Which is the best genealogy test to buy?

[happily single]

For several reasons, I am beginning to think that I am a twin. My family members have denied this, but since I was born before most techonology such as ultrasounds, they really might know. I do not have birth parents to ask. I am thinking that taking a DNA test and hoping to find some matches. Any recomendations for the best option?

 

[Karin1984]

I would do as many as possible, starting with the database with the most people. Because you have to get lucky.

If 23andme is considered the best, but your biological family used a test at Ancestry, it is not the best for your purpose. Cast the net as wide as possible.

 

[Praying Colonel]

I've done both 23andMe and Ancestry. In terms of getting as wide a group of common DNA relatives as possible, I'd probably go with Ancestry. 23andMe doesn't have the robust genealogy community Ancestry has.

 

[lisaviolet]

For several reasons, I am beginning to think that I am a twin. My family members have denied this, but since I was born before most techonology such as ultrasounds, they really might know. I do not have birth parents to ask. I am thinking that taking a DNA test and hoping to find some matches. Any recomendations for the best option?

To cover your bases, you can upload your raw. DNA data from Ancestry or 23andme & put it into other sites such as GEDmatch, for free (Google where you can upload for free, sometimes you can do this for free on on a paid site as well such as My Heritage)
Just be aware that sites such as GEDmatch are the ones that are more open - ie.police use them to resolve unsolved cases.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I went with Ancestry, didn't think of trying 23andme. Does anyone know how I can find out when/if they have a sale?

 

[dizneegirl]

I went with Ancestry, didn't think of trying 23andme. Does anyone know how I can find out when/if they have a sale?

Try their website. Or, they quite often have half price sales during Black Friday.

 

[Moliphino]

I went with Ancestry, didn't think of trying 23andme. Does anyone know how I can find out when/if they have a sale?

Check around gift holidays. Black Friday, mother's day, father's day.

 

[_19disnA]

My impression of those generic DNA tests that come back with results saying you are 23% this or 15% that wouldn't do you much good. A relative tried one of those products currently on the market (don't recall which one it was), but got back a lot of boilerplate information that seemed basically worthless. I would also be careful of sending your DNA off to one of those companies. You have NO idea how they might use your information and/or sell it to other companies.

Seems you might have better luck at your doctor's office and see if they do any of that type of testing and the results are less likely to be out in the public domain. Wouldn't you also need the DNA from the person you think is your twin to make this work?

 

[disneychrista]

The plus of 23 & me is they do genetic traits and give you info on if you are genetically predisposed to get certain ailments.

 

[Karin1984]

My impression of those generic DNA tests that come back with results saying you are 23% this or 15% that wouldn't do you much good. A relative tried one of those products currently on the market (don't recall which one it was), but got back a lot of boilerplate information that seemed basically worthless. I would also be careful of sending your DNA off to one of those companies. You have NO idea how they might use your information and/or sell it to other companies.

Seems you might have better luck at your doctor's office and see if they do any of that type of testing and the results are less likely to be out in the public domain. Wouldn't you also need the DNA from the person you think is your twin to make this work?

That's how these sites work. Yes, you get your results with 'you are 23% this and 15% that', but it also matches you with relatives if your dna matches, when they have done a test as well. Most matches are 3rd or 4th cousins, so far removed that it doesn't really matter.

That is the being lucky part, the OP has to hope that the twin, or the kids of the twin, or someone else who is a close relationship has done a test with the same company. Via the site you can contact each other.

It can have a positive outcome, you find each other, you stay in touch and get answers to questions you had. Or a negative outcome where one of you doesn't want to have anything to do with the other. There are plenty of stories on both sides of the spectrum.
 

 

[Moliphino]

That's how these sites work. Yes, you get your results with 'you are 23% this and 15% that', but it also matches you with relatives if your dna matches, when they have done a test as well. Most matches are 3rd or 4th cousins, so far removed that it doesn't really matter.

That is the being lucky part, the OP has to hope that the twin, or the kids of the twin, or someone else who is a close relationship has done a test with the same company. Via the site you can contact each other.

It can have a positive outcome, you find each other, you stay in touch and get answers to questions you had. Or a negative outcome where one of you doesn't want to have anything to do with the other. There are plenty of stories on both sides of the spectrum.
 

Exactly. I heard from my mom's (surprise) second cousin who was looking for info on her father. We couldn't help her with that, as we're on her mother's side and she's about the same age as my mom. My grandmother has dementia, so even if she did have any idea it's gone now.

