If your parentage is unknown for any reason, your DNA could help you discover who you are and where you come from.
Test your DNA… If you haven’t already done a DNA test, order an AncestryDNA test.
If you are male with an unknown father, also order a Y-DNA test from FamilyTreeDNA in case it provides an indication of your father’s surname.
If you already know one parent (eg. mother), it can help to ask them or one of their close relatives (eg. maternal half sibling, aunt/uncle) to test too, as it will help distinguish between your known matches and your unknown matches. You can leave this step until after your own results are ready if you prefer.
If you need assistance with the test selection, the ordering, working out who in your family should do the test (if not you), or if you have any other questions, book a DNA consultation with me and I will assist you.
Collect information…
While you are waiting for your DNA test results to be processed, locate or request copies of any relevant documents, eg. adoption documents, donor conception records, ward-of-the-state records, birth certificates etc.
Collect family information for any known biological relatives (eg. if you know your maternal side).
Was there any family hearsay or gossip about the identity of your unknown parent(s)?
If you were a foundling (abandoned baby), were there any newspaper articles or court records that might hold clues?
Don’t worry if you can’t obtain any additional information – as your DNA will be guiding the search anyway – but any non-identifying information you do find could be helpful for confirmation or elimination purposes once a family or person of interest is identified.
Upload DNA to additional databases…
Once your AncestryDNA results are ready (or if you already had them before Step 1), follow these instructions to download a copy of your Ancestry DNA data file and upload it (for free) to MyHeritage, FamilyTreeDNA, Living DNA, and GEDmatch.
If you are not comfortable with the technology and you would like me to help you with this step, book a DNA consultation with me and I will help you do what is needed.
DNA results review…
Once you have your DNA results available (or at least your AncestryDNA results, if not any others), then book a DNA consultation at a time convenient to you, or contact me to arrange a DNA Results Review instead. You will receive a confirmation email with instructions showing you how to share your DNA results, your background information, and any relevant family trees with me, as well as instructions to prepare for and join the online consultation at the scheduled time.
During the consultation I will share my screen with you and review your DNA test results, explain them to you, and assess the quality/workability of your matches in the context of identifying your biological parent(s). Everyone’s DNA and family situation is different, and everyone’s results are unique and unpredictable before testing. Some people get great results that provide an imminent answer, others need to wait for some better matches.
Most people don’t find an instant answer, but often their DNA matches are of a workable quality and number such that undertaking a block of genetic genealogy research may reveal a candidate for the parent(s) or a family of interest.
If additional research is recommended and you have previous experience doing family history research, you may like to undertake your own research with occasional DNA consultations for guidance with the methodology, tools and next steps. It is more usual that clients with unknown parentage do not have genealogy research experience and will either need it to be done for them – or they may want to learn to DIY.
If you don’t have a computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone and you would rather have the consultation over the telephone while I review your DNA results online simultaneously (and record it for you to watch back later), that is okay too.
Next steps…
The outcome of the DNA results review consultation will determine what options are available to you and what next steps might be recommended for your particular circumstances.
If further research is required and you can’t or don’t want to do it yourself, I will then be in a position to provide you with a research proposal/quote or a referral. Check my Services page for more information.
If you are keen to learn to do-it-yourself – which will be very satisfying for you, although be prepared for a lot of learning and time commitment – I can coach you through the process, at your own pace. Book another DNA consultation online whenever you feel you need further guidance or a review of your progress (if at any time you decide it is too difficult and you’d rather someone else do the genetic genealogy, a research proposal/quote or referral can be arranged).
