Thanks for your comments about genealogy myths. While I can always learn something from these tv programs, they do make it appear you can snap your fingers and swish, you’ve got your completed family tree. The reality is that it takes quite some time researching, traveling, talking to relatives and new relations, etc. It is not simple. But I enjoy it and hope to continue my search shortly.
I’ve been working for over 20 years on our family tree. I have just now started getting it uploaded to Ancestry.com. Not only to help archive everything but to also to help other family members see all of it online. It is a double edge sword, sometimes you can find it all online, but you have to do the leg work to get it there.
What about Ancestry’s DNA test kit, is that a sure fire way of finding out some of your genealogy? Want to know if their DNA kits are worth buying & if their test results are legitimate
I got one for my dad. And we know that his grandmother was half Native American and the test didn’t pick up on that. So I don’t think it’s very accurate but it was fun to see what it said.
John Kanty
a person told me that two sisters took the test and one results was that she had Native American blood and the other sister did not?? Don’t know what company that was but I would not trust them.
My husband and I both had the DNA test. I am satisfied with the results. I also tested negative for Native American — That was a surprise. My cousin explained that Native American and African DNA with phase out quickly especially in women.
Several of my cousin have also had their DNA test done. It has linked us to some family members that were adopted — or their grandparents were adopted. We have uploaded our DNA to genmatch, a free site that breaks the DNA match by chromosomes. It can become complicated but also rewarding.
charlotte Shackles
I did Ancestry and 23andme. Ancestry showed no Native American, 23andme showed 2%. A second cousin on 23andme said same 2% for him but he knows for a fact his grandmother was 3/4 native American.
A DNA test will show connections to other people who have had DNA tests. If one of those people will give you a family tree with some common ancestors in it (yours and theirs), then that might save you some genealogy research time. Don’t count on that.
I have done four different kinds of DNA tests. I have not learned much from them, and I get bogged down with people who know a lot about DNA tests, but cannot tell me who our common ancestor is.
George Howell have you used genmatch? We have a large group of family members that work on the DNA research. It’s very complicated but looking at the chromosome matches we have isolated certain one to certain branches of the family.
My test has confirmed a number of family lines, so I think it is well worth the price. As far as ancestral origins, such as Native American, some family members may show it and others may not. I tested as 1% Native American, but my two sisters didn’t. This is due to the way in which specific genes are or are not inherited. This is particularly true when the ancestry is far back in time.
Catherine Holcombe
True, George Washington did not have any direct descendants, however, he did have siblings who had direct descendants, for example, Charles (founded Charles Town, WV [part of VA until 1863]). So one can be related to George as a niece, nephew or cousin.
John Kanty
that is true. For example I found out my family relative was a third cousin to George Washington.
still plugging away after 30 years. started off with oral stories from my great grandmother who lived to 100 years old. then after the coming of internet access made it a little easy but yes don’t put stock in all who post information on family trees. I found quite a few errors on my family and concerning dna tests I have people tell me good and bad results from them, especially minorities, ie. Native American and African American. Not sure which company is the most accurate( ancestry.com?)
If you are near a LDS (Latter Day Saints) family center you can get access t o ancestry.com free if you research in their sites. Even then some information I have found on ancestry sites posted by people may be in error. Check and re check information. It is fun to me to search for family connections and where they came from and their status in life.
“Actually, families don’t have crests….individuals do.”
Not exactly. Crests were granted to individuals; however, they were (in the Renaissance and later) sold to raise funds for the state. Regardless: the crest was inherited by the oldest male, it’s true. But it’s more complex than that. The crest was also used to indicate family ties–see quartering. It was also used to indicate loyalties–see livery. There was even a German tradition of halving the field, with one half devoted to the individual/family crest and the other devoted to the lord/nation they were fighting for.
Members of the family could, in justice, wear those arms as a sign of loyalty to the family–as could literally anyone else that the oldest male heir (or whoever was deligated the authority) said could wear them.
So yes, arms/crests (not the same thing) were granted to individuals. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have one represent a family. That’s literally what they were used for for hundreds of years.
