

When tracing birth parents with DNA testing, remember that your Y-DNA matches will definitely connect to your father’s direct paternal line. What you’re looking for is branches of their families that extend into the same geographic area where you were born. Whether you use autosomal or Y-DNA testing, you should contact your matches to learn what they know. If money is less of an issue and you want to save time, you can test 111 markers in the first place.
#Ancestry dns should i see my dna matches upgrade
You can always upgrade from 37 to 111 markers later. You only need more markers if you get too many close matches and need to narrow down your list.

NOTE: The 37-marker test is often sufficient to identify your likely surname. For others the chances of uncovering that hidden surname will increase over time. I recommend that you order your Y-DNA test from the company with the largest Y-DNA database by far: Family Tree DNA.Ībout half the adopted men who take this test are discovering their paternal surname in their initial results. You can narrow your search to men of that surname who lived in the time and place of your conception. Once you find that name, tracing birth parents becomes easier. That name, most likely, will be the last name of your biological father. Since men usually pass down their surname to their sons, you may find that a majority of your matches cluster around one particular surname. This test works because the Y chromosome passes down, relatively unchanged, from father to son, generation after generation.īy checking your Y-DNA against a huge database of other men, you can find cousins who share a common ancestor in your father’s paternal line. If you’re a male adoptee, I recommend you take a Y-DNA test in addition to the autosomal tests.Įven if you’re primarily searching for your birth mother, narrowing down the possibilities for your birth father can simplify your search. This is the test that I used to learn my birth father’s surname. This will open the match's profile and there you'll find lots of goodies including the buttons that allow you to contact that match.For six reasons why I recommend Origins for tracing birth parents, see my Birth Parent Search page. You need to click on the name of the match or the "View match" button. You can't contact a match from your list of matches or your shared match list. How Do I Open the Ancestry Messaging Center / Contact a DNA Match?
#Ancestry dns should i see my dna matches how to
Let's look at some screenshots of how to contact AncestryDNA matches. I try and always respond to people because I want people to respond to me but if things are really crazy and someone is really vague, you bet that's the message I don't respond to. They are more likely to respond when you make everything easier for them! This is extremely helpful if you aren't as clear as you should be and the person manages more than one DNA test.Įven if they can figure it out without the link, it makes life easier for them. You won't' see this in your message, it's added when it sends but you can see it in the sent copy and in your message history (handy for you). When you use the buttons in the DNA match profile, you will automatically have a link created at the bottom of your message that goes to you or more specifically, to the test you were using when you clicked the "Send Message" button. You can contact an user (via the messaging service) through "member search." You do NOT want to do this if the person is a DNA match, use the buttons in their match profile (illustrated in the next section, keep reading).

There are some issues using a messaging system vs. The messaging service is the only option directly at. This means you could learn about them and find another way to contact them (such as finding them on a genealogy message board or where they tested/have DNA results at a site that provides email addresses). If you want to use DNA for genealogy you need to learn to "research" your matches because most people will not respond. Ancestry does not provide email addresses or a way to email users. Other ways to contact AncestryDNA matchesĮssentially, the only way to contact anyone via is using the messaging center. It doesn't matter which button, both take you to the messaging center. You want to click the button that says "Message" or "Contact ". There has been a button for a long time but exactly where it is and what it looks like has changed. The only way to contact an AncestryDNA match is using the Ancestry Messaging Services.Īs of spring 2021 there are two buttons on your match's profile screen where you can contact them. It's easier than you thought when you searched for help! Are you looking for help on how to contact your AncestryDNA? You're in the right place.
