Living DNA updates European panel

From Living DNA (www.livingdna.com):

Living DNA European panel update

Living DNA’s European panel update includes the addition of new European regions and the ability for users to update their current results. This will make for a much smoother user experience that sends out automatic notifications when any regions qualify for an update.

● 9 new European regions
● Rich information covering genetic and cultural history
● Compare your previous results against your updated ones

Using the unique methods that power the Living DNA ancestry offering, our researchers have gathered data from across Europe in order to deliver the world’s most advanced product for people with European ancestry.

What regions are covered:
● Germany and immediate surrounding areas split into
○ Northeast Germanic
○ Northwest Germanic
○ South Germanic
● Iberia split into
○ West Iberia
○ East Iberia
● Russia split into
○ Finland
○ Western Russia
● Armenia and Cyprus split into
○ South Caucasus
○ Cyprus
● Chechnya renamed
○ Northeast Caucasus

How the science works
To determine your ancestral region(s) from the 73 current African regions, we analyze over 700,000 areas of your DNA. We then compare your unique DNA signature to our database of thousands of people with known ancestry throughout Europe and the world. Our ability to determine this incredible detail lies in our unique algorithms which compare not only which bits of DNA you have in common with populations but the arrangements and patterns they appear in. This extra power means we provide an unmatched resolution.

We used our own databases to retrieve genetic data from customers who had opted in to research and who had known ancestry from a specific region in Europe. Hierarchical clustering and chromosome painting methods were applied to the data in order to build a cluster tree which is later used to estimate the ancestry of every individual sample.

(With thanks to Living DNA)

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Scottish-Ancestry-through-Church-and-State-Records-Paperback/p/16848. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Declaration of Arbroath Family History Project Exhibition

An exciting event for the 700th anniverary year of the Declaration of Arbroath:

Declaration of Arbroath Family History Project Exhibition

The exhibition will display biographies, genealogical charts and coats of arms of 16 individuals associated with the Declaration, as well as information on another 33 'signatories.' It will also present the findings of genetic genealogy research, using DNA test results and documentary evidence. The aim is to find living descendants of the 'signatories' who knew nothing about their medieval ancestry, and discover how DNA can reveal more about these unknown ancestries.

The research is being carried out by staff and postgraduate students of the University of Strathclyde's Genealogical Studies Postgraduate Programme and is funded by the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy.

(Source: https://arbroath2020.com/events/declaration-of-arbroath-family-history-project-exhibition/)

For more on the University of Strathclyde's Declaration of Arbroath project visit www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/centreforlifelonglearning/genealogy/declarationofarbroathresearch/

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Scottish-Ancestry-through-Church-and-State-Records-Paperback/p/16848. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

DNA Painter adds Cluster Auto Painter tool

From Jonny Perl at DNA Painter (https://dnapainter.com):

I’m pleased to introduce Cluster Auto Painter (CAP), an early step towards automated chromosome mapping. CAP aims to help you dig deeper into your DNA test results by letting you annotate and examine clusters of matches in a chromosome map. 

It's...complicated! But Jonny's yer man, he can explain it all much better in his blog post at  https://dnapainter.com/blog/cluster-auto-painter-unravel-your-dna-test-results/!

The tool itself is available at https://dnapainter.com/tools/cap.

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Scottish-Ancestry-through-Church-and-State-Records-Paperback/p/16848. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

New AncestryDNA filters

I'm not sure if or when this was announced, I've only just noticed it - Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has updated its filtering tools for DNA results. According to a pop-up tour "You can use multiple filters at a time, including a new filter for shared DNA, to find matches more quickly."

One option that seems potentially useful is to be able to filter down searches through a custom centimorgan range.

You can also select more than one group into which you may have placed your ancestors, which could be equally handy.

I'll have a play over Christmas and see if anything emerges!

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Scottish-Ancestry-through-Church-and-State-Records-Paperback/p/16848. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Review: Ant and Dec's DNA Journey

That was properly painful viewing...

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. My next Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs course starts 4 November 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Ant & Dec's DNA Journey starts Sunday

From ITV:

ITV has commissioned a two-part special which will see the UK’s best loved duo embark on a surprisingly emotional journey of discovery in Ant & Dec’s DNA Journey.

