Has anyone taken the DNA test or worked on family tree research? I've done both recently and have learned fascinating things.

 

I have seriously found some cool things. I'm going to list them in order of ascending "coolness":

 

1) I have a great aunt that I didn't know that suffered from the same type of cancer that I did and at a young age. Uterine cancer tends to affect women in their 50s and 60s. I had it at age 38. My great aunt died from it at 46. I feel extremely lucky to be born in an era in which cancer isn't an automatic death sentence.

2) A great uncle on my father's side had an illegitimate son, who has taken the DNA test on ancestry and he was listed as a probably 3rd or 4th cousin in my results! Some members of my family had sort of down played the idea of an illegitimate child previously, but the DNA evidence made them change their minds. We've now been in contact with his son. Unfortunately, my great uncle, a WWII veteran, died in 2006, but his kids are now open to meeting their half-brother!

3) My dad never knew his father and his mother would never tell him who he was. There were a few rumors whispered in the family, but their was one name that my dad felt like was most likely (or hopeful?) and I started doing research on him. It was very difficult finding information on the man, but at last I felt like that I had an idea of who he was. I then looked into my DNA match section (which was there before I did ANY Of the research on my possible grandfather) and low and behold, there are THREE matches to his other direct descendants! My dad will be 74 years old this month, and when I told him that we had proof of who his father was, I can't describe the look on his face. I have sent a message through the ancestry.com website to one of the family members, but haven't received a reply yet. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

4) Lastly, this has been a wonderful way to interact with my family. We've shared stories, photos, and many of them are now looking at the research themselves, finding new things and contacting me to put it in our tree. It really is wonderful to know the true story of who you are.

What do they ship you?

 

So from what I can infer, "Western Europe" doesn't include Ireland, Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, Italy or Greece.

 

I guess that means it's basically Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Monaco, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands, and Scandinavian Countries all lumped together? Poland too maybe?

 

From the info under "Western Europe":

 

Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Denmark, Slovenia, Czech Republic. It also lists England and Italy, so not sure how that differs from the "Great Britain" and "Italy/Greece"

sections. I may have to see if there is more information on that.

What do they ship you?

 

DNA Collection Kit and then results of DNA search...I think that is what you get.

 

(Accidently quoted you on the other post, plantmanky. My apologies.)

 

They send you a kit to collect your DNA (saliva) and a pre-paid mailer to send it back in. Your results will appear on your ancestry.com page and you get an email letting you know that they are available.

 

My dad was so into it that he wanted to get his DNA tested, too, so that is what I got him for his birthday, which is great because he is so difficult to shop for!

My parents surprised me with an Ancestry DNA test kit for Christmas. I just mailed it at the end of last week, and they're apparently on an 8-week minimum lead time right now on getting them turned around. Looking forward to seeing what they have to say.

Am I the only one who doesn't care about their ancestry? I totally understand the desire to know about it. I'm certain I'm in the overwhelming minority. Don't get me wrong, I dig reading your stories. Just not interested in my own. Can't really explain it.

Am I the only one who doesn't care about their ancestry? I totally understand the desire to know about it. I'm certain I'm in the overwhelming minority. Don't get me wrong, I dig reading your stories. Just not interested in my own. Can't really explain it.

 

I'm adopted...was so at 3 months old. I have NO CLUE about my birth parents or anything about ancestry/ethnic background. It has never bothered me once, and I have had people that thought that it not bothering me was crazy.

 

Now, two things I have always wondered about...do I have any blood siblings, especially a brother...and with the advent of the new DNA services, I have thought about sending a sample in just to see where my roots might lie. But if a never do it, it won't bother me a bit.

I'm adopted...was so at 3 months old. I have NO CLUE about my birth parents or anything about ancestry/ethnic background. It has never bothered me once, and I have had people that thought that it not bothering me was crazy.

 

Now, two things I have always wondered about...do I have any blood siblings, especially a brother...and with the advent of the new DNA services, I have thought about sending a sample in just to see where my roots might lie. But if a never do it, it won't bother me a bit.

I think maybe in your circumstance, I might be more inclined to find out.

I'm curious about my ancestry but I don't trust any company enough to send them my DNA.

Am I the only one who doesn't care about their ancestry? I totally understand the desire to know about it. I'm certain I'm in the overwhelming minority. Don't get me wrong, I dig reading your stories. Just not interested in my own. Can't really explain it.

 

I get what you're saying, doc. In all honesty, I never had enough interest to personally buy the DNA kit...but since I had it bought for me, it's a fair amount more intriguing to me.

 

I haven't done tons of ancestry work by any means, and I kind of laugh at myself in a weird way from time to time. Like at one point I found out that one of my great-great-great-grandfathers a ways back was an accomplished musician who played in the Symphony and I. Initially I was kind of taken aback by that for some reason or another...and then I thought about it a little more and realized "that doesn't mean a damn thing to me and my life, though, and it doesn't change a thing about who I am".

 

I don't know...I just guess I just find it interesting to learn more about "stuff" in general, and why not occasionally make the "stuff" I learn about be a little more relevant to me.

Am I the only one who doesn't care about their ancestry? I totally understand the desire to know about it. I'm certain I'm in the overwhelming minority. Don't get me wrong, I dig reading your stories. Just not interested in my own. Can't really explain it.

 

 

I'm with you.

I get what you're saying, doc. In all honesty, I never had enough interest to personally buy the DNA kit...but since I had it bought for me, it's a fair amount more intriguing to me.

 

I haven't done tons of ancestry work by any means, and I kind of laugh at myself in a weird way from time to time. Like at one point I found out that one of my great-great-great-grandfathers a ways back was an accomplished musician who played in the Symphony and I. Initially I was kind of taken aback by that for some reason or another...and then I thought about it a little more and realized "that doesn't mean a damn thing to me and my life, though, and it doesn't change a thing about who I am".

 

I don't know...I just guess I just find it interesting to learn more about "stuff" in general, and why not occasionally make the "stuff" I learn about be a little more relevant to me.

Oh, I get it. I think it's pretty cool. Now if your great-great-great grandpa had been a rifle maker, well..

I've never sprung for the DNA test.

 

We can reliably go back to 1715 on my mother's side of the family.

 

What month that year was your mother born?

Am I the only one who doesn't care about their ancestry? I totally understand the desire to know about it. I'm certain I'm in the overwhelming minority. Don't get me wrong, I dig reading your stories. Just not interested in my own. Can't really explain it.

 

Completely agree. Never interested me in the least. I'm far more concerned where my kids end up in 50 years than what my ancestors were doing 100 years ago. I see that commercial with the dude all excited because he thought he was Italian and is actually Scottish...one giant yawn for me.

My daughter would love one. 1st day of class this semester she had to get up and introduce herself. 1st question asked: Are you Mexican? (no) 2nd question asked: Do you speak Spanish? (no)

Her Italian ancestry is playing tricks on her! :lol2:

What do they ship you?

 

Everything they find out about you is returned using FedEx.