You can be unsure of the validity of your DNA test results if you find out someone you didn’t expect to be a close relative or if a known family member doesn’t fit the profile you anticipated. Several things may be happening. We’ll describe a few of these situations.
First, Some Fundamentals.
In the legal world, the legal DNA test is essential, and you may be sure that you are biologically connected to someone if they appear in your list of matches under the third cousin or closer category. This implies that any individuals who fit into any of the following categories and are on your list of DNA matches are your relatives:
- Parent and kid; full sibling (a brother or sister with whom you share both parents); close relatives
- First, second, and third cousins are all related.
Why does this Matter?
You can be sure that a match has accurately recognized the genetic link if it is designated as a parent, child, or full sibling (except in the sporadic case of a sample switch, such as when two people take their tests together) inadvertently switching tube codes). The offspring of identical twins is a fine example since the twins appear to be the parents of both sets of children, making the cousins seem to be half-siblings.
The close family category and all cousin categories are determined based on how much DNA you share. As a result, more distant relatives might not always appear in the anticipated groups. As an illustration, a person who falls under the category of “first cousin” could be your first cousin, but they might also be your great-grandparent or great-grandchild, half aunt or half-uncle, half-niece or half nephew, and more.
There is a scientific explanation for all of this, and it has to do with the possibility of shared DNA in biological connections. A grandmother and grandchild, often considered “near kin,” could share 1,200 to 2,300 centimorgans of DNA. First cousins might have 480 to 1,300 centimorgans in common. Due to the overlap, it’s feasible for a relative who, let’s say, has a centimorgan share with you of 1,250 to fall under either the close family or first cousin group.
You could not always be related to persons in the fourth cousin, and farther out categories since you share a more distant ancestor. It can result from shared DNA between the populations you both came from. This is more probable if people typically marry within that demographic, as was the case, for instance, with islanders.
Anticipation with Ancestry DNA Testing:
Remember that your DNA matches are your biological relatives if you notice a match where you anticipated someone else to be or if you are missing a match. Typically, you do not share DNA with your adopted, stepfamily, or spouse’s family.
So what does it signify if a biological family member is absent or if a surprise visitor steps up in their place? Several issues might exist:
- A test for AncestryDNA has not been taken.
- One of you took a test from a different business. Check your results; you must both have done AncestryDNA tests for your profiles to match on Ancestry.
- They decided to avoid being spotted by matches.
- You haven’t changed your list since they submitted their findings. A new relative could not surface for up to 24 hours.
- A bone marrow transplant was performed on one of you. After a bone marrow transplant, some of the recipient’s cells carry the donor’s DNA, which may impact their matching ability.
It’s also conceivable that someone you consider a close relative isn’t a direct descendant. It’s improbable that it’s an error, but it’s believable. Relationship forecasts for those who are second cousins or closer are virtually usually correct.
Bottom Line:
We comprehend how difficult it might be to learn you are not connected to someone in the method you assumed or to discover unexpectedly close relatives. You are not alone, so remember that.
It is intended to ground us in a society, a past, and a place that gives our life stability and context. But frequently, it serves as the impetus for a thorough investigation of our concept of identity.
Therefore, when we receive surprising findings from a seemingly conclusive DNA test or paternity test, we are forced to reconsider our beliefs about our Ancestry and ourselves. With that in mind, there are two types of surprising findings: unexpected DNA matches and unexpected ethnicity estimations. In many instances, the former is unimportant. Instead of relying on early memories of Grandma’s top-secret spaghetti sauce or tales of our ancestors’ exploits in historical locations, we encourage our DNA to reveal who we are. Despite having dark hair, olive skin, and a passion for pasta, we somehow find it more believable that we are 42% Italian.
Therefore, we are compelled to reevaluate our assumptions about our lineage and ourselves when we obtain unexpected results from a supposedly definitive DNA test.