 

[Deb]

Ancestry has the largest database, by far. Test there first. From Ancestry you can transfer to MyHeritage, FamilyTreeDNA and Living DNA. If you can afford it, pay for a test at 23 and Me as well. Neither Ancestry nor 23 and Me accept uploads so to get into their databases you have to teat with them. They both have sales fairly often

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I did Ancestry, and I have no complaints. Thanks to that, it did unlock a parts of my "family tree" I had know knowledge of. I met a relative here in town that I did not know I had.

I did mine back when it was one of those 40% off sales. To me, it was well worth what I spent. It has been both entertaining and educational.

 

[tzolkin]

Seems you might have better luck at your doctor's office and see if they do any of that type of testing and the results are less likely to be out in the public domain. Wouldn't you also need the DNA from the person you think is your twin to make this work?

It being in the "public domain" is really the entire point for the OP. They are wanting to find biological relatives that don't know they exist. The only way to find these people with DNA testing would be to do a test with a large database to see if anyone else happens to be a match.

OP, I think Ancestry and 23&Me are the two most popular. You can find sales around Black Friday or other holidays on Amazon (usually 50%) so you may be able to buy both tests for around the same price as one.

 

[SirDuff]

For several reasons, I am beginning to think that I am a twin. My family members have denied this, but since I was born before most techonology such as ultrasounds, they really might know. I do not have birth parents to ask. I am thinking that taking a DNA test and hoping to find some matches. Any recomendations for the best option?

Okay, not the point, but I'm totally confused. What does being born before ultrasounds have to do with them knowing whether or not you're a twin? Were these people not around at your birth (I don't mean in the room, but at the time) so didn't see if you had a twin? But they would have seen ultrasounds (if they had existed)?

I can understand your believing that they might not know you were born a twin if they weren't around when you were born and/or you think that your parents may have hidden your twin, but the ultrasound bit confuses me. I thought maybe you thought you had a twin who was either stillborn or miscarried but then you wouldn't be looking for them.

 

[mjkacmom]

Okay, not the point, but I'm totally confused. What does being born before ultrasounds have to do with them knowing whether or not you're a twin? Were these people not around at your birth (I don't mean in the room, but at the time) so didn't see if you had a twin? But they would have seen ultrasounds (if they had existed)?

I can understand your believing that they might not know you were born a twin if they weren't around when you were born and/or you think that your parents may have hidden your twin, but the ultrasound bit confuses me. I thought maybe you thought you had a twin who was either stillborn or miscarried but then you wouldn't be looking for them.

I don’t know why the OP suspects having a twin, but mentions not having birth parents to ask, so I assume is adopted. I have twins, there are no twins in my family, it’s genetic, but m/c is the same rate in twins as with singletons, so before early u/s could easily be missing (the twin get absorbed back into the uterus).

 

[disneychrista]

I don’t know why the OP suspects having a twin, but mentions not having birth parents to ask, so I assume is adopted. I have twins, there are no twins in my family, it’s genetic, but m/c is the same rate in twins as with singletons, so before early u/s could easily be missing (the twin get absorbed back into the uterus).

My mom was told she miscarried with me. But at her six week post checkup found out she was still pregnant. It is assumed I was a twin and she miscarried my twin.

 

[SirDuff]

I don’t know why the OP suspects having a twin, but mentions not having birth parents to ask, so I assume is adopted. I have twins, there are no twins in my family, it’s genetic, but m/c is the same rate in twins as with singletons, so before early u/s could easily be missing (the twin get absorbed back into the uterus).

I thought adoption (but also could be that her parents are deceased) but still, what does not having an ultrasounds have to do with the lack of knowledge. Doesn't matter, of course, just finding it intriguing.

 

[Karin1984]

I was suspecting biological parents deceased.

I think the ultrasound comment is about how these pictures are shared nowadays, so if the parents had had printed ultrasounds, they would have showed them to the family members and told them about it being twins yes or no.

One thing definitely to consider is that if there were no ultrasounds, OP is probably in their late 40s (at youngest), as ultrasounds didn't become common in the US till the 70s. Meaning that the potentially existing twin probably has a life established for themselves. Spouse, children, family and might not be aware there is a twin. Finding a half sibling is one thing, finding a twin would surely rock your world. Also the twin might not be in the area anymore, on the other side of the country or abroad.

But besides hiring a private detective the only option the OP has is to do the tests and then wait. Even if the twin (or family members) haven't done a test yet, they might do it in the future.