Question: “I’m adopted, searching for my biological parents. How can DNA help me?”
Answer: DNA testing is a great tool for adoptees to use when searching for one’s birth family. Are you adopted or want to learn the identity of a biological parent? We help adoptees and others with unknown parentage use direct-to-consumer DNA tests to identify their biological family. If you have not yet DNA tested, we will craft a testing plan for you. For most people in this situation, we recommend starting with an autosomal DNA test, offered by companies such as AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, and FTDNA.
The next step is straightforward – you order a kit that arrives a few days later. You then send in a saliva sample and wait six to eight weeks for processing. At this point, the DNA company website presents you with a list of matches – people with whom you share DNA. For a small number of test-takers, a “Close Relative” such as a parent or sibling will show up as a match right away. For other test-takers, you may find it is taking great effort and time to identify your immediate family. We can take care of this process for you! By sorting your matches, and applying scientifically based principles we help to make sense of all your DNA relatives, and eventually work to place them in your family tree. Tangled Web Genealogy can identify your common ancestors, leading us to your biological grandparents and parents.
Do you need help deciding which test to take? Have you already tested and need assistance understanding the results? Contact us for a free consultation.
