DNA things
 

Can someone, in very simple words, explain the testing process and what happens next?

I'm thinking about doing it but having totally ignored everything about it I know nothing.

I'd also like to know 1. is it a cheek swab or spit in a tube or does that depend on the company?
2. If I test me, OH, my Dad, OH's parents and a cousin and I pay and send in the tests do I get the results back or do they go to the person?

I don't get the letters and numbers and stuff, will it make sense once I have results to look at?

I didn't succeed in making a puchase recently, but Ancestry's form simply asked for a billing and a delivery address, so I assume that you could get half a dozen kits, and then choose who you gave them to.

Managing Best Mate's account, I have yet to find out where you see the raw data, to know exactly which bits of the genome you have in common with anyone else. Other providers obviously do supply that sort of information.

Is ancestry safe? I was talking to my sister and she said they on sold the information and it also affected health insurance. She wasn't sure if that is just in the US though.

Hi Toni

My son and I have both been tested via Ancestry. They send a kit and you spit into a testtube. They email when the results are through (I think it was about 4 weeks) and then you view online. They give you options of sharing your DNA results with others on Ancestry so you can see if you have matches. Top of mine was my son, so I suppose that showed it works!

I didn't do it to help with family history (I don't have closer than distant cousin matches on Ancestry) but to see my genetic make up which was quite interesting - 3% Swedish! Who knew?!

You don't get to see that on ancestry. But you can download the raw data and upload it to other sites which will show you which bits you share with others, but of course that doesn't show you what you share with people who are only on ancestry.

You can opt out of their "Human Diversity Project":
https://support.ancestry.com.au/s/ar...search-Project

This is the link to the main Help page for DNA on ancestry which should answer all your questions:

https://support.ancestry.com.au/s/to...50000004cGsGAI

But please make sure that you and all your relatives realise that DNA testing can uncover secrets such as not being the biological child of one or other (or both) of the people who you always thought were your parents. And that if they would rather not run the risk of finding out that kind of thing, they shouldn't take the test. There have been quite a few newspaper articles recently about people who were shocked when they got their results.

They do have a privacy policy, which you would probably need to read like a lawyer!

This project uses not just your DNA but any trees you upload to ancestry, all information you enter to register with ancestry, any medical information you provide and anything they can find out about you in the public domain.

As for parentage I don't think there is any doubt in the people I am thinking of using but I will make them aware, if I go ahead and they agree.

Answering my own question - the person whose DNA it is is the test owner and must have their own ancestry account. They can then share the information with me.

It would be easier if they let the person interested in FH have them all registered under the one account.

Curiosity question - I was thinking of asking a cousin if he would do the test as he is the only male I have contact with from a branch of the family I'd love to match with. Cousins aren't mentioned on the FAQs. Would it work?