Sunday 30 April 2023

FindmyPast ends partnership with LivingDNA

From FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):

We no longer offer DNA testing - but don't let that hold you back.

Our partnership with LivingDNA has come to an end, meaning you can no longer purchase a DNA test kit through the Findmypast site. Nevertheless, we are continually developing new ways to help you to connect with your roots. With billions of records at your fingertips and the help of our handy family tree builder, what will you discover?

Start your family tree for free today and uncover your family’s unique story.

(Source: https://www.findmypast.co.uk/page/ancestry-dna-testing)

Comment: I came across the story thanks to Andrew Martin on Twitter (@FamilyTreeUK), to whom thanks is given.

I don't think there will be a lot of disappointment about this announcement. When LivingDNA (https://livingdna.com) was first launched a few years back there was a lot of excitement, especially with its ethnicity breakdown, which could physically pinpoint specific regions in Britain where your DNA suggested potential origins. But although LivingDNA has a facility that allows you to contact potential relatives, it does not have an option to allow you to add a tree alongside your DNA results, making it extremely difficult to work out your genealogy connections amidst a sea of matches. I think a lot of us hoped that the partnership with FindmyPast would facilitate this, but it simply didn't. Recent announcements from LivingDNA seem to be concentrating on the medical side of things, whilst a note a few months ago offering me the option of upgrading to see if I had any 'Viking DNA' really did not impress.  

It would be great to see FindmyPast be able to offer a full DNA service in the months and years to come, as its rivals Ancestry and MyHeritage do, hopefully this will clear the decks for something a little more fruitful down the line - if, indeed, it remains interested in offering a DNA service at some stage.

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For the USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

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