A Voltage TV and Mitre Television co-production, viewers will see Ant and Dec navigate a tougher terrain than the Australian jungle. Guided by expert genealogists and historians, the pair will follow their maternal and paternal blood lines using their DNA to search their ancestral history.

As their travels take them to Ireland and the US, including The United Nations Headquarters, the pair will not only delve into their past but will also meet relatives they had no clue even existed, unveiling some truly shocking revelations that only their DNA could unlock.

Whose great grandfather is a celebrated war hero and whose DNA cousin is a former US female wrestling promoter? Whose ancestors’ bones were deemed ‘of historical importance’ and who discovers that they are a descendant from Royalty?

As Ant & Dec embark on their journey, viewers will be treated to a rare and personal glimpse into this truly remarkable friendship with their warmth and infectious humour that has not only captured the nation over the years, but has seen them achieve huge success resulting in a multitude of awards and accolades.

Ant said:

“I’m a bit of a geek when it comes to historical events, so to get the chance to research our family history using our DNA was too good an opportunity to pass up. What we find out is mind-blowing and nothing either of us could ever have imagined. It’s something that will stay with us both forever. "

Dec said:

“A huge part of this was to find out my heritage, especially on my dad’s side. I always thought I knew a fair bit about where I came from but it turns out I was wrong! Whilst it was incredible to find out about the past, what was hugely overwhelming was to meet relatives neither of us knew we had. It was a truly amazing experience."

Siobhan Greene, who commissioned the show when she was ITV’s Head of Entertainment Commissioned said:

“This documentary captured Ant and Dec at an intersection in their lives. I feel sure the ITV viewers will be on the edge of their seats watching twists and turns of their DNA journey unfold, and their honesty and openness, will leave a lasting heart print.”

Kathleen Larkin, Executive Produce from Voltage TV said:

“It’s been a privilege working with such talent as Ant & Dec. This is a film that celebrates friendship, showing two brilliantly funny best mates making a unique trip of a lifetime to find out about their heritage past and present. It’s been a passion for all involved and we’ve loved working with the fantastic team at ITV to make something we all believe in.”

Ant & Dec’s DNA Journey is a Voltage TV and Mitre Television co-production for ITV. It was commissioned by Siobhan Greene when she was ITV’s Head of Entertainment Commissioning and Louise Major Assistant Commissioner, Entertainment, ITV. The Executive Producers are Kathleen Larkin and Sanjay Singhal and the Director is Iain Thompson, Voltage TV.

(Source: ITV Press Centre - https://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/ant-decs-dna-journey) 

COMMENT: The two-part show will start on ITV, STV and UTV on Sunday 10 November, from at 9pm-10.30pm.

From the Radio Times:

Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly may think they know who they are, but in this two-part documentary, the popular presenters uncover their surprising and emotional family histories, using a combination of DNA and genealogy. The shock revelations include military men in both of their families - one a medal-winning war hero, the other a deserter. And as well as delving into the past, Ant and Dec also get to meet DNA relatives they never knew existed.

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. My next Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs course starts 4 November 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Book launch: Tracing Your Ancestors Using DNA

From the University of Strathclyde:

DNA research is one of the most important and rapidly advancing areas in modern science and the practical use of DNA testing in genealogy is one of its most exciting applications. Yet there is no recent British publication in this field. That is why this accessible, wide-ranging introduction is so valuable. It offers a clear and practical way into the subject, explaining the scientific discoveries and techniques and illustrating with case studies how it can be used by genealogists to gain an insight into their ancestry.

The subject is complex and perhaps difficult for traditional genealogists to understand but, with the aid of this book, novices who are keen to take advantage of it will be able to interpret test results and use them to help answer genealogical questions which cannot be answered by documentary evidence alone. It will also appeal to those with some experience in the field because it places the practical application of genetic genealogy within a wider context, highlighting its role as a genealogical tool and suggesting how it can be made more effective.

BOOK LAUNCH:

THURSDAY 14 NOVEMBER, 19.00 - 21.00
ROOM 748,
CENTRE FOR LIFE LONG LEARNING,
UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE,
GRAHAM HILLS BUILDING,
40 GEORGE STREET,
GLASGOW,
G1 1QE.

