Tag Archives: MyHeritage

RootsTech 2021 – Here I Come!

Considering that RootsTec 2020 was so phenomenally successful (and no surprise), I’ve already decided that RootsTech 2021 is where I need to be next February 3-6 in Salt Lake City, Utah. This is a genealogist’s Nirvana! The largest, most well attended convention of family history researchers, vendors of genealogical products and software and a place where long distance friends can sit down for a chat. Name any facet of genealogy or family research and it’s covered here: presentations from noted experts, workshops, vendors or everything from A to Z including DNA. The Vendor Hall below on its own was chock full of new technology and much to learn about with the “latest” in just about everything genealogical!

One of the interesting aspects for me is the opportunity to meet, face-to-face, the many colleagues with whom I communicate via webinars, Facebook and other social media. Consider running into someone in the hallway or a lecture hall who looks familiar but until you strike up a conversation, it’s hard to really know who’s in front of you! For example, I participate in a weekly webinar called “Mondays With Myrt,” which is an hour and a half each Monday where upwards of 10 genealogy professionals gather to form the panel. Any number of folks both beginners and professionals can log in and listen, ask questions, answer questions, offer advice or share experiences. You can find nearly 1,000 archived programs from Dear Myrtle at YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mondays+with+myrt. If you’d like to participate or just log in a watch live, click http://blog.geneawebinars.com/p/calendar.html to view the upcoming schedule. The programs begin at noon Eastern but the calendar will post the schedule as 10am Mountain time.

These conferences are certainly the most famous, well-attended genealogy conferences in the world. This year’s conference was the 10th in an increasingly successful event. The 2020 conference brought 30,000 genealogists of all stripes. There were beginners, professionals and world renown experts to where every subject under the sun was on display. Workshops on research techniques, lectures on some very specific topics such as Irish or Greek research, how to use the proliferating research websites, DNA and other topics. What are the tips and tricks to using www.familysearch.org, for instance, or how to use FamilyTree software. Bargains that you won’t find anywhere at any other time on dozens of worthwhile products.

And the featured guest speakers? Over the years, we’ve listened to Laura Bush, Scott Hamilton, Donnie Osmond, LeVar Burton, to name a few. This year’s speaker was three time Super Bowl Champion, Emmett Smith. And there have been others who have come to speak in front of audiences that would number in the thousands. Below is an image of the theater as the crowds file in. I have no idea what the ccapacity is, but it’s huge!

In addition to being able to attend several interesting presentations, I spent some time with a genealogy group called “Trace” in their Coaches’ Corner. A very successful program, the premise was for a number of professional genealogists to sit with other researchers for 25 minute sessions. These researchers ranged from folks who have just begun their journey to veterans who were simply lookinig for tips and tricks to recharge their own research. I have to say that I found the sessions I worked were very rewarding personally. When you tell someone something they either didn’t know or haven’t thought about for many years, their eyes light up! Each of the visitors was offered the opportunity to contract with Trace for deeper research with any of the affiliated professionals.

Of course, one of the greates benefits of being in Salt Lake City is the opportunity to do some very deep research at the Family History Library. Books, and books, and books in addition to a collection of micromedia that is second to none. Staffed with knowledgeable people who are always ready to help, I was able to locate some records that will complete at least 2 applications I’ve been working on for membership in the Sons of the American Revolution. It’s all good!

In closing, I’ll just say, “See you at RootsTech 2021!”

DNA Deals Galore

With acknowledgment to Thomas MacEntee of Genealogy Bargains, I would l ike to share the excellent “deals” on the most popular DNA testing kits from the top testing companies that he was able to put together.

FamilyTreeDNA is advertising their “Family Finder” kit for $49 reflecting a $30 savings. Click here to take advantage of this one. Be aware that this test is for autosomal DNA (atDNA) only. This is the test offered by all of the other companies who offer only atDNA testing such as Ancestry.com and 23andMe.com. (See below for LivingDNA which offers 3 types of DNA tests. More on that later.)The results could help you with the past 4 or 5 generations with less and less accuracy as you travel back 6th or 7th generations and earlier. It’s the nature of the manner in which atDNA is passed down to you.

Yes, it will give you ethnicity estimates, but ethnicity is a moving target as more people test and the data bases of the various companies grow. To illustrate, if there were absolutely NO Irish who have tested, it would be impossible to determine that you had Irish DNA with no one to compare results. Actually, it would almost prove that you don’t! Germany has just recently made DNA testing legal with strict guidleines. I predict that ethnicity reports will begin to be updated over the next few years as more German people, or at least people who descend from populations who live in what we know today as Germany, decide to test.

Next, we have mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) which is passed down to every child, male and female, from their mother. FamilyTreeDNA also has a program and holiday sales for mtDNA. There are 2 levels of testing. The first is a test of just two segments called Hyper Variable Regions 1 and 2. It’s a less expensive test which can be upgraded to a “Full Sequence” test. Click here to read more.

Fnally, FamilyTreeDNA tests Y-DNA, the DNA that is only passed  through the father. If the father passes an X chromosome, the child will be a biological female. If he passes a Y, the child will be a biological male. They will test 4 levels of Y-DNA; 37 “markers,” 67 or 111 markers. Then they offer what they call “The Big Y” which is the most expensive of them all. Click here to read more about the tests and the various holiday discounts.

The other major DNA testing companies also have specials that you may want to take advantage of.

MyHeritage DNA has an offer for a $30 discount. A $79 kit will only cost you $49 until 23 November 2018. There’s a $12 standard shipping charge per kit for 4-7 business day delivery or $25 per kit for expedited 2-3 business day delivery. There are some discounts on shipping for 3 or more kits purchased at once. Read all the details here. As I write this, MyHeritage has announced a “Black Friday” special offering free shipping when you use their promo code topnov18 when ordering.

AncestryDNA kits are discounted to $59 per kit with $9.95 shipping for the first kit and $4.95 for additional kits in the same purchase. Expedited shipping is available for $24.95 for the first kit and $12.95 for additional kits. Click here for the details at AncestryDNA.

The next company to consider is 23andMe. There are 2 levels of tests, an atDNA test ($99) or an atDNA test with a health report for an additional $100. They are offering the basic atDNA kit for $49 each when ordering 2 or more kits. Click here for more details.

Last and certainly not least, the “new kid on the block” is LivingDNA. This is a company based in Britain that is making incredible inroads here in the USA.  Their test covers all 3 types of DNA but they make it much easier to remember which test is which. Their Y-DNA test is called “Fatherline,” mtDNA is “Motherline,” and atDNA is “Familyline.” Their standard price for their “3-in-1 test is $99 but is discounted for the holiday to $79. Details are here but they don’t seem to indicate an expiration date.  There, you can read about their optional “personalised book showing the journey of your ancesry. Your story told in print.” The book is normally $100 but is available during this sale to an additional $69.

There’s lots here to consider. Please comment or ask any questions. I’ll do my best to provide clear, understandable responses. It can be a daunting subject!

One last note: Ask “Alexa” to read your daily “Genealogy Flash Briefing.” You’ll hear Thomas MacEntee with the latest genealogy news Monday through Friday.