# Looking for a recreational geneology expert

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-recreational-geneology-expert/831203>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 15, 2019, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-recreational-geneology-expert/831203 "2019-03-15T22:46:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-recreational-geneology-expert/831203/1 "2019-03-15T22:46:19Z")

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A friend of mine needs some help deciphering some Ancestry DNA results. I know there were some recreational experts on this board at one time - anyone left that is willing to help?

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2019, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-recreational-geneology-expert/831203/2 "2019-03-15T22:56:49Z")

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Since the OP is looking for advice, let’s move this to IMHO.

Colibri  
General Questions Moderator

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**Author:** ![Dobbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Dobbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dobbs)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2019, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-recreational-geneology-expert/831203/3 "2019-03-16T03:49:50Z")

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Could you praise your question in the form of a question? Like all recreational genealogists, I’ve learned on demand, finding out what I need to know as it became necessary. I’d be willing to help if I can, but I make no promises.

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**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2019, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-recreational-geneology-expert/831203/4 "2019-03-16T07:06:46Z")

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Ancestry DNA will provide long lists of 3rd and 4th cousins, some with viewable pedigrees; you can use these to help fill in holes in the friend’s own pedigree. Is this what you mean?

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**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2019, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-recreational-geneology-expert/831203/5 "2019-03-16T10:49:06Z")

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As a passionately obsessive, DNA-focused genealogist, I strongly urge you to look up Facebook groups that have grown up around this new frontier of research. You’ll have a larger pool of knowledge to draw from. I’m happy to help if I can, but there’s so much I don’t know yet.