The Glover DNA Results are In!

Some of you may know that my parents are aging, ages 86 and 91, and I have been helping them with a few chores every week.  Of course, this gets me thinking that they will not live forever. These thoughts were my motivation to have my mom's and my dad's DNA tested.  I chose to use Ancestry DNA.  I ordered four kits (two for my parents and two for my in-laws).  I had them perform the test, sent it in and waited.  I was surprised that I had all four results within a month.  I can tell you that everything stopped the minute I saw the email that said my DNA result was in.

My father, Bruce Glover, was the first result to come in.  I was disappointed, at first, by Ancestry DNA and thought, " This is what I spent my money on?"  Obviously, I am a novice DNA user.  I decided I needed to get some more information on how to interpret the DNA results.  I re-watched a Legacy webinar, Watch Geoff, Live-DNA, and I watched two You Tube videos, "You Received Your DNA Results, Now What? and Understanding DNA Ethnicity Results.

I have to admit I was more excited about seeing the ethnicity results than I was in finding new 'cousins'.  I am starting to dig deeper into the results and getting ready to upload them to gedmatch. Because all four results came within ten days of each other, I haven't had a lot of time to go into detail with each one.

Here is what my dad's ethnicity looked like:

I wasn't surprised by these results as I knew I had a lot of English and Scottish ancestry.  I knew who my Irish ancestors were and I understood where the Scandinavian came from due to a little World History knowledge.  Those areas made up 96% of my dad's ethnicity.  It was the trace regions I was curious about.

It wasn't until I watched the You Tube videos that I understood what these results meant.  This is what I learned about my Dad's DNA from his ethnicity results:

• It is an estimate based on the best science can do now.
• It takes into account 1000-2000 years of DNA
• It goes beyond what genealogists can find as recorded family history.
• My dad is 100% European, within this time period.
• I have to think of the results as broad regions, not countries.
• I have to think of it as having two trees: one my genealogy tree and the other my DNA tree. Once I got that into my head it was a lot easier when looking at the remaining three parents DNA results.

Next, I looked at the Ancestry DNA matches.  My dad had three second cousin matches, one I have been communicating with for years and the other two do not have a family tree online. I am still going through the information, but I have starred seven to look at later.

A few of the surnames that I have found a connection to my dad's DNA include Poor, Watt, Barber, Glover and Salisbury.  I think I am on the right track with my research here.  I still have a lot of work to do to understand all the results and how it will help me in my research, but I am so glad I have my parent's DNA and can continue to learn more about my family history through it.