Documentary genealogy and genetic ancestry answer different questions. A genetic result alone does not name, locate or date an ancestor.
The method, step by step
- Distinguish ancestry estimates from relationship hypotheses. A geographical category offered by a service is neither an origin record nor a cultural identity.
- Begin with a documentary question and check your country’s rules. France’s CNIL explains restrictions on recreational genetic tests in France.
- Before any permitted step, review retention, deletion and sharing of data and consequences for relatives. Do not submit another person’s data without consent.
- Compare any relationship hypothesis with records and timelines. Label documentary, adoptive and biological relationships explicitly.
What to record
Keep genetic hypotheses separate from documented relationships. Before proceeding, consult applicable rules and data use, retention and deletion terms. Do not publish a relative’s results or proposed relationships without agreement.
Record in your research log
- Consent
- provider
- match
- hypothesis
- independent documentary evidence.
Frequently asked questions
Can DNA replace documentary evidence?
No. Genetic ancestry and documented relationships differ. Results do not name an ancestor on their own. Check local rules; the CNIL explains French restrictions on recreational tests.