UpFront with NGS: DNA

Showing posts with label DNA. Show all posts

24 April 2026

DNA Day 2026

DNA is no doubt an important addition to the world of family history research. Genetic genealogy helps to answer questions when the record paper trail goes cold. Genealogy and DNA testing has evolved since the first consumer tests were made available in 1999 to include autosomal, mtDNA and Y-DNA tests and tools. Today, test-takers can expect to learn more about their ethnic background, trace their maternal or paternal lines, and identify family members previously unknown due to adoption or unknown birth parents.

April 25th marks National DNA Day, a day that honors the 1953 discovery of DNA’s double helix and the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003.

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) began celebrating DNA Day annually on April 25th after the 108th Congress passed concurrent resolutions designating it as DNA Day. The goal of National DNA Day is to offer students, teachers and the public an opportunity to learn about and celebrate the latest advances in genomic research and explore how those advances impact their lives.[1]

Because DNA advances are almost constant, it’s important that we as researchers identify what questions we want DNA to answer, and what tests and tools will help in finding those answers.

The National Genealogical Society (NGS) offers DNA education in several ways including books and publications as well as virtual and in-person educational opportunities. To learn more about incorporating DNA into your family history research, check out the following NGS offerings.

NGS Education

GenTech Toolbox Video On Demand: AncestryDNA Custom Clusters: Identifying Matches that Matter by Angie Bush. Available to purchase until 17 August 2026.

NGS Books

· Forensic Genealogy by Michael S. Ramage and Catherine B. W. Desmarais, 2024.

· Genetic Genealogy in Practice by Blaine T. Bettinger and Debbie Parker Wayne, 2016.

GRIP Genealogy Institute

· GRIP Virtual Course (22-26 June 2026): Advanced DNA Evidence with Blaine Bettinger.

· GRIP In-Person Course (12-17 July 2026 at the University of Pittsburgh): Genetic Networks: Start at the Beginning with Kelli Jo Bergheimer.

NGS 2026 Family History Conference

· From Revolution to Reunion: Using DNA to Reconnect a German Family in America with Mary Kircher Roddy.

· DNA Standards: Establishing Revolutionary War Ancestry with Catherine Desmaris.

· WORKSHOP - Bloodlines and Breakthroughs: Inside Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) with Allison Ryall.

NGS YouTube Channel

· MemberConnects! Looking backon 25 years of commercial DNA testing with Bennett Greenspan, founder of FamilyTreeDNA.

· The Power of Ancestry DNA with Christa Cowan.

NGS Magazine

· DNA Discovery Column by Paul Woodbury.

National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ)

· DNA Articles by various authors.

DNA Day 2026

Use DNA Day as inspiration to focus on your genetic genealogy. NGS has what you need, no matter if you are a DNA newbie or an advanced researcher. Look to NGS to learn more about DNA testing, matches, and next steps.

Happy DNA Day!

[1] “National DNA Day,” National Human Genome Research Institute (https://www.genome.gov/dna-day: accessed 19 April 2026)

14 August 2017

Though 95% Said Heritage Is White British, The Average Villager is Just 42% British

Though 95% Said Heritage Is White British, The Average Villager is Just 42% British

Talk about a catchy headline -- The English village that's not very English at all! How residents in a Cotswolds community have DNA from 18 different parts of the world despite 95% saying their heritage is white British.

Angie Bush (our NGS DNA expert), shares her thoughts “DNA testing brings a village even closer together. Several residents of Bledington, Gloucestershire, recently took the AncestryDNA test and discovered many exciting things about their ancestry and how connected they really are. As one villager said: 'This whole experience has been wonderful, a real opportunity. It's really brought the community spirit back to Bledington.'”

So, think you know what your ancestry is!?!? DNA testing might just tell you something different.

What has surprised you the most about your DNA test results?

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NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.

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Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

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Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

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Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.

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05 August 2017

Top xxx Lists via Feedspot for Genealogists

Top xxx Lists via Feedspot for Genealogists

Feedspot calls itself a modern RSS Reader, a type of content curator platform. It has recently has created a couple of “top xxx” lists related to genealogy and many more lists related to other topics (including some topics that I had never even thought about “Top 50 Lucid Dream Blogs and Websites for Oneironauts and Dreamers.”)!

