Your DNA WORK SHOP

CAN DNA RESEARCH HELP ME SOLVE A LONG-STANDING MYSTERY?

Reader Michelle got in touch with DNA adviser Karen Evans to ask her advice

MICHELLE: I read your pages every month and I try hard to concentrate, I really do, but I struggle! Science is not my thing, unfortunately.

I have been researching mine and my husband's (John Paterson) family trees for over ten years and have been stumped at times. His dad's family are such a mystery! Anyway we did DNA tests a few years ago and it was amazing. I found a lovely man who told us all about John's grandad. Family legend told us he was born in Aberdeen. He wasn’t! He was born in Herefordshire. So we have all the information about my husband’s grandad's maternal side. It’s the other side and his grandad and grandmother I struggle the most with. No birth certificate for grandmother and no marriage certificate.

Anyway, the biggest and best breakthrough came when I uploaded our raw DNA onto MyHeritage. This man, David, was given a DNA kit for Christmas by his daughter last year and uploaded the results in January where I saw it and couldn’t believe it! Such a massive match! I just don’t know where from. We have looked at names, etc, but