Tag Archives: dna

So, what about those genetic DNA tests you can take nowadays?

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Do you know who your ancestors are? Do you know which countries they came from? Did you know that taking a DNA test will help you discover your own ethnicity estimates?

I’d like to briefly highlight five major DNA testing companies in order to acquaint you with what each company has to offer. There are many more DNA testing companies available, but this article will compare five major companies. But first, let’s briefly talk about the basics of DNA. I’m not a science person, so this will definitely be a very basic explanation. I went into a DNA test without any knowledge of DNA except that I knew it as the carrier of genetic information and that our DNA is arranged into chromosomes, grouped into 23 pairs. I could also recognize the double helix images of DNA structure.

It’s important to keep in mind that siblings in a family do not inherit the exact same DNA from their parents as another sibling inherits. When I first had my DNA tested it was after my sister had hers tested. Remember now, I told you I’m not a science person, so I assumed that my ethnicity estimates from my DNA would be the same as my sister’s ethnicity estimates. We have the same mother and father, so I thought we would have the same ethnicity estimates. Wrong! I’ve been hooked and fascinated with DNA genetics ever since.

I later learned that everyone gets half of their DNA from their mother and half from their father. Which DNA is inherited from each parent is totally random. Inherited DNA is reduced each generation, as you can see by a table from 23andMe, “Average Percent DNA Shared Between Relatives,” that summarizes both the average percent DNA shared for different types of relationships, and the expected range of percent DNA shared. For example, we inherit 50% DNA from each parent, about 25% DNA from each grandparent, about 12.5% DNA from each great-grandparent, and so on.

Ancestry has a great article on understanding inheritance:

“By understanding how DNA is inherited, you can see how and why you have some DNA segments that match your relatives, and others that do not, why you may or may not have inherited DNA segments associated with a certain ethnicity, and why getting multiple people in your family tested can help you discover more of your family’s genetic tree.”

Let’s talk ethnicity estimates. To date, no ethnicity gene has been found in the human genome. Your own ethnicity estimate is just that, an estimate. It is based upon comparing your DNA with known members of different ethnicities in the testing company database. By this comparison they will estimate how closely your DNA matches with each ethnic group. All of the testing companies I’m comparing will give you ethnicity estimates. The picture below is a screenshot of my own ethnicity estimate from Ancestry. I took my DNA test from Ancestry about eight years ago. The screenshot shows that my DNA is about 70% from Ireland. On the right side of the screenshot and directly underneath Ireland, there are particular regions and towns of Ireland where they estimate my ancestors lived. Then it estimates that I have 20% DNA from Scotland, 8% DNA from England and Northwestern Europe and about 2% Germanic Europe.

My sister and I had researched our genealogy long before we each took a DNA test. Plus, with family history and stories passed down, we knew we had strong ties back to Ireland. With the maiden name of McNamara, that’s a given. We also have these very Irish surnames on our family tree: Murphy, Farrell, McKeown, Kelly, MacMeehan, Flannery and Murray. We also have our great, great, great grandfather Patrick MacDonald born in Glencoe, Argyll, Scotland around 1790. As a young man he went to Ireland and married Susan Murray. They lived and raised their family in County Monaghan, Ireland before emigrating to Ontario, Canada. You’ll note that County Monaghan is one of the areas mentioned in my ethnicity estimate above.

Below is a screenshot from Ancestry that shows a comparison of the ethnicity estimates for me and my sister. There are some very real differences here. She has 8% DNA from Germanic Europe, where I only have 2% in my DNA. It’s interesting to note that we also have many German names in our tree, including Metz, Demer, Spitzmesser and Burkhardt. She seems to have inherited more of the German DNA and about twice as much English and Northwestern European DNA in our family than I have inherited.

Along with ethnicity estimates, all of the companies I will be comparing also name relatives that are genetic DNA matches. My matches include thousands of people on Ancestry that share some of my DNA, thus we are related to one another. This was mind boggling to me! They are listed from closest relation – my sister – to matches that share less than 1% DNA with me. Unfortunately, I have not had much time to explore these matches other than the cousins I already know about. Interestingly though, a distant cousin, unbeknownst to us, contacted my sister a few years ago and they’ve been emailing ever since. This distant cousin lives in Ontario, Canada and is related to our Scottish MacDonald clan that emigrated there in the 1800’s. She has been able to fill us in on a lot of that family history that we had not known before, along with sharing some photographs too. It’s up to each individual as to how much you want to pursue the DNA matches you find out about.

According to Genetics Digest, there are three essential tips you must know before buying a DNA Test.

  1. Buy from a company that protects your data.
  2. Find a test that reveals when and where your ancestors appeared.
  3. Follow the science and genetic experts.

