How to Trace Your Family History Through DNA

DNA helps connect families around the world and helps people trace their family history.

Family history researchers constantly seek new ways to connect family to their tree. Using DNA as a resource is one way to accomplish this task. DNA allows researchers to discover the origin of their surname, their deep ancestral origins, ethnic background and where their family came from. DNA mutates or changes over time so some historical information is retained. These mutations allow geneticists to infer evolutionary history of humans. Not only can DNA help establish ancestral generations, but it can also connect current generations.

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Instructions

- 1
  
  Take a DNA test. Ancestry.com has three test options. The fist test, Paternal Lineage DNA test is given only to males. This test looks at DNA passed down from male to male and reveals genetic cousin relationships. The Maternal Lineage DNA test is a test given to females and males. The Maternal DNA test looks at the DNA passed from mother to child. The Paternal & Maternal Lineage DNA test is given only to males. This test provides the results of both tests. The ethnic breakdowns or race and origin breakdowns are not provided through the Ancestry DNA tests.
- 2
  
  Order the DNA test kit of your choice from Ancestry.com (see "Resources"). Take the cheek-swab test. If the kit contains multiple swabs, use all of them. Enclose the swabs in the return envelope provided by the test company. Mail the swabs and wait for the results. Ancestry will return the results and inform you of ancestor matches with others in their Ancestry DNA database.
- 3
  
  Join a DNA ancestry project such as the National Genographic Project (see "Resources"). Submitting your DNA results to the project allows the project to analyze DNA from all over the world. The project can show participants where their paternal ancestors came from. It also offers participants interactive map tracing. The map illustrates the participants genetic lineage around the world.

Photo Credit family tree image by Judy Ben Joud from Fotolia.com

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How to Trace Your Family History Through DNA

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