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DNA Down Under – un alpabetising the cemetery list
Why Patsy’s Paddocks? I do like alliterations and I’ve always known fields as paddocks. Following Victorian land selections is one way of following my family history and this has often meant following the history of paddocks I rode across as a kid. Who was the elusive William Campbell of Campbell’s paddock? Why was Farie spelt…
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AncestryDNA: more traditional research required
AncestryDNA seems to have provided two things for me. The first is confirmation of the family research I have already done. DNA’s independence from traditional family history sources gives my family research additional surety. But do I really need that extra surety? Not really. The second thing AncestryDNA has provided me is heaps and heaps…
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Ethnicity Estimates
When some of us started researching our family history we were advised to start with ourselves, then confirm our links to our parents, grandparents and so on up our family tree. Based on our family stories, photographs and the written records we had we developed our research plan, one that was often focused on looking…
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The X Chromosome – Planning and Indulgence
The X Chromosome inheritance patterns are complex but when the planning is right and your relatives indulge your curiousity about their DNA then the resulting X DNA matches seem serendipitous. My brother wisely counselled establishing a sound foundation upon which to build my genetic genealogy research. My cousin Val started me off by agreeing to…
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Genetic Genealogy (DNA) as a family history source
What triggered my interest in DNA or Genetic Genealogy and its possibility as a source for family history research? It’s time, after two years of exploring DNA tests, to reflect upon why I started and where I have ended up. Curiousity was the first reason I started looking at DNA. Knowledge of DNA has come a…
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DNA – More than just matches
Next time you log in to your FamilyTreeDNA test check your Family Finder matches. There are now four tabs under the Family Finder – Matches screen. Just as I haven’t stopped purchasing birth, marriage and death certificates I am sure that I am far from finished purchasing DNA kits. Particularly when I am excited about…
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Census records – one of my gateway sources
I call some of the sources I use my gateway sources. I find them critical to breaking down brick walls. Do I stand at the gateway afraid to go any further? Do I stand in the open gateway thinking about how to approach a completely new set of sources that may contain family stories? Passenger…