General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Have you had your DNA tested to determine your ancestry? [View all]JenniferJuniper
(4,512 posts)no surprises as I'd started doing the family tree in advance. Ancestry.com has a very cool tree maker if you're willing to put in some effort to weed through things and I had a fair amount of information about most great grandparents.
Unexpected side benefits? I put two elderly cousins - 82 and 84 - back in touch with each other after 50 years. They've been emailing back and forth with each other and copying me on some amazing family stories and photos that I've been able to incorporate into my tree for future generations.
On the other side of the family, I found a great grandmother in an orphanage when she was 7 in 1900. The place still exists under a new name and I sent a donation in her memory. Quite unexpectedly I got a lovely letter back from them thanking me and providing some information about her slightly older brother. Which I was able to share with her sole surviving child, my 95 year old great aunt.
So while my DNA didn't tell me anything I didn't know, it's been a fascinating and rewarding journey so far.