Embarking on Genetic Genealogy: Essential Tools and Resources to Begin Your Journey
Welcome to my “Who Are You Made Of?” tool section! I am delighted that you have discovered DNA testing and genealogy research, and am honored that you’re visiting my website.
I have carefully compiled this list of blog posts, tools, and services that I personally find invaluable for learning more about DNA and family history. Each of them was instrumental in helping me explore my family history more deeply.
On this page, you’ll discover:
Signing up for my WAYMO newsletter, along with advice about selecting a DNA test and blog posts suitable for beginners (especially if they recently got their results back), as well as information on where you can locate free records is also included in this guide.
Information on how to analyze your DNA on various websites such as Gedmatch is provided here, along with my top posts regarding ethnicity estimates and understanding your DNA matches.
Before we discuss all of the resources available to you on your genetic genealogy journey, I must give an important disclosure:
Important Disclaimer: Some of the links found below in my list of tools are affiliate links that, if used to make purchases through my website, could generate me with a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your support is extremely appreciated – perhaps more than you’ll ever realize!
If a link to a site is an affiliate link, I will include a note about that next to it so you’ll know. I won’t recommend products or services on this page unless I personally used and loved them myself, regardless of a small commission I might make from doing so.
Spend money only if it will help with your DNA research or family tree goals.
This site’s articles will assist in your quest to become more familiar with DNA testing, use your results to explore your family tree’s past, and build it. Here you will find articles covering an array of topics and links to products I recommend as a starting point.
If you’re new to genetic genealogy and DNA testing in general, my advice would be for you to sign up on my mailing list so I can send out weekly newsletters (usually on Saturday or Sunday). This way you’ll stay in the know!
Ancestry DNA or Family Tree DNA testing are highly reliable services with trustworthy results, and by clicking my links below I will receive a small commission that won’t impact the final cost at all – thank you so much!!! Thank you also for helping this site stay alive with helpful articles – thank you very much!!!
AncestryDNA’s massive database makes it the ideal way to discover living relatives and provide accurate ethnicity estimates.
Ancestry DNA’s user-friendly website and massive DNA database makes me love them even more, helping me connect with new (to me!) family members close and distant alike who share information that extends my tree back further generations than I could have thought possible.
As part of my recommended DNA testing strategy, the first step should be taking an Ancestry DNA test. Once you’ve explored your results, download and upload your file to multiple other sites to receive more matches, ethnicity estimates and learn even more about yourself and your DNA.
Trust me; it’s an entirely different world out here!