DNA testing can help adoptees, and those with unknown parentage identify and connect with their biological families, and discover more about their lineage and origins.
While DNA testing alone can not offer adoptees a quick answer to questions about their biological ancestry, many have had success with a blended research methodology that combines traditional genealogy research with DNA testing. If you’re wondering how you can use DNA testing to find your birth parents, here’s a quick overview of what you need to do.
Step 1: Take a DNA Test
Taking an autosomal DNA test is the first step to learning more about your genetic profile and then using it to match with biological relatives on your father’s and mother’s side of the family.
A DNA match helps identify matching sets of chromosomes that are found in one family. The more closely you match another person’s chromosomes, the closer you’re linked to them.
Step 2: Consider Taking Multiple Tests
DNA testing companies often use different techniques to match DNA information and give you results. Taking a test from multiple companies can give you a more comprehensive genetic profile that you can use to match with other people. The most important reason to take multiple tests – or to upload your raw DNA data to multiple platforms (and some of those are free – is to widen the match pool, commonly referred to as ‘fishing in many ponds.’ Makes sense, doesn’t it? The more places your DNA is stored, the greater the potential for finding useful matches.
Step 3: Find DNA Matches
You can find your DNA matches through online health and ancestry databases. As more people use direct-to-consumer DNA testing kits and match their results, the databases growand becomemore reliable. Estimates indicate that more than 26 million people added their DNA profiles to the leading commercial ancestry and health databases in 2018.
Step 4: Getting Expert Help
If you’re struggling to find information about your biological parent or other family members, consider getting DNA research assistance. This allows you to combine genetic genealogy services with traditional genealogical research to build a family tree and increase the chances of success. Ultimately, the success of your search will depend upon the number and quality of close matches, and the availability of well-developed family trees.
Step 5: Reaching Out
You may not always find your biological parent or immediate family member, but you may find a distant cousin that can help you narrow down your search. Combined with traditional research methods, you can find more information such as places, surnames, or even family pedigree. With this information, you can reach out to your biological family members.
Get expert DNA research assistance when you work with the genealogy research specialists at DavisDNA& Family Research. With over 50 years of experience in the industry, we can help you implement the best research methodologies and use comprehensive databases to find a birth parent or other family member.
Want us to do the heavy lifting? No problem. We can take over the search and help you locate your biological family members.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us or call at 727-280-6274.