COMMENT: It's a great book! You can read my review at https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/2019/07/review-tracing-your-ancestors-using-dna.html

(With thanks to Linda Kerr, via the Scottish Genealogy Network)

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. My next Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs course starts 4 November 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

AncestryDNA test kit offer

From Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk):

Get AncestryDNA® for just £59

Get gifting done early and give a loved one AncestryDNA® this Christmas, so they can explore their heritage and discover the communities that shaped them. At just £59* + shipping for a limited time, now’s the time to get AncestryDNA®.

ONLY £59* (normally £79) + shipping

*Price excludes shipping costs. Offer ends 24 Nov 2019 at 23:59 GMT. Terms apply.

Obtain via https://www.ancestry.co.uk/order/express/O-24932#/expresscart/

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. My next Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs course starts 4 November 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Ancestry updates DNA ethnicity estimates again

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has again updated its ethnicity projections for those who have taken DNA tests, due to an expanded reference panel. From the news release:

Ancestry® Expands Reference Panel to Deliver More Precise Results and New Regions

Consumer genomics is a new and evolving field and Ancestry® is at the forefront, constantly developing new ways for you to learn about yourself through DNA. Today, we’re proud to announce that our team of scientists have increased the AncestryDNA® reference panel to more than double its previous size with samples from more places around the world, resulting in the latest update to AncestryDNA ethnicity estimates.

Over the next several months, AncestryDNA customers may receive updated ethnicity estimates, thanks to our expanded reference panel, which allows us to determine ethnic breakdowns with a higher degree of precision. This means there may be some changes to your results.

For example, previously we had North and South America as two large regions: Native American–Andean and Native American–North, Central, South. With this new update, we are able to refine the areas into 11 smaller ones. If you received one of the older regions before, your new report will most likely have one of the newer, more precise regions instead like Indigenous Eastern South America, Indigenous Cuba, and Indigenous Americas–Mexico, among others.

While not common, some customers may also lose a small percentage region as a result of this update. One way this can happen is if that ethnicity has been re-assigned to a nearby region. This is because people from neighboring areas tend to look similar genetically. For example, some people with ancestors from southern Italy will lose their small amount of Turkey/Armenia and possibly gain a bit of Near East instead.

The full announcement is at https://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2019/10/21/ancestry-expands-reference-panel-to-deliver-more-precise-results-and-new-regions/, whist a list of the categorised regions now available to Ancestry's DNA customers can be found at https://support.ancestry.com/s/article/List-of-AncestryDNA-Regions

COMMENT: My own DNA page has advised that there was an update, but for me it does not seem to be drastically different to what was previously there.

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. My next Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs course starts 4 November 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

LivingDNA launches new platform and products

LivingDNA (www.livingdna.com) has completely revamped its online platform from today, and also launched new product ranges.

The following are the press releases for the new products:

LIVING DNA LAUNCHES GENEALOGY AND WELLBEING DNA KIT AT LOWEST RETAIL PRICE POINT IN SECTOR

Popular Direct-To-Consumer DNA Service Fills Gap Left By Others In Affordability and Privacy

Somerset, UK, October 17 -- Living DNA, the global direct-to-consumer genealogy DNA service that does not sell or share customers’ DNA or data with third parties, today announced their entry into the health sector. In addition to the new Living DNA Wellbeing kit for $129, a $49 Starter DNA Kit is also available designed for the billion people who could benefit from DNA testing but are unsure of which part of testing they want.

The Starter Kit is a taster experience including a high-level global view of your ancestry, the ability to find DNA matches with people across the world, wellbeing reports focused on supporting your diet and exercise and the analysis of over 700,000 areas of your DNA code. Once you’ve taken your test you can select deeper insights and reports.

Living DNA has also overhauled its customer results platform and introduced a new Wellbeing Kit experience for users, aiming to cut down 80% of illness and disease that is lifestyle-related. Unlike
other firms that focus on health conditions, Living DNA is first exploring areas of your life influenced by your DNA where a customer can make changes which can lead to a greater quality of life.

David Nicholson, co-founder advises “Before we launched Living DNA, we always felt and understood that the power DNA offers people an opportunity to enjoy a greater quality in their lives. This comes not only from enriching relationships with your family but also understanding the way your body responds to different diets and exercises. By looking at the whole picture, it's possible to move from the era of post cause treatment to true preventative medicine.”

