Sooner or later in genetic genealogy, you’re going to run across the acronym, NPE or MPE. Years ago, the phrase NPE was coined to generally mean when the expected parent or parents weren’t. NPE means nonpaternal event, also sometimes nonparental … Continue reading
Members of endogamous populations intermarry for generations, creating many segments that match, especially at small centiMorgan levels. These matching segments occur because they are members of the same population – not because they are genealogically related in a recent or … Continue reading
Sometimes a single word – and its interpretation – makes a world of difference. For example, maternal versus matrilineal and paternal versus patrilineal. What’s the difference and why does it matter? In genetic genealogy, it’s very important. Y and Mitochondrial … Continue reading
Until recently, when people (often relatives) expressed concerns about DNA testing, genetic genealogy buffs would explain that the tester could remain anonymous, and that their test could be registered under another name; ours, for example. This means, of course, that … Continue reading
Lots of people are giving their siblings DNA test kits. That’s a great idea, especially if your parents aren’t available for testing, because siblings do inherit part of the same DNA from their parents, but not all of the same … Continue reading
What is a crossover anyway, and why do I, as a genetic genealogist, care? A crossover on a chromosome is where the chromosome is cut and the DNA from two different ancestors is spliced together during meiosis as the DNA … Continue reading
Until recently, the word imputation wasn’t a part of the vocabulary of genetic genealogy, but earlier this year, it became a factor and will become even more important in coming months. Illumina, the company that provides chips to companies that test … Continue reading
What are mirror trees, and why would I ever want to use one? Great question. You’ll hear genealogists, especially adoptees or persons trying to find a missing parent mention using mirror trees. Mirror trees are a technique that genealogists use … Continue reading
If the first thing you thought when you read the title of this article was, “Well duh – test your father,” you would be right…unless your father is deceased. Then, it’s not nearly as straightforward, because you have to find … Continue reading
One of the questions often asked is why triangulation in genetic genealogy is so important. Before I answer that, let’s take a look at why genealogists use autosomal DNA for genetic genealogy in the first place. Why Genetic Genealogy? Aside from … Continue reading
