DNA Heritage Tests - Why Would E. Warren or Anybody Bother?

[Crepuscular]

18. Many reasons

There are other reasons besides determining ethnic makeup, to have DNA samples taken.

In my case, I'm adopted and recently due to a medical situation I found that I needed to try and locate biological relatives to obtain medical information. I'm in my 50's and had never searched for my biological parents. The process of trying to obtain the desired information through the courts, to open a closed adoption, seemed to be ridiculously complex, time consuming and expensive. So instead I decided to submit a DNA sample on the off chance that I could find a distant relative that might point me in the right direction for finding closer relatives, who could provide the information that I needed. Amazingly, within one day of receiving back my DNA results I was able to locate my biological parents, both of whom are still alive, as well as finding out that I had 3 half siblings and a bunch of nieces, nephews, cousins, etc.

In talking to others who have been tested, I've found that it's not that uncommon for people to find out about half siblings, aunt's or uncles, etc., that they had no idea existed.

So while you may be secure in thinking that you know all there is to know about your family history, you might actually be surprised to find that there may be some previously unidentified twigs on your family tree, that would never come to light without genetic testing.