DNA tests are not substitute for stories

In the publicity for DNA testing, commercials sometime depict people who are totally unaware of their ethnic heritage until they get their results.

In one advertisement, a man is shocked to learn that, instead of having majority German roots, his lineage is mostly Scottish. I wonder if most people are really that unaware of their cultural heritage. Do some people know, but prefer to say they are another heritage just because it sounds better, or because it’s more politically correct? I also wonder if people are passing on factual stories of their ancestral origins or even recent stories about their family? What will members of the next generation really know about their family’s past?

DNA testing can verify one’s heritage, but it gives only rough percentages based on that company’s “reference population.” A test from FamilyTreeDNA showed my bloodline is 82 percent from the British Isles, while one from AncestryDNA says 93 percent British Isles. (Why the difference?)

It’s important to remember that the tests don’t not help a person to trace his or her actual ancestry on paper and in the records. I also realize that, as the major genealogist on both sides of my family, I have not done enough to pass on family stories to others. I was lucky enough to learn things from my grandparents and other relatives in the 1960s when I started out. I need to write these notes up and share them. One should not overload relatives with the begats of a family. Most non-genealogists don’t need that much detail and will certainly glaze over it. If you’re the keeper of your family’s history, share some of the information in writing — where the family lived, how they got to your area and interesting anecdotes. That document can become a family treasure.

School desegregation in DeKalb topic of Lunch and Learn

“School Desegregation in DeKalb County” will be the March 20 Lunch and Learn topic at the DeKalb History Center in downtown Decatur at the old Courthouse on the Square. J. Marcus Patton, a lawyer and former high school teacher, will speak on the legal issues, court decisions and county population makeup changes. The noon event is free, but you should bring your own lunch. For more information, go see dekalbhistory.org or call 404-3731088, ext. 23.

‘Relative Race’ series returns for 3rd season

The “Relative Race” television genealogy series, sponsored by Brigham Young University, began its third season on March 4. As in previous seasons, there will be four teams of two that race across the U.S., using clues from longlost relatives to help find other relatives. The teams are lowtech, using paper maps and flip phones. There is a grand prize of $50,000. To watch, you have to find BYUTV on your cable provider or Dish. It is fun to watch.