Database Sizes—March 2026 More than 54 million DNA kits are available for genealogical matching!

THROWBACK THURSDAY! Did you know that DNA inheritance patterns vary slightly depending on whether the ancestor was male or female? You're more likely to find outliers on your dad's side than your mom's. This post explains why. wp.me/p8Om3F-2SC

True confession: I *love* origin (ethnicity) estimates! The science is cool & they help family history. This archive post shows how to evaluate them. Which ones are best for you? Sign up for my upcoming class on the latest estimates with the link at the end! wp.me/p8Om3F-1tI

Where in the World? As of late February 2026, I estimate that there are more than 55 million autosomal DNA (atDNA) kits across the four main testing companies:  AncestryDNA, 23andMe, MyHeritage, and FamilyTreeDNA.  Not all of these are unique individuals, to be sure, because most hard-core genetic…

THROWBACK THURSDAY! Remember when AncestryDNA (& later MyHeritage) introduced colored dots? It's hard to fathom both how excited we were & how incredibly useful they've become! Enjoy this throwback post from 2019, then share in comments how they have helped your genealogy research!

Weaponizing DNA Against Women Last Friday, fetal remains were found in a wastewater treatment plant in Sumter County, South Carolina.  The fetus was male, 13–15 weeks old, with no signs of trauma.  At that stage, a miscarriage is considered a medical event rather than a legal death, meaning that…

A new set of classes has dropped at The DNA Geek! First up in March, we have "Wait, I'm What?!? Understanding Origin Estimates." You can register and check out our other offerings at tixoom.app/thednageek

Struggles with Smithville The most frustrating unknown father case I've ever worked is "Midge" (not her real name).  Midge has great matches!  I even know the town her biological father was from.  That's not the problem. The problem is that half the town are Smiths, they're all related, and…

If you've ever worked a case with closely related parents, you need to read this post now. thednageek.com/revisiting-t...

Revisiting the “Are Your Parents Related Tool” at GEDmatch Most cultures have taboos against close relatives marrying (or mating with) one another.  While some royal lineages historically used intra-family marriages to consolidate power, there are generally consequences.  The practice is known to…

Othram will now outsource forensic genetic genealogy to freelancers. At first glance, this poses massive privacy risks for criminal investigations, undercuts the professionalization of FGG via accreditation or certification, and shifts all of the liability onto the contractors. totaltreecall.com

Do you have challenging or sensitive DNA results? On July 22, my friend & colleague Kate Penney Howard will teach how about these scenarios in her class "Dealing with Difficult DNA: Endogamy, High-RoH, and Other Hazards." Register for one of two sessions—10 AM or 5 PM PDT—at tixoom.app/thednageek

Beyond the Stories: Verifying Native Ancestry Through History and DNA, with Aimee Rose Haynes Enroll now at bit.ly/DNAGeekEvents Join guest speaker Aimee Rose Haynes to trace the path from family stories to verified Native American ancestry through historical records and tribal enrollment.

The End of an Era: Uploads at MyHeritage MyHeritage is apparently securing their DNA database in response to the FBI using it in the Idaho murder investigation.

ALL-NEW class! Ethnicity estimates are popular, yet they are often maligned as inaccurate or even quack science.  Are they reliable?  Join me for a deep dive into the science behind ethnicity estimates to understand how they work and which are most accurate. Register today! bit.ly/DNAGeekEvents

I came across this guide (from my kids’ elementary school) while going through some old papers. Some people never outgrow bullying, as my encounter at #rootstech2025 reminded me. #ethicspanel #FIGG #meangirls

She’s broken. #catsofbluesky

How Are Our Databases Doing? There are now more than 53 million tested DNA kits, and growth has been steady for the past 5 years.

Q: "How do you respond to Governor Newsom?" Sen. Van Hollen: "I think Americans are tired of elected officials or politicians who are all finger to the wind...Anybody who can't stand up for the Constitution and the right of due process doesn't deserve to lead."

🤔

Reminder: All People Had To Do Was Fill In A Little Oval Next To The Smart Black Lady’s Name.

Trump admits illegally deporting a legal resident “by mistake” and says he can’t bring the US resident home because he’s not in the US any longer. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

“Ethnicity estimates” get a bad rap because the science is complex, but I love explaining it to laypeople! This new class (April 8 & 9) will help you understand your #DNA estimates & use them in your #geneticgenealogy work. Let's spark some lightbulbs! Register: tixoom.app/thednageek

“Preventing wars is cheaper than fighting them.” www.nytimes.com/2025/03/28/o...

