Overview
Joe Ross, the Genie Vlogger, provides a professional genealogist's reaction to Matt Baker's "I Took Five DNA Tests and Compared Them – Which One is Best?" video, discussing various DNA test kits, their features, and suitability for different genealogy needs.
Sponsor and Event Information
- The video is sponsored by The Genealogy Show 2021, a virtual family history event with industry leader talks and expert exhibitors.
- Discount code for event tickets is provided to viewers.
Introduction to Matt Baker and Useful Charts
- Joe and Matt have previously collaborated on genealogy-related YouTube content.
- Matt’s family tree includes French Canadian, German-Jewish, and possibly other European ancestry.
Expectations and Initial Thoughts
- Joe anticipates mostly European ancestry in Matt's DNA due to known family history.
- Predicts minimal Jewish genetic results because the relevant ancestor is several generations back.
Circle DNA Review
- Circle DNA is the most expensive kit, focusing primarily on health information and whole-exome sequencing.
- Provides limited and broad ancestry data, lacking genealogical details compared to other platforms.
Family Tree DNA Review
- Family Tree DNA offers affordable autosomal testing; deeper mitochondrial and Y-chromosome tests cost extra.
- Autosomal results can be influenced by factors like recombination, endogamy, and non-paternity events.
- Genetic matching is discussed, including relationship estimates via centimorgans and the impact of endogamy.
- Offers in-depth haplogroup analysis for expert users, but matching relies on who else has tested.
23andMe Review
- 23andMe combines health and genealogy features, including autosomal results and basic haplogroup info.
- Haplogroup details are less specific than Family Tree DNA.
- Health and ancestry reports are offered in different pricing tiers.
Ancestry.com Review
- Ancestry provides detailed ethnicity estimates, especially strong for North American and English-speaking users.
- Large user database improves match accuracy and genealogical potential.
- Recent website changes to match data display are critiqued by Joe.
- Requires a membership for full access to records and tree-building features.
MyHeritage Review
- MyHeritage offers affordable testing with a database strong in Eastern Europe, South/Central America, and Jewish populations.
- Less likely to report distant Jewish ancestry if the ancestor is several generations back.
General Recommendations and Comparisons
- No single "best" test; choice depends on goals (health info vs. genealogy vs. cost).
- Circle DNA is best for health, Family Tree DNA for expert Y/mtDNA, Ancestry/MyHeritage for beginners and genealogists.
- Uploading raw data to multiple platforms maximizes potential matches.
- Recommends Nebula Genomics’ whole genome sequencing for those wanting comprehensive health and genealogy data.
Final Reflections on the Video
- Joe praises Matt for sharing matches and discussing discovery of unknown relatives.
- Encourages viewers to test at multiple sites for the fullest experience.
- Suggests watching his Nebula Genomics review for advanced DNA analysis.
Action Items
- TBD – Viewers: Consider event registration using the sponsor's discount code.
- TBD – Interested Users: Upload raw DNA data to multiple databases for broader matching.
- TBD – Joe Ross: Watch and potentially react to Matt Baker’s 23andMe results video.
Recommendations / Advice
- Choose a DNA kit based on whether your priority is health insights, finding relatives, or building ethnicity estimates.
- Consider database size and regional representation for the best genealogical matches.
- Advanced users may benefit from whole-genome sequencing services for deep analysis.