosomal tests.  These provide two types of results:

  • Your ‘admixture’ (or ethnicity), which indicates where in the world your ancestors may have come from.
  • A list of living people who’ve also taken a test and share enough DNA markers to show that you and they share common ancestors, although this could be up to around 10 generations back.

Not all test kits are the same – some companies have more users and thus more matches.  Other companies can provide a more detailed breakdown of whereabouts in Britain your DNA markers are concentrated.  Other companies provide better tools for advanced analysis.

Y-DNA and/or mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) tests are also available.  These are less useful for finding close relatives but, unlike the normal tests, they can be used to test a hypothesis about male or female line ancestry. 

If possible, we suggest you contact us before ordering a test.

Using DNA Results

Apart from the initial fun of looking at your ‘ethnicity’, DNA tests can be used to find distant (or not so distant) relations, or to confirm that parts of your family tree are correct.  

But test results won’t show the relationship with your DNA matches.  That must be worked out using family trees.  Once you have a good tree it becomes possible to start identifying matches but more advanced searches requires more advanced techniques, such as segment triangulation.

We can process and analyse DNA test results for you.  Or conduct further analysis on your existing DNA results.