I think the genealogy-related lists have merit in terms of who is listed (they are very real blogs with some great content), though I would personally go to the actual blog page of any that interest me and subscribe directly. And, that might just be me. I suspect that if you do subscribe via the Feedspot website, they will serve as an intermediary between you and the listed blogs and I haven’t explored this sufficiently to know for sure. So, value the lists as suggestions and pursue those that interest you how you see fit.

Regardless, again, these are real lists of real blogs currently providing content to interested readers and so worth taking a gander act to see if there is a blog that you are unaware of that might merit an addition to your reading list.

NGS first learned about this when we received an email earlier this week (Upfront with NGS is #19 on the list) …

Hi NGS Team,

My name is Anuj Agarwal. I'm Founder of Feedspot.

I would like to personally congratulate you as your blog NGS has been selected by our panelist as one of the Top 100 Genealogy Blogs on the web.

http://blog.feedspot.com/genealogy_blogs/

I personally give you a high-five and want to thank you for your contribution to this world. This is the most comprehensive list of Top 100 Genealogy Blogs on the internet and I’m honored to have you as part of this!

Also, you have the honor of displaying the following badge on your blog. Use the below code to display this badge proudly on your blog.

Besides the “Top 100 Genealogy Blogs and Websites for Genealogists and Family History Researchers” mentioned above, there is also a “Top 50 DNA Blogs and Websites for Genetic Genealogists.”

Can you tell us more about Feedspot?

What genealogy-related blog did you learn about via these lists that was “new” to you?

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NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.

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Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

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Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

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Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.

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02 August 2017

A 100-year-old mystery solved by DNA testing!

A 100-year-old mystery solved by DNA testing!

DNA testing can reveal surprises. Some we might be prepared for and some maybe not.

The story of Alice Collins Piebuch as told in the piece She thought she was Irish – until a DNA test opened a 100-year-old mystery, Washington Post, 27 July 2017, reminds us that DNA results can challenge us to interpret them.

And, as summarized by Angie Bush (our NGS DNA expert), “it's unwise to dismiss ethnicity results completely. There can be situations where those results are highly informative.”

On the Facebook page of Angie Bush, The Legal Genealogist, Judy G. Russell, shared some posts created in 2015 telling the stories from Alice’s viewpoint and from Jess’ viewpoint.

· Switched at Birth: Unraveling a Century-Old Mystery with DNA (Your Genetic Genealogist, 27 February 2016), http://www.yourgeneticgenealogist.com/2015/02/switched-at-birth-unravelling-century_27.html

· And Who Would’ve Thought … It Figures (A Strange Kind of Pilgrimage, 22 Jan 2015), https://strangepilgrimage.wordpress.com/2015/01/22/and-who-wouldve-thought-it-figures/

DNA can be a wonderful tool. And, no guarantee though that it won’t come with some surprises.

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NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.

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Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!

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22 May 2017

DNA news -- The Legal Genealogist and Ancestry.com weigh in on a recent controversy & MyHeritage is running a father's day contest

DNA news -- The Legal Genealogist and Ancestry.com weigh in on a recent controversy & MyHeritage is running a father's day contest

Here are a couple of DNA news items relevant to genealogists …

(1) Recently there was a bit of controversy over an article published regarding Ancestry.com DNA testing whose intent seems to have been to alarm users and potential users of such DNA testing. As always, The Legal Genealogist (Judy G. Russell) responded with a well-thought out article where she talks about the FACTS of the issue in her usual straightforward manner. Please read her article, With all due respect.

It’s not that everything said in the article was wrong; to the contrary, much of it is absolutely right. It’s more that perfectly ordinary facts are presented in alarmist terms, as if they were new or surprising or unusual when they’re none of those things.

Additionally, AncestryDNA responded via Setting the Record Straight: Ancestry and Your DNA.

The article is inflammatory and inaccurate, and contains wild scenarios of the “did you know [insert scary hypothetical]” variety. If you don’t read our terms, and don’t spend a lot of time with our products and services, you might find this article alarming. So, let me try set the record straight by sharing some of the basic principles that guide everything we do at Ancestry.

We do always need to read and understand Terms of Service provisions and we do always need to seek the facts and hopefully an unbiased interpretation of said, as we make decisions. And, we need to be cautious before embracing and sharing the aspersions cast by others, especially when not factually accurate.

(2) On a completely different note, MyHeritage is running a Father Look-alike Competition where you can win a MyHeritage DNA Kit.

Have you heard all your life that you look exactly like your father? Do you have any photos of yourself and of your dad that make you do a double-take? We want to see the uncanny resemblances between the two of you, and we’re offering one lucky winner the chance to win a MyHeritage DNA kit!