I would like to add that it’s important to look over each company’s website and learn about what they offer. Read the FAQ’s and comments from users. Also, decide what is important to you and what you hope to learn by having your DNA tested. The price of the kits range from $79 -$99, but keep an eye on their websites around different holiday times for sales on the kits.

One more thing to consider before taking a DNA genetic test is that there might be information disclosed to you that you weren’t expecting: adoptions, illegitimacies, name changes and non-paternal events, where parentage may be unexpected. It is suggested to be emotionally prepared for whatever the results of the testing shows.

I have prepared a chart that compares these five different DNA testing companies: MyHeritage, Ancestry, Living DNA, Family Tree DNA and 23andMe. The comparison chart covers such criteria as the number of geographic regions each test company covers, health and well being upgrade availability, personal traits upgrade availability, exploration of ancient ancestry, advanced DNA testing availability, ability to upload DNA test results to other company sites, ancestry timeline, tracking possible migration routes, cost and other features.

Additionally, here is just a sampling of some of the DNA related books we have in our Genealogy Collection. Come visit us sometime and take a look at them. As of this writing in April of 2021, we are open, but require patrons to make an appointment first. You can make an appointment by calling us at 317-232-3689 or through our Ask-a-Librarian service.

Also, if you are interested in learning more about this fascinating subject, we invite you to attend our “Virtual DNA Workshop” scheduled to take place in May of 2021.

The Indiana State Library Genealogy Division and the Central Indiana DNA Interest Group are partnering to present a “Virtual DNA Workshop” from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 8, 2021. This is a free event, but registration is limited to the first 200 people. It will take place via Zoom.

The workshop will focus on using various DNA tools to understand how people are connected to their DNA matches. Speakers from CIDIG will cover topics on understanding genetic genealogy; reviewing DNA results; comparing shared matches; building family trees based upon DNA matches; and using various DNA tools to analyze matches. Using the Zoom chat feature, attendees will be able to submit questions during the sessions and during the panel discussion at the end of the program.

Disclaimer: The author of this blog and the Indiana State Library in no way endorse any of the DNA testing companies referred to in this blog. The existence of the provided links do no imply endorsement of the services or products of these companies.

Bibliography:
23andME
Ancestry DNA
Central Indiana DNA Interest Group
Family Search Wiki. DNA Basics
Family Tree DNA
International Society of Genetic Genealogy; Genetics Glossary
International Society of Genetic Genealogy; Wiki, Autosomal DNA statistics 
Living DNA
My Heritage DNA

This blog post was submitted by Genealogy Division librarian Alice Winslow. For more information, contact the Genealogy Division of the Indiana State Library at 317-232-3689 or submit an Ask-a-Librarian request.

Using genetic genealogy to advance your research at the Indiana State Library

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The secrets to untold stories, answers of the past and tales of exciting and dangerous journeys unfortunately live in the past; or do they? There are many ways to perform research to discover the past, and in the process, better understand one’s genealogy. One of the most exciting ways to further your research is to have a DNA test done. This aspect of genealogy can provide you with the key that unlocks the secret door to the past and the lives of your ancestors.

DNA testing provides you with all sorts of new and interesting information. You now possess the unrefined gold mine of adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine which form this wonderful thing called a chromosome! But, what does all this mean? How do you know what these types of chromosomes mean and how do they play into your genealogy? The most important thing when gaining new information is to understand what it means and how to appropriately use it.

To help make sense of it all, the Genealogy Division of the Indiana State Library collects books pertaining to DNA research. These books are on display in the Genealogy Reading Room and cover a wide variety of topics, from making sense of your test results to researching specific ethnic and national groups through DNA. The library also partners with the Central Indiana DNA Interest Group to offer DNA consultations on the second Saturday of each month. These consultations, which are made by appointment only, allow patrons to receive practical research advice from genetic genealogy experts. Visit the library’s events page for more information!

This blog post was written by Sara-Elisa Driml, University of Indianapolis student.

Genealogy for Night Owls

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Join us for another exciting evening of Genealogy for Night Owls on Wednesday, April 18, 2018. If you aren’t able to make it to the Indiana State Library to research your family during our regular hours, aren’t sure where or how to get started on your family history or just want to put in some extra hours of research, Night Owls is the perfect opportunity. We have an evening of fun planned, including an informative tour and sessions available with experts from the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Indiana Chapter of Palatines to America, professional genealogist Betty Warren, the Genealogical Society of Marion County, the Indiana African-American Genealogy Group and the Central Indiana DNA Interest Group. And…it’s all free!

The library’s extended hours on Wednesday, April 18th will be from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Librarians and staff will spend extra time with individuals who are interested in exploring family histories and genealogy. The aforementioned expert sessions and library orientation tours will be offered to patrons at no cost, but you must register by April 16, 2018.