Co-Founder Hannah Nicholson shares that, “We are the people’s DNA company in terms of privacy and affordability. We see it as our responsibility to make sure everyone has access to information in a way that can truly transform their lives. Each of us has the power to take charge of our wellbeing with simple changes that could save healthcare systems around the world billions of dollars, cut waiting lists for critical care and spark GDP increases.”

The firm is building on its foundation as one of the leading companies that provides ancestry testing services worldwide with a mission of making sure each customer is in charge of their own DNA, and
never doing anything with a customer’s DNA information that they have not requested.


LIVING DNA NEW GENEALOGY AND WELLBEING KITS FACT SHEET

Company Overall

Living DNA’s range of easy to use DNA testing kits makes DNA testing accessible, private and secure to everyone across the world, from a simple mouth swab. Through our advanced ancestry reports, we help you unravel stories about your past, designed to enrich your family life and help you celebrate a shared past together. Our range of wellbeing reports shines a light on areas of nutrition and fitness to help improve your overall quality of life today and for the future.

The reports are not only simple to understand but often include actionable steps you can take in your life provided by relevant experts. No matter which Living DNA kit you choose, your privacy and security is our top concern and we only ever do what you ask us to do with your DNA.

Our starter kit costs just $49 USD giving you a taster into the ancestry and wellbeing experience with the full ancestry at $99, the full wellbeing test at $129 and a bundle including both the wellness and ancestry kits at $179. Existing Living DNA customers will be able to upgrade their accounts in mid-november 2019 to purchase the full Wellbeing experience for a reduced rate of $49 (normally $69) until December 31st 2019.

Starter Kit - $49/£49

The Living DNA starter kit, covering ancestry and wellbeing, is the best value DNA kit available. It’s perfectly designed for people who’ve heard about DNA testing but are unsure about which type of test to take. It gives you a taster experience of what is possible through a simple mouth swab. You can see:

● Your global ancestry breakdown across continents
● The ability to find people around the world who you share DNA with
● A nutrition report determining if your genetics indicate that you are prone to Vitamin D deficiency
● The type of exercise your muscles respond to best

The test includes a broad analysis of your DNA but if you want to explore a deeper or wider range of reports, a simple one-click process will unlock the next step in your DNA adventure.

Upgrades - Starter kit customers can upgrade to the ancestry experience for $49 and the wellbeing experience for $69.


Ancestry Kit - $99/£99

Living DNA’s ancestry experience is the most advanced in the industry, working to determine not only the countries where your ancestry is from, but where possible, sub-regions within those countries. The result is a DNA kit with the greatest number of DNA-based regions and sub-regions compared to any other in the industry. You will:

● Experience your ancestry at different points through history
● Uncover people who genetically match with you and are part of your ‘extended family’
● Learn about areas of the world where people live today who share your DNA
● Receive your recent ancestry report showing the countries and, where available, subregions your ancestors are from over the past 1000 years
● Delve into your extended ancestry exploring the migration paths your ancestors took out of Africa 80,000 years ago through today

This complete view of your ancestry is delivered through an intuitive interactive online platform as well as an optional hardcover personalized coffee table book for $69.00.

Ancestry kit customers will be able to upgrade to the full wellbeing experience for $69.

Wellbeing Kit - $129/£129

Living DNA’s wellbeing experience is designed to cast a light on your unique genetics that play a part in your quality of life. Discover how through understanding your body, it may be possible to improve the quality of your life by making adjustments to your diet and exercise.

Living DNA provides you with reports that indicate how your body responds to lifestyle-related analysis such as:

● How your body responds to different vitamins
● How your body breaks down foods to which your body may be sensitive to such as gluten or lactose
● How your body responds to different types of fitness.
● How we can help you understand what type of exercise best supports your body, for instance, DNA can indicate if you are better suited to running and sprinting or weight and circuit training.

Using a simple mouth swab, your DNA is analysed on the unique Living DNA system that allows us to provide a range of advanced reports focused around your goals. From weight management, vitality and digestion to strength and stamina, you will discover how genetically, your body breaks down different vitamins, food types and the exercise program that can support you. Understand the role genetics plays with your lifestyle choices and how you can optimise your wellbeing.

