Understanding Centimorgans in DNA Matching
If you have spent any time looking at your DNA match list, you have seen the centimorgan (cM) figure alongside each match — a number that tells you how much DNA you share…
Category: Genetic Genealogy
Articles about DNA testing and genetic genealogy for family history research.
Whole Genome Sequencing: The Next Frontier
Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is the most comprehensive form of genetic analysis available to consumers — a test that reads virtually every position in your DNA…
Autosomal DNA Testing: A Deeper Dive
Once you have your autosomal DNA results and have begun working your match list, the real analytical work begins. Understanding the deeper mechanics of autosomal DNA…
Autosomal DNA Testing: A Primer for Genealogists
Autosomal DNA testing is the workhorse of consumer genetic genealogy — the test most people take first, the one that generates thousands of matches…
Mitochondrial DNA: Tracing Your Direct Maternal Line
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is the only type of DNA that traces a single, unbroken line of maternal ancestry — your mother’s mother’s mother’s line, extending back through time…
X-DNA: The Overlooked Chromosome That Can Focus Your Search
Of the three types of genealogically useful DNA — autosomal, Y-DNA, and mitochondrial — X-DNA is the least understood and the most frequently overlooked…
Y-DNA Testing: STRs, SNPs, Haplogroups, and the Big Y-700
Y-DNA testing is the most powerful tool available to genealogists for tracing the direct paternal line — the father’s father’s father’s line stretching back through history…
Understanding DNA Tests for Genealogy: Types, Purposes, and Costs
A guide to the three types of genealogical DNA tests — autosomal, Y-DNA, and mitochondrial — explaining what each reveals about your ancestry, which companies offer them, and how prices compare as of 2026.