Ancestral experience
My genealogy journey began in 2014 on Ancestry, where I did extensive self directed research and built my family tree from scratch. Eventually I hit some brick walls and decided to shift my focus to DNA ancestry testing instead. I took the standard tests from the big companies like Ancestry, 23andMe, and MyHeritage, but honestly they didn’t give me the clarity I was looking for. It wasn’t until I started exploring third party testing companies like DNA Consultants that things really started clicking into place. I’ve used several of their services over time, including the DNA Fingerprint Plus test, Rare Genes analysis, Basic American Indian DNA test, and the Shawnee and Melungeon DNA tests. But what I really want to talk about is their Custom Genealogy Service because that’s where things really took off for me.The difference between DNA Consultants and the big box companies is pretty striking when you look at it. The mainstream companies break everything down into percentages, right? Like you’re 70 percent this, 20 percent that, and then 0.1 percent of something else, and the rest is just unknown. That’s how they present your whole ancestry. But DNA Consultants does something different. Instead of trying to fit you into these percentage boxes, they actually analyze your DNA markers and match you with ancient migratory populations and historical groups. That gives you such a more detailed and honest picture of who you are. When I got my DNA Fingerprint Plus results, my number one match was US Cherokee Admixed, then Jewish, then Mediterranean, and American Indian came in around fourth or fifth as a major population match. But here’s what blew my mind: I also found markers for ancient Romani ancestry, Taiwanese and Austronesian type markers, Bantu markers linked to Mozambique, and Melungeon markers. All of this was information the big box companies either completely missed or buried under those vague percentages and “unknown” categories. The mainstream tests wanted to put me in an African ancestry centered box, but DNA Consultants gave me the whole picture. They honored all the different parts of who I am.So after realizing that my research brick walls might just be from me not having enough experience or making wrong turns in my research, I decided around 2024 and into 2025 that I needed some real professional help. That’s when I reached out and started working with Bobbie from DNA Consultants around November of last year. Working with her has been such a game changer. She’s confirmed my Native American ancestry on my father’s side and uncovered information about additional ancestors who may have been enslaved. That’s huge for me because those are the kinds of discoveries that really matter when you’re trying to understand your family history. Beyond the results though, what really stands out is how professional and thoughtful Bobbie is. She’s attentive to every detail of my project, she gets back to me with updates on time, and she communicates so clearly about everything. It’s been a real pleasure working with her.I definitely recommend DNA Consultants’ Custom Genealogy Service, especially if you’ve been stuck hitting brick walls like I was or if you feel like the mainstream DNA companies didn’t give you the real picture of your heritage. I’m looking forward to continuing my genealogy work with Bobbie and DNA Consultants!