Customers who order at launch will also receive a complimentary 180-day updates package worth $39 that provides new reports as we release them.

Upgrades - Wellbeing kit customers can upgrade to the ancestry experience for $49.
Wellbeing + Ancestry kit- $179/£179

For our most complete experience, the combined wellbeing and ancestry DNA kit brings all the benefits of the two detailed products together at an incredible price. The combined DNA kit will enable you to understand the full depths of your ancestry, bringing family stories to life and unlocking goal-orientated wellbeing reports that help you to live a greater quality of life.

(With thanks to David Nicholson at LivingDNA)

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. My next Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs course starts 4 November 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

NIFHS launches Ballycarry DNA Project

The North of Ireland Family History Society (www.nifhs.org) has launched a new Ballycarry DNA Project.

From the site:

Ballycarry is an historic County Antrim village with strong Scottish connections and has a number of families that have lived in the district for many generations. We wish to explore the connections between people who are the descendants of whose who lived in Ballycarry in the past to identify if the families living side-by-side were indeed related to each other. This will allow individuals living today to identify that they are related to each other (and others who have taken tests) and to build up a picture of relationships in the past that will explain their connections. In many instances these connections go back beyond paper records and effectively ‘recreate’ a family tree where one no longer exists.

In order to carry out this project we intend to DNA test individuals who can establish their connections to people who lived in the Ballycarry (Parish of Templecorran) in the 1800s. Doing this will help us to explore links between the testers and other people who have already taken a DNA test. By testing people from a specific area it is anticipated that many connections will be identified and confirmed as the tests can give meaningful information back to each person’s 5x great grandparents (usually at least to the mid 1700s).

For further details of the project, and the launch event on Tuesday 8th October 2019, please visit https://www.nifhs.org/dna/ballycarry-dna-project/.

COMMENT: Whilst I have no identified connections to Ballycarry as yet, I am tripping over lines from nearby Islandmagee, so I am intending to join the main NIFHS DNA project - full details at https://www.nifhs.org/dna/.

(With thanks to Rosemary Sibbett)

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. My next Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs course starts 4 November 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

New look for DNA Painter

From Jonny Perl at DNA Painter:

A redesigned homepage is now live at https://dnapainter.com featuring a new dashboard with quick and easy access to your chromosome maps, trees, and WATO probability trees. There's also a more focused introduction for new users. I hope this is helpful. All feedback welcome!

(With thanks to Jonny via @DNApainter)

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. My next Scottish Research Online course starts 2 September 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

FamilyTreeDNA releases new dashboard look

From FamilyTreeDNA (www.familytreedna.com):

Dear FamilyTreeDNA Member,

Today, we released a new version of the dashboard! Along with a new look, the dashboard includes new capabilities to make navigating the platform easier.

These enhancements include but are not limited to:

The ability to rearrange the order in which the tests are displayed on the dashboard
The ability to create up to five bookmark-like quick links at the top of the page
Tracking information for shipping and test processing is now displayed on the dashboard

A tutorial on the dashboard is available to guide you through most of the new features when you sign in to your kit. Additional information about the update is also included in our Learning Center (see https://www.familytreedna.com/learn/general/ftdna-dashboard/).

We hope you enjoy the improvements!

Sincerely,
FamilyTreeDNA

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. My next Scottish Research Online course starts 2 September 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Tree charts now available on DNA Painter

From DNA Painter (www.dnapainter.com):

I'm pleased to announce that trees are now available at DNA Painter for all registered users. A tree on DNA Painter is an attractive single-page summary of one person's direct ancestors that you can search and optionally share:

- Build a simple tree manually or import a GEDCOM file and choose a person from it
- Search by name or location
- Use DNA Filters to visualize the inheritance path for X, Y and mitochondrial DNA
- Tree, fan chart and text views (mobile users will see just tree and text)
- Keep track of your genetic family tree
- Store notes for each ancestor (e.g. possible surnames just beyond your brick walls!)
- Calculate how complete your tree is, and visualize any instances of pedigree collapse
- Keep your tree private, or optionally generate a secret web address as an attractive, user-friendly summary of your direct line to share with DNA matches or family members

If you'd like to see an example, check my tree out here:
https://dnapainter.com/tree/view/6f627445b38875bb/tree
(no login required)

I hope you find it useful. I would welcome all feedback.

