Best Genealogy Tests for You
If you have ever wondered who your ancestors were? Find out everything you need to know about genealogy tests in this short guide.
Wondering if you have long lost family members? Curious if you are related to someone famous or royal? Fascinated with history and historical stories? Longing to connect to your ethnic roots? You may benefit from a genealogy test or ancestry test. In this short guide, you will learn what an ancestry test is, the top 5 ancestry service providers, and the process of applying and receiving your results.
What Is an Ancestry Test?
An ancestry test is a professionally analyzed DNA test showcasing your family members and relatives from generations back. A DNA test can also determine your family’s roots in terms of ethnicity and origin country. Moreover, there are special DNA testing kits that inform you about your ancestral health and your likelihood of developing certain health issues.
An ancestry testing company will typically provide a few types of DNA testing kits. The top ancestry companies also offer software that allows you to construct a family tree as well as track and log living and passed relatives. This software can help you locate lost family members and reconnect with them. Although your specific DNA test will not always help you determine the exact names of your relatives, this connecting software and the corresponding database can.
Top 5 Ancestry Tests
Ancestry.com
Price: Starting at $99
It is easy to see why Ancestry.com may be the most famous of ancestry testing services. They offer it all. They can locate your geographic origins, yet they will not only show you the country, they will pinpoint the region or ethnic group. Uniquely, you can track how your family moved around the world and why. They also let you explore generations of related family members. Furthermore, you can connect with related, living family members. Likewise, those family members can find you when you start creating and sharing a family tree.
Ancestry.com offers 2 different DNA testing packages, starting at $100 for the most basic and the second, offering to examine your traits and health. They use Y-DNA testing for males, to determine male relatives from your paternal side reaching back thousands of years. They also use mtDNA testing for both females and males, to establish relatives on the maternal side reaching back even longer.
23andMe
Price: Starting at $129
23andMe is a user-friendly ancestry website and app allowing you to test health, traits, and ancestry. You can enjoy learning about your origin countries and regions, DNA relatives from both your maternal and paternal line, and connections with other relatives.
If you opt for their genealogy testing kit which involves health testing, which is $249, you can find out detailed information about your health. Exceptionally, it can help you determine your predisposition for certain diseases like Alzheimer’s or if you are a potential carrier for specific disorders like Sickle Cell Anemia.
Legacy Tree
Price: Starting at $110 per hour
Legacy Tree performs hands-on genealogical testing and results. Accordingly, you will receive thoroughly detailed reports. One of the unique aspects about this website is that if you have a particular question or focus for the project, your dedicated genealogist will help you answer it.
Legacy Tree has four specific packages, dedicated to creating family trees of different sizes and focusing on a specific number of research goals. Although Legacy Tree’s services are more expensive than other websites, you may find their services more worthwhile especially if you want to find specific people or answer particular questions. They even offer additional services such as finding unknown parents, creating family charts, designing and printing family history books, and travel services.
FamilyTreeDNA
Price: staring at $79
FamilyTreeDNA is a comprehensive DNA ancestry testing and genealogy website. It offers three types of DNA testing, identifying relatives from generations back on both the maternal and paternal sides. They have many different packages, including a paternal ancestry test, family ancestry test, family ancestry and health test, and a maternal ancestry test.
The major draws to FamilyTreeDNA are the expanse of the services for the cost-effective prices. Moreover, they do not do their DNA testing through third party companies. They do their DNA processing, testing, and storing in their own labs. In this way, it may be the ideal choice for you if you worry about the safety and security of your personal information.
MyHeritage
Price: Starting at $60
If you know or believe most of your family is outside of the United States, you may find MyHeritage the most helpful ancestry website. They offer several services including finding your geographical origins, animating old photos to look like short videos, creating family trees, looking for historical documents, and connecting with lost relatives.
MyHeritage is also one of the most affordable DNA testing and ancestry services. You can also upload your DNA results from other DNA testing companies to the website to expand your ancestry information and insights.
The Process of DNA Testing
You may be excited to begin your ancestry and genealogy discovery journey. Naturally, you may be curious about the process of DNA testing. When you sign up to any of the ancestry websites, you will have the opportunity to purchase a testing kit package. The company will send you a testing kit, and you will send back a saliva or mouth swab sample. A few weeks later, you will receive an email or a notification in your online account providing you with your results.
Depending on where you are located, you can expect to receive your test kit in 2-12 days. You may wait up to eight weeks for your results. If you are using a website such as Ancestry.com, you may enjoy filling out your profile and filling out information about your known family while you wait. Some websites can help you find a great amount of information without your DNA. For instance, you can still find ancestors and living relatives, read historical documents, and find information that other family members or relatives may have added about your family. Once coupled with your DNA results, you will have a comprehensive record of your genealogy and your family history.
