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Post date: Jan 24, 2016 4:42:02 PM
Only 5 months ago, AncestryDNA announced that they had tested their one millionth customer. As of that time, AncestryDNA's database of test results had grown from 500,000 to 1,000,000 (one million) in approximately 10 months; an average rate of about 50,000 new test results per month.
Ancestry now claim that they have "more than 1.4 million people now in [their] database." This represents a 40% increase in the number of test results in their database! This means that they have bee adding new test results to their database at a rate of about 80,000 per month, or 240,000 new DNA test results per quarter. This rate far outpaces the 150,000 new DNA test results that Ancestry had been predicting back in August!
Back in August, DNA testing company 23andMe had been adding approximately 60,000 - 70,000 new DNA test results per quarter, but I suspect that this rate may have slowed considerably after 23andMe increased the price of their DNA test from $99 to $199. As of today, 23andMe are still using the "[m]ore than one million people" estimate, and I imagine that they will not be changing that number any time soon. I still think that they will need to drop the price of their test kit to something like $149, but time will tell. In spite of the price increase, I still recommend testing with both AncestryDNA as well as with 23andMe.
DNA test results can be used to focus your research in the right direction, and to confirm the research that you have done. In many cases, the DNA results may also disprove the research that you have done. While disappointing, these negative results will only serve to fine-tune your research and provide you with the opportunity to build a more accurate family tree.
Working with DNA test results should involve more than searching through the trees of your DNA matches, but working with DNA test results effectively can be complicated and and tedious.
If you don't feel like you have obtained enough value for the money that you have spent on your DNA test, or if you are struggling to make sense (or to make effective use of your DNA results), or if you simply don't have the time or energy to learn all of the ins and outs of genealogical research, let Ancestors & Cousins lend a hand. With extensive experience in working with DNA test results and in building complex genealogies, Ancestors & Cousins can uncover mysteries and make connections that you may miss on your own.
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