Family History Research and DNA Tests

I would be tempted to find out more seeing as I already have a mixed international ancestry, with quirks as some of that is known mixed too. But then it might end up too vague and nonsensical to be of use.

That’s the thing. Living DNA very accurately reflected my known recent ancestry on one side of the family. I can’t say if it is accurate on the other side although I’m hoping my membership of Ancestry will help in my family tree search and will help confirm or eliminate some ancestral lines. 

I am finding it difficult to grasp all the terminology and concepts that go along with testing. I am shortly going to be learning about finding matches in the DNA in results between different companies (I haven’t got the DNA terminology right yet). 

Yeah I was reading the info in the picture you posted and it sounds such a complex thing to get your head round, but probably fascinating when you do!

I was wondering how cross continental it can manage, my maternal ancestry is in Sri Lanka, though I bear the hallmarks of colonial era (which is a known) there as I have blue eyes which match my Scottish paternal side but you need it from both. 

Cinnabar_wing said:

I should ask my parents

I wish I had asked my parents and grandparents more about their lives and connections when they were still alive. I didn’t have an interest in that sort of thing years ago but I recall quite a bit of some things as they were repeated over and over again at Christmas dinners, weddings and other occasions. There used to be some people who stayed with us who were described as cousins of my granny, but I don’t know how exactly they were connected and they could have been distant cousins. I would love to find out more about them as they seemed very close to my granny, while the individuals in my direct family are not close. I’ve loads of old black and white photographs of people I never knew. 

Thanks so much ArchaeC , I should find out some more, I feel rather embarrassed to know so little about it, I should ask my parents more but as we are not a family who naturally talk a lot, there isn't always opportunity to bring it up!

I haven’t experience of cross continental ancestry apart from the general ancient relatives DNA results which identified ancestral links. Ancestry has the largest database and most genealogists use it, although marketing could play a role in preference.

I can find only limited records for Sri Lanka on Ancestry and I have found some information from Family Tree, but I can’t tell how useful it would be.

You may be able to trace back on one line of your maternal ancestry using mtDNA in conjunction with family tree research. 

https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/sri-lankadnaproject/about/background

 https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/places/asia/sri_lanka/?geo_a=r&geo_s=us&geo_t=uk&geo_v=2.0.0&o_iid=41013&o_lid=41013&o_sch=Web+Property

I haven’t experience of cross continental ancestry apart from the general ancient relatives DNA results which identified ancestral links. Ancestry has the largest database and most genealogists use it, although marketing could play a role in preference.

I can find only limited records for Sri Lanka on Ancestry and I have found some information from Family Tree, but I can’t tell how useful it would be.

You may be able to trace back on one line of your maternal ancestry using mtDNA in conjunction with family tree research. 

https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/sri-lankadnaproject/about/background

 https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/places/asia/sri_lanka/?geo_a=r&geo_s=us&geo_t=uk&geo_v=2.0.0&o_iid=41013&o_lid=41013&o_sch=Web+Property

Cinnabar_wing said:

I should ask my parents

I wish I had asked my parents and grandparents more about their lives and connections when they were still alive. I didn’t have an interest in that sort of thing years ago but I recall quite a bit of some things as they were repeated over and over again at Christmas dinners, weddings and other occasions. There used to be some people who stayed with us who were described as cousins of my granny, but I don’t know how exactly they were connected and they could have been distant cousins. I would love to find out more about them as they seemed very close to my granny, while the individuals in my direct family are not close. I’ve loads of old black and white photographs of people I never knew. 

Thanks so much ArchaeC , I should find out some more, I feel rather embarrassed to know so little about it, I should ask my parents more but as we are not a family who naturally talk a lot, there isn't always opportunity to bring it up!