Right now, there’s an important race happening that will shape the Wisconsin Supreme Court for the next 10 years. Judge Susan Crawford is ready to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of all Wisconsinites. Make a plan to vote early today — don’t wait until April 1st: wisdems.org/vote

23andMe Is Reorganizing. It’s Okay. 23andMe has declared bankruptcy, but now is not the time for genealogists to panic. As a publicly traded company, it will be many months before a resolution is clear. In the meantime, our data has the same protections as before.

This OPSEC Special Bulletin went out to the Pentagon during the same time period that SECDEF was using an unauthorized Signal chat. You can’t make this shit up.

23andMe has filed for bankruptcy. Many have asked whether I plan to delete my kits. My answer is: not yet. Under CA law, we’ll have that right a week or month from now, so I am going to wait & see. Each of you should consider what’s best for you, your family, and your own comfort level.

There’s a small army of genealogists who identify unknown soldiers’ remains so they can be returned to their families. The draft dodger fired them. Call your congresspeople and make some noise for our fallen heroes. #nosoldierleftbehind

THROWBACK THURSDAY! How important is your genetic privacy? Sometimes, the right DNA kit & a few simple steps can identify #health traits like #cysticfibrosis in complete strangers. This post can help you can make decisions about your #geneticprivacy. buff.ly/4hYJ9cA #health #chromosomebrowser

Will you be at RootsTech next week? I would love for you to stop by the BanyanDNA booth in the expo hall (#1425) to chat about DNA, genealogy, and all of the things! Oh, and I've got swag. 😉

THROWBACK THURSDAY! This post is required reading for genetic genealogists. It explains how we estimate relationships from shared DNA and inspired DNA Painter's Shared cM Tool & What Are the Odds (WATO) as well as BanyanDNA. buff.ly/3ENOe93 #DNA #BanyanDNA #DNApainter #genealogy #familymystery

Celebrate Black History Month by making the most of your AncestryDNA Match List! Determine relationships, organize matches by custom group, and link matches to your tree to make new discoveries. Register for free: bit.ly/3CBAcGP #BlackHistoryMonth #heritage #AncestryDNA #education

Will you be at RootsTech 2025 in Salt Lake City? I'll be manning the BanyanDNA booth (#1425) in the expo hall with live demos, swag, and expert advice. Stop by to get personalized feedback on your BanyanDNA projects or to just say hello!

Headline: Exploding rocket company to oversee changes to airplane safety. buff.ly/3X86gt4

Celebrate Black History Month by digging deeper into your family's history pre-Civil War. Learn to find clues in the 1870 Census and other records to discover more about formerly enslaved ancestors. Register for free: https://bit.ly/3WJIR0C

If I owned a Tesla, I’d spray paint it myself.

Stealing the Oval Office spotlight while your 4 year old tells the President to shut up is nasty work 🤣🤣🤣

Last call for my popular class on the What Are the Odds tool for solving genetic genealogy mysteries! There are still seats available in today's 5 PM PST class, which is repeated tomorrow at 10 AM PST. Sign up now! https://buff.ly/419FUsT

Celebrate Black History Month with DNA! Learn to use your AncestryDNA® results to discover your family history in this FREE webinar on February 12th. Register for free at: https://bit.ly/3WJboDF

What's the fuss about WATO? Find out for yourself, and learn how to use WATO to solve DNA mysteries in my upcoming class. Seats are still available! Includes a handout, recording, closed captioning, and plenty of time for Q&A. https://buff.ly/4hBPsD3

A biology lesson wrapped up in a history lesson wrapped up in a nerdy experiment with BanyanDNA! https://buff.ly/4huXeyh

Have you received your new ethnicity estimates at #MyHeritage? What are your thoughts?

#ElonMusk bought Twitter/X for $44 billion, and it lost 80% of its value within 2 years. He evaporated almost $1.5 billion per month. This is the “genius” running the US now.

What's the fuss about WATO? Find out for yourself, and learn how to use WATO to solve DNA mysteries in my upcoming class. Seats are still available! Includes a handout, recording, closed captioning, and plenty of time for Q&A. https://bit.ly/DNAGeekEvents

Celebrate Black History Month by tracing African American families through time with this FREE webinar "Beginning African American Research on Ancestry®" on Wednesday, February 5th. Learn to explore your family's history back to the 1870 Census. Sign up here:

Under the Musk regime, it is a crime to name criminals.

Donna Rutherford is one of our great gems, and her 2025 FAQ for new genetic genealogy testers is available now! https://buff.ly/3CwOrNa

Dear #Canada, If you were to invade, we will not resist. We have wine & chocolate. -California