Originally Posted by
Jaiade
I have learned that if you are female they only look at the female line. My search is looking for info on my grandmother's father's side. So if this is so, I won't get any info (through my grandmother) as to the ancestry of my great-grandfather. Is this correct?
I have never heard what you're saying about the female line. Where did you get this info? I'm not saying it's incorrect; I'm saying I've never heard it and would like to look into it.
I don't think these types of DNA tests tell you specifics about your ancestors other than giving you info about your genetic makeup. It won't give you info about your great-great grandfather because he never submitted a DNA sample. However, it
can tell you that you're part German, part Scandinavian, and part French.
Finding living relatives is possible if both parties submit DNA to the same database and opt in to the possibility. If you'd rather not know, or not be known, just opt out.
Originally Posted by
Jaiade
Another thing I don't understand is how it changes depending on how many people are tested. It is what it is, isn't it?
Peckish.....Your husband knew he had 25% how? By DNA or just knowing members of the family.
The databases change based on the people who are taking the tests. The more information a datebase contains, the more accurate it can be. For instance, as I said previously, another friend always thought she was part Native American, but her DNA test came back with some minuscule number like .02%. However, the Native American databases are nearly non-existent because hardly any Native Americans have submitted DNA samples. So, it's entirely possible that in 5 years, her genetic profile could change simply because the database may gain more data from Native Americans.
My husband knew he was 25% because of family history. His grandmother's birth certificate shows she was black. She married a white man. We assume her children would then be 50% black and 50% white, and her grandchildren 25% black. But DNA doesn't split evenly like that, according to these results. That's what I find fascinating.