Integration with chromosome maps will be coming later this year.

Thanks!

(With thanks to Jonny Perl)

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. My next Scottish Research Online course starts 2 September 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Review: Tracing Your Ancestors Using DNA

Thanks to Pen and Sword for a review copy of an immensely useful DNA book:

Tracing Your Ancestors Using DNA: A Guide for Family Historians
Edited by Graham Holton: Contributions by John Cleary, Michelle Leonard, Iain McDonald, Alasdair F. MacDonald

DNA is the family history tool that took me some time to embrace, and to grow to love. Having started with taking a Y-DNA test over a decade ago, I have had no hits of any significance since then, and so after an initial interest I placed the field to one side and continued to rely on documentation alone. The rise of autosomal DNA testing in recent years, however, utterly transformed my perception of the usefulness of DNA in genealogy, and in many cases has revolutionised and complimented my own research.

There are many useful DNA guide books out there, not least Blaine Bettinger's essential The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy, but this new book by some of Scotland's finest genetic genealogists is a real up to date tonic for those trying to get to grips with all aspects of the field. Despite the numerous contributors, it comes across with a consistent voice when conveying knowledge to the reader, a good testament to the editing skills of Graham Holton.

After an introduction from Graham, and then a team effort asking why we should use DNA testing for genealogy, the book gets stuck into an absorbing offering from John Cleary on the ethical and legal aspects of genetic genealogy, citing interesting cases involving confidentiality, such as a recent inheritance case involving the Pringle baronetcy (see http://britishgenes.blogspot.com/2016/06/dna-evidence-resolves-baronetcy.html), and privacy, for example with the controversial use by law enforcement agencies in the USA of DNA databases created by the family history community.

Well known Glasgow based genetic genealogist Michelle Leonard then gets a clear run to explain the basics of all types of DNA tests - Y-DNA, mtDNA, and autosomal & X-DNA - followed by a chapter on autosomal (atDNA) tests. In this she may have helped to resolve a problem I have been struggling with in recent weeks to do with results that I exported from AncestryDNA into MyHeritage, GEDMatch and FamilyTreeDNA. I am showing a match in the last three databases with a friend in Australia which Ancestry itself is not showing up, despite it being sourced from Ancestry's own test results. I was unaware of the Timber algorithm which Ancestry uses to remove certain matches known as 'pile ups', which may well explain why we are not connecting, and which will need a bit more investigation at my end! The discussion of X-DNA matches is also something I found of interest, and something for me to take a look at in more detail over the weeks and months to come.

In partnership with John Cleary, Alasdair MacDonald examines Y-DNA testing, something I know he has had considerable success with himself, in a chapter which is a bit more technical but comprehensive, and which points the way to the future with foreshadowing of new processes such as Whole Genome Sequencing and 'Single Molecule Real Time Sequencing'. Ali's considerably shorter chapter on mitochondrial DNA helps to illustrate that whilst this will likely never be a more mainstream test (due to the slow mutation rate of mtDNA), it still has its uses, as with the recent use of mtDNA to confirm the found remains of the English king Richard III in a Leicester car park. A further chapter on how to choose between different testing companies is fairly brief, providing a series of questions to ask of each platform without focussing too much on the unique offerings from each.

John Cleary and Iain McDonald then discuss how to set up DNA projects, including a useful discussion on GEDMatch.com and the role of project administrators, with the duo then joined by Graham Holton in a follow up chapter on using an integrated approach to DNA testing through a combination of test types. In fact, I was unaware of FamilyTree DNA's Advanced Matches tool prior to reading this chapter, and whilst I have yet to come across matches who do match on more than one test, I will certainly be keeping an eye out on this in the future.

John Cleary's chapter on Ancient DNA is an interesting read, and whilst not an area that perhaps most of us will ever venture into, it does discuss the contemporary Fromelles First World War Dead project which sought to identify the remains of many Australian and British soldiers found in a war grave from the conflict, and the techniques used to identify them. A concluding chapter from Iain McDonald and Michelle Leonard looks to the future, and to what we might expect to see as genetic genealogy advances in the coming years. A glossary and further reading section complete the offering.

