DNA results are personal information. This guide is educational only: it does not diagnose health conditions, give legal advice or ask visitors to send results to the Society.
Make a start
Choose the question
Autosomal testing is used for broad cousin matching; Y-DNA follows a direct paternal line; mtDNA follows a direct maternal line.
Discuss consent
Before testing or sharing information about a living relative, discuss consent, privacy, account settings and deletion/retention options.
Use shared matches
Group matches with known documentary connections and test a hypothesis against records.
State uncertainty
Relationship estimates are ranges and can be affected by database coverage, endogamy and pedigree collapse.
Choose the kind of test
Autosomal tests compare DNA inherited across many family lines and are commonly used to investigate cousin matches. A Y-chromosome test follows one direct paternal line and requires a person with a Y chromosome; a mitochondrial DNA test follows one direct maternal line and can be taken by people of any sex. Neither single-line test describes all of a person’s ancestry.
A match list depends on who has tested and chosen to participate with that provider. A missing match does not prove a relationship is impossible. Ethnicity or regional estimates compare DNA with reference groups; different companies and later database updates can produce different estimates.
Privacy and proof
Do not publish a living person’s result, match list or inferred parentage without their informed permission. Review each testing provider’s current terms and privacy controls before uploading or transferring data.
A single match, an ethnicity estimate or a suggested relationship is not proof. Seek independent documentary evidence and keep sensitive conclusions private while they are being tested.
Before testing or transferring data
Read the provider’s current terms for matching visibility, research participation, sample retention, downloading, deletion and any access by third parties. If you transfer raw data to another service, review that service separately: the original provider’s settings do not control the new copy.
Discuss the possibility of unexpected family relationships before testing. A discovery may affect living relatives as well as the person tested. Pause before contacting or identifying anyone, avoid sharing another person’s results without informed permission, and consider whether a trusted support person or qualified professional could help with a difficult result.
A worked example
This example is fictional and illustrates a research method, not a real historical finding.
Could a shared match help test a family line?
Suppose two consenting relatives recognise a shared DNA match whose documented family lived in the same district. Privately compare the documented trees and look for possible common ancestors, keeping more than one relationship hypothesis open.
Check proposed links against records and consider whether the match could connect through another family line. Do not publish the match, inferred parentage or another living person’s information without informed permission.
Share the journey
The Society’s DNA group began in June 2024 with six members. By the following year, members were sharing discoveries, helping one another with technology and exploring new research tools together. It is a place to ask questions as you combine DNA evidence with family trees and records.
Read the DNA group’s 2025 report
See upcoming Society meetings · About the DNA group
Useful resources
- FamilySearch Historical Records and Family Tree - Worldwide indexes, images and unindexed image collections.
- WikiTree - Sourced deep ancestry and collaborative DNA projects.
- ISOGG Wiki - Autosomal, Y-DNA and mtDNA terminology and limitations.
- NHGRI Genetic Testing and Privacy - General consent and privacy concepts.
Explore the full research resource directory · Search the Society library catalogue · Browse Society newsletters
Let the Society help with your research
The Society can undertake professional research at $40 per hour. Tell us what you would like to discover, what you already know and any records you have checked. Contact the research centre to discuss your question and request a quote before work begins.
Email [email protected] or call (02) 4872 2169.
Common questions
Can DNA prove a specific relationship?
It can support or challenge a hypothesis, but relationship ranges overlap. Use shared matches and documentary research to test the conclusion.
Should I upload another person’s DNA?
Only with their informed permission and after checking the provider’s current privacy and transfer settings.
Which test should I start with?
Choose the test for the question. Autosomal testing can help with matches across several lines; Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA follow specific direct lines. Compare providers, costs and privacy choices before deciding.
Why do ethnicity estimates change?
Providers use different reference groups and methods, and those can change. Treat geographic percentages as estimates rather than proof of a precise ancestor or identity.
Can I delete everything after a transfer?
Check each provider’s current deletion and retention terms separately, including raw data, samples and information already shared. Do not assume removing one account removes copies held elsewhere.