While DNA Tests Offer a Peek into Family History, Your Genealogy Efforts are Missing This

ScanMyPhotos Journal

As DNA testing kits become more affordable, the number of unbelievable family history stories surrounding these tests is increasing.

This recent piece by The New York Times covers a story on Bob Hutchinson, who used a DNA test to finally get some answers into the family history his mother kept a secret throughout his life. The test uncovered that he was one-eighth sub-Saharan African—a fact his mother never shared with him. From there, he uncovered cousins he didn’t know he had and was able to establish a connection with this newfound family.

There are countless other stories, too—like Alice Collins Plebuch, whose DNA test revealed a 100-year-old mystery (instead of the confirmation of her assumed Irish heritage), or Twitter user @MsClark_, who tweeted about the incredible search that led her to the discovery of her real father.

But as remarkable as these stories are, we couldn’t help but notice that something is missing in all of them: a lack of background information. Yes, DNA testing is a great way to get some answers into your family history, but unless there’s information that sheds light on that history, you only have the test results. This often leaves you with more questions than answers.

The importance of photos in family history

While there are several ways to uncover more about your roots, we cannot emphasize enough how important photos are to any genealogy project. This should be one of the first steps you take before jumping into the complicated root system that is your past. Why? Because every photo holds another piece of the puzzle. If an individual picture is worth 1,000 words, imagine how many stories you can discover through old print photos from your family’s past.

The process is not easy, but it’s worth it. We recommend finding your family’s old print photos, digitizing them (ensuring their preservation for future generations), and trying to identify the pictures’ faces and locations. We’ve had customers uncover incredible stories and insights.

Once your photos are digitized, be sure to upload them to sites like Ancestry.com. The benefit of sharing your photos on genealogy sites is that it crowdsources information on your family tree. You never know what other information or stories someone else might share about your photos.

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If you’re ready to get your next genealogy project, send us your print photos to scan and digitize today.