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NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.

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Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

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Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.

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Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!

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03 May 2017

Can’t Attend NGS 2017 Next Week! No Worries. NGS To Stream 10 Genealogy Lectures LIVE

Can’t Attend NGS 2017 Next Week! No Worries. NGS To Stream 10 Genealogy Lectures LIVE

#NGS2017GEN

Sometimes we just cannot attend a conference, no matter how much we want to. Well, you can still have some of that conference experience via LIVE real time video! 10 NGS conference lectures will be streamed LIVE and you can catch these from home.

The package purchase options are laid out below. Most importantly, registration for live streaming will close at midnight, 10 May 2017, if you want to watch the sessions real time and LIVE.

Not able to catch the Livestream! You can access video streamed on-demand versions by purchasing the Livestream special-value conference pricing through midnight, 14 May 2017.

After 14 May, the ten video sessions are available to order with the Video Pass package on the Conference Recordings page. All registrants of packages will receive an electronic version of the NGS 2017 Family History Conference Syllabus.

Instructions for viewing the live streaming will be sent to registrants on 9 May 2017.

Track Selection	Included Formats	Member Price	Non-Member Price	Track Descriptions
One Day Pass (track one or track two)	5 Live Streaming + 3 Month Video on Demand Access	$95.00	$115.00	DNA. Five lectures on Thursday, 11 May 2017, or BCG Skillbuilding. Five lectures on Friday, 12 May 2017.
Two Days Pass (track one and track two)	10 Live Streaming + 3 Month Video on Demand Access	$150.00	$185.00	DNA. Five lectures on Thursday, 11 May 2017, *and* BCG Skillbuilding. Five lectures on Friday, 12 May 2017.

REMINDER: NGS Members will need to have their member discount code in hand before making a purchase on the PlaybackNGS website. Just log in to the NGS website. Click on this link, log in, you’ll see the code, return to the PlaybackNGS site, make your purchase, and you’ll be all set to “watch” 10 fascinating educational programs sharing the cutting edge of current genealogy tools and techniques.

NGS has selected Playback Now to broadcast the live sessions and to provide the recorded sessions for later viewing. Conference participants can benefit by selecting different presentations while attending the conference and expanding their overall conference experience. They will have three months following the conference to view and repeat the video live streaming sessions (through 13 August 2017), and six months following the conference to stream or download audio files.

REMINDER: If you are attending the conference in person and have not yet registered, in person registration opens at noon on Tuesday, 9 May at the Raleigh Convention Center.

NOTE: Recorded audio options are also available with pricing available on the same website (select View All Sessions in the menu). You can also order such at the conference at the Playback Now table. Pricing is the same regardless of when/how you place your order. More information about this option will be coming.

Hope to see you in Raleigh and if not, please share in the conference experience as you catch up to 10 lectures live streamed to your home or wherever you may be.

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NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.

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Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!

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22 February 2017

Family Tree DNA Now Accepts Data Transfers from Select 23andme and AncestryDNA Files

Family Tree DNA Now Accepts Data Transfers from Select 23andme and AncestryDNA Files

Now, for FREE, you can transfer/upload your 23andMe^© and AncestryDNA^™ results to Family Tree DNA. If you want full full access to all the Family Finder features, there will be a $19 charge.

From the Family Tree DNA Autosomal Transfer page, we learn …

What is an autosomal DNA transfer?

If you have previously tested your autosomal DNA at 23andMe^© or AncestryDNA^™, you can transfer your results to Family Tree DNA by uploading your raw data file. After transferring your file, your autosomal data is uploaded to our database, but your DNA sample is not obtained by our company.

Please note that you can only transfer the following versions:

· AncestryDNA^™ V1

· AncestryDNA^™ V2

For more information, see our Sample Access and Transfer Policy .

What do I get if I transfer my autosomal DNA?

After transferring your results, for free, you will receive a list of your autosomal matches from our database and have access to our Family Finder - Matrix. The Matrix feature allows you to select and compare the autosomal DNA relationship between up to ten of your matches at one time.

Note: Family Finder is the name of our autosomal DNA test.

After transferring, you can unlock all Family Finder features, which include the Chromosome Browser, myOrigins, and ancientOrigins for only $19.

Do read the full page for all details.

What new matches did you make when taking advantage of this new option?

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NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.

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Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!

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