DNA: Taking the Next Steps

                                                                                 

In my quest to find out more about DNA and genetics, I heard about a new DNA testing company, one based in the UK. This sounds like it will be ideal for my ancestry which is based predominantly in Europe. The mainstream DNA companies are based in the US, and their clients, at this time, are mainly from North America which is probably why most of my matches are remote rather than close cousins.

The UK DNA company, LivingDNA, doesn’t have surnames to match on their database yet but it does break down a tester’s DNA origins into various regions in the UK which make it easier to pinpoint which actual places they came from. Documentary evidence has connected my ancestors to 19 English counties. Perhaps the data from LivingDNA will narrow down the areas which my ancestors actually originated in so that I have fewer counties to concentrate on as I go back in time. Hopefully too, the test will be able to give me an idea where in Ireland my Cavanaghs came from. 

I am not too sure about whether my DNA carries anything related to the Cavanagh line as it would be the Y-DNA line from my father. I am not really sure if this will be a blind alley as I don’t have any Y-DNA. I really need to find out more about how all this DNA works. 

A book that has been recommended to me is Blaine Bettinger’s The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy. It is a very good basic guide to the use of DNA for genetic genealogy. After reading it, I would assume that my DNA will not show anything about the Cavanagh line but I am still not certain. I do have a workbook of sorts to work through to reinforce what I have learned which will hopefully make things clearer. That book is Genetic Genealogy in Practice by Blaine Bettinger and Debbie Parker Wayne. Looks like I have homework to do.

 

I will continue to try to learn more about this new genealogy tool. Maybe someday I will have a good enough understanding to know how to maximize the information from DNA tests which I have done.