Where did Mom's German go?

My Mom recently submitted her DNA sample for testing with FamilyTreeDNA. The results were... more than surprising. 

Let me start with this: I have a lot to learn about the world of DNA and genealogy. I am just getting started in this excitng new field, but I have a few questions that I felt like DNA could help me.

So when I asked my Mom to submit her sample to FamilyTreeDNA, I didn't really set up any expectations for the results. I had a general idea: we would certainly see some Irish and German, and I thought there might be a chance of either Native American or African, based on family oral history and theories presented by cousins.

I couldn't have been more surprised at the results.

What happened to Germany? 

I can trace my maternal line straight back to Germany - I know the ship the original immigrants arrived on, and I know the family they left behind. I know the two brothers who came over together, and each of their recorded descendants. I've connected with a "cousin" who is still in Germany that can trace back several more generations. There has never been any doubt that my mother has German heritage. Um... what happened to Germany?

And Turkey? Where did that come from?

Oh boy.

I've got work to do.

Mom's results

For reference, Mom's surname is HEERTEN. There are very few of us in the U.S., so if you have that name in your tree, we're related... so PLEASE CONTACT ME. :)

My First Look at DNA

It came! It came!

The results from my father’s AncestryDNA test came back, and I was ever so excited to see it. Here is how the Brown family breaks down in terms of genetic ethnicity:

• British Isles: 43%
• Eastern European: 25%
• Central European: 23%
• Scandinavian: 9%

I like how the DNA results compare to the family tree information I currently have on the site in my personal research. When comparing the DNA results to what I have in my database, you can see there are some gaps and some consistencies. The birth locations I have in my family tree currently break down like this:

• USA 34%
• Sweden 30%
• Poland 15%
• Russia 15%
• Other 6%

Essentially, I feel really good about how the results came back, because it confirms most of my research on a certain level. It tells me I’m on the right path to finding more clues on my ancestors, and that confirmation is nice to have. No surprises, and although at first I was admittedly a tad disappointed, after some contemplation time, I can see how much positive information I can gain from this evaluation.

The big question for me was this: can DNA help me learn more about my brick wall ancestor, Oscar F. Brown. He was born in New York, but I have not been able to confirm the identity of his parents. (Read all about Oscar here!)  The answer? Yes, I think it will help. I know that I need to continue to focus my search in the same ways that I have been. With a name like Oscar Brown, I have always had in the back of my mind that his origins go back to Central Europe, and the DNA test seems to support that to a degree. The test supports my research plan as it is currently laid out.

Sarah (Evans) Lawrence, presumably
with one of her children.
Photo: Personal Collection of Author

So far, I have been able to find one positive match – a new 4th cousin through my great grandaunt, Mary Josephine Lawrence (sister to Oscar’s wife, Frances E Lawrence). I’m excited to connect with this researcher and learn more about their side of the family, see if they have any new clues on Mary and Frances’ parents: John Horatio Lawrence and Sarah Evans. I have had the pleasure of meeting other descendants from the Lawrence side, and have always had very positive experiences. I hope this turns out the same!

What’s next?

My maternal side. I had one of my Uncles – my Mom’s brother – take a test as well. For him, we utilized a different service, so I could compare notes on the pros/cons of how two of the major players in the DNA game work. Of course, the sale price from FamilyTreeDNA helped convince him. Actually, he was pretty willing from the first moment we asked, and has been very open to the idea. I am hoping to learn more about my Irish heritage with this test, as I have at least one line that can be traced back to the Emerald Isle. My 2nd great-grandfather, Patrick Henry McGowan (1854-1924) and his mother, Bridget (father unknown) were both born there, we think. I’m also hoping to be able to explore more of the German side of the family:  Although I know quite a bit about the Heerten side of the family, all my knowledge begins when they step foot for the first time in the U.S. Before that, I pretty much just have “Germany” and that’s where it stops.  

Perhaps too much to expect from one little test? 

While I wait, I shall read. I have been slowly trying to grasp the major concepts behind the DNA study as it relates to genealogy, and I will continue to do so. I’m looking forward to a DNA session or two at the NGS Conference in Vegas, also.

The only thing so far in this experience that has been negative is the quantity of emails I have been receiving from other AncestryDNA customers. There are as many reasons to take a test like this as there are researchers, so please, stop sending me generic emails telling me to make my family tree on Ancestry.com public (vs the private setting I have now). I have a whole list of reasons to keep it private, and DNA will not change that! I’m more than willing to compare notes to see if there is a connection; I love finding new cousins! But you have to say “please” and “thank you” just like my four year old does. Sorry, that’s just how I roll.

