Our probabilities of discovering useful DNA family are better after we match extra individuals who share extra autosomal DNA (atDNA) with us. In different phrases, after we take a look at in the identical database(s) as our family.
For the English-speaking world, that database is sort of at all times AncestryDNA. With greater than 22 million DNA prospects worldwide, they’ve, by far, the most important industrial database of atDNA testers on the earth. It’s bigger than all their competitors mixed!
For that purpose, AncestryDNA is the very best place to start out should you’re new to utilizing DNA for family tree. This graph exhibits what I imply.
If you happen to’re critical about genetic family tree, you’ll need to be in a couple of DNA database. That’s as a result of every DNA testing firms has its personal set of shoppers. You’ll have DNA cousins at, say, 23andMe who haven’t examined at AncestryDNA, and vice versa. I’ve key matches in every of the Massive Three databases who’ve solely examined at one firm and never the others. I solely discovered them by being in a number of databases myself.
Paying for DNA exams at a number of firms provides up rapidly. Luckily, you don’t need to! The smaller firms are actively making an attempt to develop their databases by accepting knowledge from their rivals … totally free! Which means you may pay for a single take a look at at AncestryDNA and replica the outcomes to MyHeritage, Household Tree DNA, and Dwelling DNA at no further value. This so-called switch course of received’t take away your DNA knowledge (typically referred to as a “package”) from AncestryDNA, it’ll simply add it to the opposite databases.
Sadly, If you wish to be in 23andMe’s matching database, you’ll need to buy a take a look at by them. They don’t settle for transfers from different firms to seek out DNA family.
AncestryDNA isn’t the one supply of information the smaller firms will settle for; they may also take knowledge from each other. Click on right here for a abstract of which DNA knowledge transfers are attainable. However by the bang-for-your-buck metric, testing at AncestryDNA first is the easiest way to go.
The right way to Obtain Your Information from AncestryDNA
Step one in a knowledge switch is to repeat your “uncooked knowledge file” to your private laptop. (If you happen to’re engaged on a public laptop, like at a library, be certain that to delete the recordsdata from the exhausting drive if you’re accomplished.) That file accommodates the precise DNA knowledge—the As, Cs, Gs, and Ts—for roughly 700,000 spots in your genome.
(1) Log into your Ancestry.com account, click on on the DNA tab on the prime of the web page, go to “Your DNA Outcomes Abstract”, then click on the Settings button on the prime proper.
(2) On the Settings web page, scroll right down to the “Actions” part and click on the blue “Obtain” expander on the proper. Enter your password, acknowledge that you just assume duty for the information when you’ve downloaded it, then click on the blue CONFIRM button.
(3) As an added safety measure, AncestryDNA will ship you an e mail with a hyperlink to obtain your knowledge. When the e-mail arrives, click on the blue button to “Obtain DNA Information”.
(4) This hyperlink will take you again to AncestryDNA’s internet web page, the place now you can click on the “Obtain DNA Uncooked Information” button to repeat the information file to your laptop. This won’t take away your knowledge from AncestryDNA.
The file will in all probability be saved in your “Downloads” folder (until you’ve informed your web browser to save lots of issues some other place.) Will probably be referred to as “dna-data-YYYY-MM-DD.zip”, the place YYYY-MM-DD represents the date of the obtain. The “zip” ending signifies that the file is in a compacted type. Don’t unzip it.
TIP: As a privateness precaution, the file won’t have any figuring out info in both its title or its contents. You’ll be able to rename the file should you like. If you happen to’re planning on doing transfers for a number of individuals, do all of them for one individual earlier than beginning on the following individual to keep away from mixing up the recordsdata.
Switch Your Uncooked Information File to MyHeritage
I like to recommend that my shoppers add their uncooked knowledge is to MyHeritage. They’ve the most important database of the businesses that settle for switch knowledge — the most important of the smallest, so to talk — and so they have a superb suite of DNA instruments for family tree.
(1) To start out the switch, click on right here.
(2) On the MyHeritage web page, click on the fuchsia “Begin” button.
(3) The subsequent web page will information you thru organising a free account with MyHeritage. (If you have already got an account there, log in earlier than importing.) Remember to learn the Service Phrases and Privateness Coverage. They’re obligatory. If you happen to don’t conform to them, don’t proceed with the add. If you happen to do agree, fill within the type and click on the fuchsia “Go” button.
(4) Now, you can be guided by a number of steps. First, specify whose DNA you’re importing, yours or another person’s. In case you are importing another person’s knowledge, you’ll need to enter their particulars and ensure that you’ve got obtained their permission.
Within the following panels, you’ll (a) affirm that you just settle for the Phrases and Situations (obligatory), (b) consent to the processing of your DNA (obligatory), (c) affirm which can be importing for private use solely (obligatory), (d) resolve whether or not to allow DNA matching (non-obligatory, however wanted in order for you matches), (e) resolve whether or not to share your ethnicity estimates and DNA section knowledge with matches (non-obligatory), and (f) resolve whether or not to take part in MyHeritage analysis (non-obligatory).
When you’ve accomplished all this, you’ll see a abstract of your selections.
Lastly, click on the fuchsia “Add” button. Navigate to the placement in your laptop the place the AncestryDNA file was saved, choose it, click on “Open”, and look ahead to the information to add. As soon as the file is safely transferred to MyHeritage, click on “Performed”. It’s going to take just a few days earlier than you’re absolutely built-in into their system and have DNA matches.
The add is free, however MyHeritage gives further instruments for $29. In case you are critical about genetic family tree, the added options are properly definitely worth the charge.
TIP: At MyHeritage, you may add DNA kits for a number of individuals into the identical account, so that you should not have to sign off then log again in to work with the DNA matches for a number of relations.