This is an excellent and well illustrated book with much to offer both to those dipping their toe into the water for the first time and to those who already have some considerable experience. Despite being a little jargonistic in parts (because there really is a lot of jargon in DNA!), it nevertheless succeeds in staying on the right side of the line in keeping the reader focussed and on top of what is being discussed.

Overall, Tracing Your Ancestors Using DNA is an indispensable guide from a team that knows its stuff, and a book which I would thoroughly recommend.

Tracing Your Ancestors Using DNA: A Guide for Family Historians is available to purchase form Pen and Sword at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Ancestors-Using-DNA-Paperback/p/16347.

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Ancestry unveils over 225 new DNA communities

From Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk):

Ancestry Unveils Over 225 New Communities for Members Who Have Ties to France, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand

At Ancestry, we leverage the latest cutting-edge DNA science and technology to deliver detailed historical insights that empower you to uncover more about your family’s origins.

Today, we released over 225 new AncestryDNA communities to help our members who have ties to France, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, empowering them to unlock even more discoveries about their family history. Utilizing our DNA network of over 15 million people, our vast collection of public family trees, and our patented Genetic Communities™ technology, AncestryDNA is able to identify groups of people with shared DNA and determine where their ancestors likely lived over the past 75-300 years.

French American and Canadian Communities

We’ve added 35+ new French American communities and 120+ new Canadian communities, with greater insights about British Canadian, French Canadian, and Acadian settlers. As one example, members with ties to Acadian settlers may learn that their Acadian ancestors played a significant role in Nova Scotia or Louisiana history. Acadians, who once resided in Nova Scotia, fell under British governance in 1713, and between 1755 and 1764, nearly all Acadians were expelled from Nova Scotia and migrated as far south as Louisiana. Many Acadians, or “Cadiens” as they coined themselves, decided to establish new lives in areas near the Mississippi River and New Orleans. It was in these new communities that some Acadians flourished as cotton, wheat, sugar, and tobacco farmers.

United Kingdom Communities

With 73 new United Kingdom communities, you might discover a link to family near Greater London and learn where your ancestors lived during the bustling Industrial Revolution, which began in the late 1700s. Game-changing advances in agriculture and technology spurred countless countryside merchants, bakers, butchers, brewers, tailors, and other rural workers to relocate to opportunity-filled cities, like London, laying the foundation for some of England’s great modern cities.

Australian and New Zealand Communities

We’ve added 14 new communities for descendents of primarily British settlers in Australia and New Zealand. During the late 1700s, Great Britain’s population was skyrocketing. Prisons were reaching capacity and agricultural resources were stretched thin. As a solution, in 1787, 11 ships sailed from England to Australia to establish a new colony. Despite limited resources and drought, British settlers were able to attract a continuous flow of migrants as they founded new communities, cities, and cultures throughout Australia and New Zealand.

We encourage you to view your DNA story again, as you may notice a new community waiting to be explored and shared with your family and other loved ones.

With 15 million people tested, AncestryDNA has the largest consumer DNA network in the world. As new people continue to join our AncestryDNA network and science and technology continue to evolve, we expect that the number and granularity of communities offered will continue to increase. This latest update is just one of many that you can expect on your journey of personal discovery.

A list of all regions can be found at https://www.ancestry.com/cs/ancestrydna-regions-update.

(Original release at https://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2019/06/19/ancestry-unveils-over-225-new-communities-for-members-who-have-ties-to-france-canada-the-united-kingdom-australia-and-new-zealand/)

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

MyHeritage DNA kits now on sale in UK Costco stores

From MyHeritage (www.myheritage.com):

MyHeritage DNA kits — our affordable, simple to use, at-home DNA tests to uncover ethnic origins and discover new relatives — are now on sale in 30 different Costco stores across the UK and Iceland.

Costco, the discount warehouse operator, has been operating in the UK since the early 2000s. With a warehouse membership club format, Costco emphasizes value for money offering a wide selection of merchandise, while introducing new and exciting products over time.

MyHeritage DNA kits are one such product, being offered in special new packaging designed specifically for Costco stores:

The increased availability of MyHeritage DNA kits in the UK will bring even more DNA Matches for MyHeritage DNA users all over the world.

