Thursday, January 19, 2017

AncestryDNA Zips Past 3 Million Samples

AncestryDNA surpasses 3 million samplesThree million. It’s staggering, really. AncestryDNA has exceeded three million samples in its DNA database!

It took AncestryDNA three years to get the first million samples. (See “AncestryDNA Exceeds Million Mark” on my blog on 22 July 2015.)

It took them 11 months to get the next million. (See “AncestryDNA Database Reaches Two Million” on 28 June 2016.)

They have grown another million in just seven months. (See “AncestryDNA Surpasses 3 Million Customers in DNA Database” on the Ancestry blog from 10 January 2017.) That’s astonishing. Every day the AncestryDNA database gets more and more valuable.

  • AncestryDNA has found 15 million close cousins (3rd cousin or closer).
  • Ancestry has identified 6 million DNA circles. (For an explanation of DNA circles, see “Aaron Orr Talks Ancestry DNA at BYU Conference – #BYUFHGC” on my blog.)
  • AncestryDNA is available in 37 countries (although I’m not certain collaterals have been translated into all those languages).
  • Ancestry.com (parent company of AncestryDNA) has 80 million trees.
  • Ancestry.com has 19 billion records (including the persons in the 80 million trees).

For more information, visit https://www.ancestry.com/dna/lp/genetic-testing-news.

Somewhere along the line, AncestryDNA gave their home page a facelift, which I hadn’t noticed:

AncestryDNA Home Page

Perhaps it was to make the page adaptable to small devices. On a smartphone, the three boxes neatly stack on top of each other.

Speaking of smartphones, have I written before about the AncestryDNA App? Have I heard of the AncestryDNA App before? I’m really losing it. Well, regardless, Ancestry released the AncestryDNA app back on 28 September 2016. Since then they have mostly made bug fixes. The app lacks many features, so perhaps they haven’t said much about it and I’m not losing it.

One thing it can do is map your ethnicity (below, left).

AncestryDNA app ethnicity estimates and map AncestryDNA app can share your ethnicity results.

And it can share your ethnicity (above, right). That’s useful marketing for Ancestry.

But it can’t do any serious genealogy, like review your DNA matches. The matches icon at the bottom leads straight to a browser link (below left). (Gosh, I have 18,200 matches! I’m related in a measurable, DNA way, to almost 1% of the 3 million people in the Ancestry database. My Viking ancestors really got around!)

AncestryDNA app links to browser for serious tasks.AncestryDNA app setup screen

The final navigation icon, Settings, leads to the screen above right.

Perhaps we’ll hear more about this app when it comes a littler further along. The app is free and is available now in the iTunes app store and the Google Play app store.

4 comments:

  1. I have the Ancestry app which looks similar to this, but is much better. My match list opens up in the app, and I can review all my matches, including hints, trees, and shared matches. I've had this app for several years. The one you have looks like the ancestrydna app which is decidedly less robust.

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  2. Too bad ancestry DNA is not as good as other sites: FTDNA and 23and me. They use a cM ratio lower than the others.

    AND too bad they have people confused about attaching results to their trees.

    MANY DNA matches that say NO TREE actually do have trees--so always click on matches to see.

    I think ancestry is not explaining this as well to customers as they did when I did my DNA test.

    Ancestry has better tree info than other sites--easier to negotiate--BUT I wish they would explain better to ppl so they attach trees to individuals and I wish they would use standard cM ratios.

    We are missing out on connections due to that

    Joyce

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  3. woops sorry Cm ratio is HIGHER than the other sites which use 6.8 or 7...last I heard ancestry uses 8cM...different than industry standard.

    Joyce

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  4. I also suggest ppl D/L raw data to GEDmatch which gives a much more detailed ethnicity report as well as better estimates on relationships.

    BUT their tree set up is lousy.

    I find working with several sites is best ESP doing 23and me which gives you a health report as well as finding connections for folks not necessarily interested in genealogy.

    I have found many relatives on that site who did it for the health report only.

    Problem is quite a few of those folks don't answer emails but some do--at least you get the names and data. I have found 2 relatives who were adopted at that site but not ancestry...until I advised them to do ancestry for better tree info.

    DNA hunts are never easy---esp if you don't have a tree going back quite a ways OR you come from old families in US as I do (Pilgrims) in which endogamy plays a big art in relationships. People appear more closely related than they are by tree.

    MOST of us have brick walls which is the reason we do DNA testing...but after 3rd cousins, ancestry DNA is not extremely helpful as they lump 4th-6th all in one basket & I have found their estimates to be quite conservative...often showing 3rd cousins as 4-6th---in which case you have a TON of matches to look at.

    GEDmatch will give a MUCH more precise estimate on relationships. IE 3.4 vs 4.6 etc. THAT helps you narrow it down more precisely.

    Anyone doing DNA should be aware that DNA does not replicate in the 50% ratio all sites use...DNA is random.

    Some folks get a little more, some a little less on any given match (chromosome) ...so many DNA tests for known family members (cousins) should be done for he best results. TRY to isolate branches as best you can.

    Have fun--DNA is not a miracle answer...real (paper) genealogy research must be done or results are meaningless.

    Joyce

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