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Thanks for your comments about genealogy myths. While I can always learn something from these tv programs, they do make it appear you can snap your fingers and swish, you’ve got your completed family tree. The reality is that it takes quite some time researching, traveling, talking to relatives and new relations, etc. It is not simple. But I enjoy it and hope to continue my search shortly.
I’ve been working for over 20 years on our family tree. I have just now started getting it uploaded to Ancestry.com. Not only to help archive everything but to also to help other family members see all of it online. It is a double edge sword, sometimes you can find it all online, but you have to do the leg work to get it there.
What about Ancestry’s DNA test kit, is that a sure fire way of finding out some of your genealogy? Want to know if their DNA kits are worth buying & if their test results are legitimate
I got one for my dad. And we know that his grandmother was half Native American and the test didn’t pick up on that. So I don’t think it’s very accurate but it was fun to see what it said.
a person told me that two sisters took the test and one results was that she had Native American blood and the other sister did not?? Don’t know what company that was but I would not trust them.
That means his great-grandmother was a full-blood. That is not that far back. Wouldn’t she be on a roll somewhere?
We have the same thing, kinda. Out of West Alabama and east Mississippi.
My husband and I both had the DNA test. I am satisfied with the results. I also tested negative for Native American — That was a surprise. My cousin explained that Native American and African DNA with phase out quickly especially in women.
Several of my cousin have also had their DNA test done. It has linked us to some family members that were adopted — or their grandparents were adopted. We have uploaded our DNA to genmatch, a free site that breaks the DNA match by chromosomes. It can become complicated but also rewarding.
I did Ancestry and 23andme. Ancestry showed no Native American, 23andme showed 2%. A second cousin on 23andme said same 2% for him but he knows for a fact his grandmother was 3/4 native American.
A DNA test will show connections to other people who have had DNA tests. If one of those people will give you a family tree with some common ancestors in it (yours and theirs), then that might save you some genealogy research time. Don’t count on that.
I have done four different kinds of DNA tests. I have not learned much from them, and I get bogged down with people who know a lot about DNA tests, but cannot tell me who our common ancestor is.
I did Ancestry and unbeknownst to me so did my 2nd cousin. The test identified us as second cousins…so I think it is pretty accurate…..
George Howell have you used genmatch? We have a large group of family members that work on the DNA research. It’s very complicated but looking at the chromosome matches we have isolated certain one to certain branches of the family.
My test has confirmed a number of family lines, so I think it is well worth the price. As far as ancestral origins, such as Native American, some family members may show it and others may not. I tested as 1% Native American, but my two sisters didn’t. This is due to the way in which specific genes are or are not inherited. This is particularly true when the ancestry is far back in time.
True, George Washington did not have any direct descendants, however, he did have siblings who had direct descendants, for example, Charles (founded Charles Town, WV [part of VA until 1863]). So one can be related to George as a niece, nephew or cousin.
that is true. For example I found out my family relative was a third cousin to George Washington.
Not
still plugging away after 30 years. started off with oral stories from my great grandmother who lived to 100 years old. then after the coming of internet access made it a little easy but yes don’t put stock in all who post information on family trees. I found quite a few errors on my family and concerning dna tests I have people tell me good and bad results from them, especially minorities, ie. Native American and African American. Not sure which company is the most accurate( ancestry.com?)
If you are near a LDS (Latter Day Saints) family center you can get access t o ancestry.com free if you research in their sites. Even then some information I have found on ancestry sites posted by people may be in error. Check and re check information. It is fun to me to search for family connections and where they came from and their status in life.
Genealogy- not like McDonald’s as they advertise.
“Actually, families don’t have crests….individuals do.”
Not exactly. Crests were granted to individuals; however, they were (in the Renaissance and later) sold to raise funds for the state. Regardless: the crest was inherited by the oldest male, it’s true. But it’s more complex than that. The crest was also used to indicate family ties–see quartering. It was also used to indicate loyalties–see livery. There was even a German tradition of halving the field, with one half devoted to the individual/family crest and the other devoted to the lord/nation they were fighting for.
Members of the family could, in justice, wear those arms as a sign of loyalty to the family–as could literally anyone else that the oldest male heir (or whoever was deligated the authority) said could wear them.
So yes, arms/crests (not the same thing) were granted to individuals. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have one represent a family. That’s literally what they were used for for hundreds of years.