(With thanks to Daniel Horowitz - original announcement at https://blog.myheritage.com/2019/06/myheritage-dna-kits-now-on-sale-in-costco-uk/)

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Father's Day DNA test offer from Ancestry

A DNA test offer from Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk):

This Father’s Day, give him your shared backstory

Your dad is one in a million. Give him a uniquely personalised gift so he can explore your shared backstory. Save 25% on AncestryDNA®.

Order by June 5th in time for Father’s Day.

ONLY£59* (normally £79) + shipping

*Offer ends 12 Jun 2019 at 23:59 GMT. Discount excludes shipping costs. Terms apply.

To order visit https://www.ancestry.co.uk/order/express/O-24932#/expresscart/

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Ancestry passes 15 million DNA customers

Ancesrty (www.ancestry.co.uk) has announced that it has now passed 15 million DNA customers:

We are thrilled to celebrate a groundbreaking Ancestry milestone with all of you: more than 15 million customers have received DNA results!

We are honored to have played a role in empowering the journeys of personal discovery for over 15 million people around the world through AncestryDNA, it is a true sign of how deeply important it is for people to connect and learn about their past. But this is just the beginning. As the network continues to grow, we can deliver even more value to our members, including more granular insights about heritage and compelling new paths to learn about ourselves using genetics.

The full announcement is at https://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2019/05/31/ancestry-surpasses-15-million-dna-customers/.

COMMENT: It would be useful to know of that number how many have actually attached family trees! If you want to unlock the full potential of your DNA results, please do upload a famly tree file to your DNA page - this will allow you to potentially find relatives who match part of your DNA profile, and thus help you and your genetic cousins to learn more about your common ancestral heritage (though do be warned that this can also potentially reveal some family secrets). And it is considerably more interesting than just getting results to decide wheher you should wear lederhosen or a kilt...!

Chris
Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

GEDMatch site now requires opt-in for law enforcement use

This is quite a biggie that I missed earlier in the week. GEDMatch (https://www.gedmatch.com), which offers a facility to match your DNA results with those of potential cousins, has changed its terms and conditions to protect the right of privacy to a user's data, by requiring users to give consent for law enforcement agencies to use their results to help solve crimes - something for which there has been a lot of criticism in recent months with the big DNA platforms. You'll find more on the story at Judy G. Russell's blog at https://www.legalgenealogist.com/2019/05/19/gedmatch-reverses-course/.

I have just signed in to my account, and have been presented with a page noting the revised T&Cs, which I must accept as having been read to continue to gain access (I can accept the terms, reject them, or have a think about it, with no access granted until I do accept). The major change involves the new four categories of data now available on the site, described as follows:

There are 4 classes of DNA data on this Site: 'Private', 'Research', 'Public + opt-in' and 'Public + opt-out'. You may be asked to select which category you want to be in when you upload your DNA data. If you ever want to change the category, use the pencil icon link next to the kit number on your home page.

'Private' DNA data is not available for comparisons with other people. It may be usable in some utilities that do not depend on comparisons with other DNA.

'Public + opt-in' DNA data is available for comparison to any Raw Data in the GEDmatch database using the various tools provided for that purpose.

'Public + opt-out' DNA data is available for comparison to any Raw Data in the GEDmatch database, except DNA kits identified as being uploaded for Law Enforcement purposes.

Comparison results, including your kit number, name (or alias), and email will be displayed for 'Public' kits that share DNA with the kit being used to make the comparison, except that kits identified as being uploaded for Law Enforcement purposes will only be matched with kits that have 'opted-in'..

'Research' DNA data is available for one-to-one comparison to other Public or Research DNA. It is not shown in other people's 'one-to-many' results lists. The Raw Data that you uploaded is not made available.

I have accepted the terms, and am now in 'opt-out' mode by default until I decide otherwise. As Judy notes in her article, "The new system fully conforms to all legal definitions of informed consent".

I noticed this morning a tweet from Debbie Kennett, stating "In the first 48 hours since everyone in GEDmatch was opted out just 10,000 people people opted back in", linking to an article at https://www.forensicmag.com/news/2019/05/forensic-genealogy-where-does-cold-case-breakthrough-technique-go-after-gedmatch-announcement.

(With thanks to Judy G. Russell and @DebbieKennett)

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.