After that, I really want my husband to do a test. We know very little of his birth father, and literally nothing of his paternal history.  I think he might have a bit of Italian in him, so I'm incredibly curious to see what that might tell us. 

What's on your DNA to-do list? Have any awesome websites or learning resources to share? I'd love to see them. 

AncestryDNA Now Available to General Public

AncestryDNA Test Provides An Affordable, Easy Way to Learn About Your Past and Family

Innovative test now available to the general public provides analysis of your genetic ethnicity, living relative matches, and further ins ight into family history research

(PROVO, Utah) – February 21, 2013 –Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource, today announced the public availability of its AncestryDNA test to U.S. residents. This easy-to-use, comprehensive test provides consumers with their genetic ethnicity and the unique opportunity to connect DNA results directly to any applicable Ancestry.com family trees, matching test takers with other close or distant family members. Combined, these features provide the most complete snapshot of one’s family history that has ever been available.

Interest in using DNA to explore family history is growing. In a 2012 Harris Interactive survey, 56 percent of Americans—more than 110 million people—stated they would be interested in taking a DNA genealogy test. This number is 14 percent higher than the previous year. For many, this interest in family history extends far beyond American soil. Nearly two out of three respondents told Harris that learning about their family’s roots outside the U.S. is one of the most important benefits of researching family history.

AncestryDNA picks up where the paper trail leaves off. Whereas older consumer DNA tests utilized only 46 DNA markers, this new test analyzes more than 700,000 DNA marker locations and cross-references them with its one-of-a-kind comprehensive worldwide catalogue of DNA samples. The combination of an individual’s DNA with more than 40 million family trees and 11 billion records on Ancestry.com can help people find specific ancestors as far back as the mid-17th century by connecting with living relatives. Additionally, AncestryDNA gives people their ethnic breakdown by percentage from 20 populations including the British Isles or Native American—automatically tracing their ethnicity and displaying the results in an interactive and simple way.

“AncestryDNA provides consumers with exciting insights into their ethnic background and helps them find relatives who may hold the keys to exciting new family history discoveries,” said Tim Sullivan, President and CEO of Ancestry.com. “As a company, we are committed to helping people connect with their past and we are excited to be able to offer a unique, affordable, and easy way for people to learn even more about their personal history.”

AncestryDNA helps determine geographic and ethnic origins by comparing test-takers’ unique DNA signatures to the DNA of people from across the globe. In the initial beta release, users were matched with a significant number of living relatives, and more than two million fourth-cousin DNA matches have been found for customers potentially sharing an ancestor in the database. As more people take the test, the database will continue to grow, providing a richer experience and more clues. People who have already taken the test receive regular updates with the latest findings. Because these results include the users’ ethnicities, they may produce surprising findings that provide additional curiosities for future research. Since the launch, 7.7 million ancestors are now available to discover through family trees linked to DNA results.

“We believe that the cutting edge of DNA technology used in AncestryDNA will revolutionize the entire family history experience,” said Ken Chahine, Senior Vice President and General Manager of AncestryDNA. “We have already seen huge success with our beta launch as users discover new clues and living relatives passed down through DNA. As more people take the test, we look forward to seeing even greater results and more family history connections.” 

Find out where you come from with an AncestryDNA test. You can learn even more about your family history by visiting Ancestry.com and signing up for a free 14-day trial.

Pricing and Availability

AncestryDNA is now available and tests start at $129 for Ancestry.com subscribers. Learn more at www.ancestrydna.com.

About Ancestry.com

Ancestry.com Inc. is the world's largest online family history resource, with approximately 2 million paying subscribers. More than 11 billion records have been added to the site in the past 16 years . Ancestry users have created more than 44 million family trees containing more than 4 billion profiles. In addition to its flagship site www.ancestry.com, Ancestry.com offers several localized websites designed to empower people to discover, preserve and share their family history. About Ancestry.com DNA, LLC Ancestry.com DNA, LLC is a subsidiary of Ancestry.com Inc. AncestryDNA uses a simple test to analyze an individual’s DNA. AncestryDNA offers the potential of identifying new insights into people’s ancient ancestry to help them collaborate with distant cousins and make even more discoveries in their family history. For more information visit www.ancestrydna.com.