This blog post was written by Stephanie Asberry, genealogy collection supervisor, Indiana State Library. For more information, contact the Genealogy Division at (317) 232-3689 or “Ask-A-Librarian.”

New for Saturdays – One-on-one consultations with the Central Indiana DNA Interest Group (CIDIG) at the Indiana State Library

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By now, most of us have seen an ad for a DNA test online, or on TV, advertising the ability to find out who we are by simply spitting into a tube. Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday of 2017, Ancestry DNA sold roughly 1.5 million DNA test kits; many being given as gifts to family members or purchased by someone curious about their genetic background.

With the popularity of these genetic DNA tests skyrocketing, the Indiana State Library is hosting the Central Indiana DNA Interest Group (CIDIG), who will meet with interested parties on the second Saturday of each month in the library.

If you have questions about which genetic DNA test is best for you, or want help figuring out the results from a test you have already taken, the CIDIG staff will be available to assist you with your DNA questions in one-on-one 15-minute consultation sessions on the second Saturday of every month.

To schedule an appointment for a free DNA consultation, please send your request to CIDIG Specialist, Denise Anderson-Decina. All appointment requests must be submitted five business days before the second Saturday of the month. Please include in your email the DNA questions and related information that you would like to have addressed. For more information about CIDIG, visit their Facebook page.

DISCLAIMER: CIDIG is not affiliated with the Indiana State Library in any way. The state library does not endorse, warrant or guarantee the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of information, opinions, advice, statements or services provided by CIDIG representatives.

This blog post was written by Sarah Pfundstein, Genealogy Division librarian, Indiana State Library.

 

Genealogy updates: 5 Things you need to know

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Staying abreast of the latest trends, new ideas or updates in the genealogy field can be a daunting task this time of year. For most people, myself included, you find yourself overbooked and overextended with the holidays right around the corner. However, staying up to date on the newest, latest and greatest thing doesn’t have to be difficult when you let the genealogy librarians be your guide. Sit back and focus on the turkey, and your family, while perusing this short list we’ve put together featuring some things you need to know.

  1. Access to Adoption Records – As mentioned in an earlier blog, adoption records will be available to some adoptees on July 1, 2018. If you or someone you know would like to access adoption records or original birth certificates you should read the earlier post. You should also consult the Indiana Adoptee Network which advocates for adoptees and open access. They have a great website with additional information about obtaining an original birth certificate.
  2. Family Search Microfilm Borrowing Ends – Family Search has ended its lending/borrowing of microfilm to affiliate libraries, but trust us this is a good thing. Family Search has made it a priority to digitize as many records as possible and is moving forward to this end by converting the microfilms to digitized records. What was once available only on microfilm is now being put online. The Indiana State Library (ISL) is an affiliate library and this status now allows our patrons to have microfilm sent here to be viewed on our microfilm readers. We still maintain affiliate status and now records that are digitized, but only viewable in family history centers, can be viewed here at ISL online.
  3. Family Search New Login Requirement – Family search is now requiring patrons to create an account and login in each time to use their website. The website is still free to use.  According to Family Search, “Beginning Dec.13, 2017, patrons visiting FamilySearch.org will see a prompt to register for a free FamilySearch account or sign in to their existing account to continue enjoying all the free expanded benefits FamilySearch has to offer. Since its launch in 1999, FamilySearch has added millions of users, billions of various historical records and many fun, new features like Family Tree, Memories, mobile apps, digital books and dynamic help. In order to accommodate continued growth of these and future free services, FamilySearch must assure all its partners that its content is offered in a safe and secure online environment. Patrons creating a free account and signing in fulfills that need. FamilySearch is committed to patron privacy and does not share personal account information with any third party without a patron’s consent.”
  4. DNA Interest Group – You may have noticed TV commercials and advertisements for Ancestry DNA kits or 23 and Me kits. DNA genealogy has become extremely popular lately. This topic is in demand and the genealogy division purchased several new titles about DNA and genealogy. Stop in a check out our latest titles on the topic. If you want some in depth answers visit a local group of DNA experts who inform and educate patrons about DNA kits and genealogy, Central Indiana DNA Interest (CIDIG). CIDIG meets at the Hamilton East Public Library- Fishers Library and is a great resource for those with questions or interest in DNA genealogy.
  5. Happy Holidays – The Genealogy Division staff of the Indiana State Library would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and happy holidays. Please note that we will be closed Monday Dec. 25 and Tuesday Dec. 26, 2017. The library will re-open Wednesday Dec. 27, 2017.      

The friendly Genealogy division staff.

This blog post was written by Crystal Ward, librarian in the Genealogy Division. If you would like more information, please contact the genealogy department at (317) 232-3689.