DNA Match Analysis & Family Identification ($150 for up to 6 hr block)
If you’re searching for a birth parent, missing relative, or an unknown branch of your family tree, DNA results can hold the answers. Interpreting those results correctly requires structured analysis and experience.
DNA work is priced per research project, based on a clearly defined research question.
Each project begins with a brief consultation by email, phone, or video call. During this consultation, we define the specific question to be addressed, such as identifying a biological parent, confirming a relationship, or determining how a DNA match fits into your tree. This ensures the research is focused and appropriately scoped.
Some research questions resolve more quickly than others. Identifying a close biological relationship is often faster and more conclusive than tracing a connection across multiple generations, which may require additional analysis or follow-on projects.
Each DNA analysis project is $150 and includes up to six hours of research using your AncestryDNA results. Research typically focuses on close matches (first cousins or nearer) on the relevant side of the family, identifying shared ancestor patterns and building a working tree to test possible relationships.
You will receive a written summary of findings explaining what the DNA evidence supports, what remains unresolved, and recommended next steps if additional research is needed.
Requirements for best results: Your DNA must be tested through Ancestry.com, and you must have close matches (1st cousins or closer) on the relevant side of the family. For U.S.-based family trees.
Q. Is a few hours enough to get anything done?
Yes! You’d be surprised! Twice now I’ve identified a biological parent in under an hour (in each case the person had significant errors in their trees, that when cleared up, pointed right to right people). And I also recently determined who the biological father of my (1860s) gg-grandfather was in about 10 hours.
Several focused hours is enough to make real progress with DNA results when the right matches are in place. In that time I can review your close matches, confirm which side of the family they belong to, begin clustering them into groups that share common ancestors, and identify the most promising leads.
If your case needs more work, we can continue in additional time blocks, but the first two hours are designed to give you solid, actionable insight right away.
Q. What do I need to provide you?
You’ll share your Ancestry DNA with me (linking me as a COLLABORATOR).
Depending on your goals you can either share your Ancestry with me, or I can create a new tree for my research and then you’ll copy the pertinent information over to your tree later. If you share your Ancestry tree with me then you will link me as EDITOR (and give me access to see living people).
The permissions can be revoked on your DNA and tree easily when we’re done working together.
Q. What tools/subscriptions do you have?
I have Ancestry Pro/All Access with Newspapers.com and Fold3.com memberships, Genealogy Bank, My Heritage, and GEDMatch. I also use AI tools extensively for report writing, research and analysis.
Q. What do I walk away with at the end of our contract?
You’ll have access to your tree and your DNA, with the research/notes/labels in it. You can (or I can) remove my access to it at that time. Additionally I will submit a short report of any findings of interest, and a summary of what your research goals were and associated work. For example the report might include, where more research is needed, or interesting findings.