Genes & Genealogy offers global professional family history and genetic genealogy services Live, Genetic Genealogy Ireland and RootsTech. Michelle holds an M.A.
Genes & Genealogy is a professional family history and genetic genealogy research service based in Scotland and run by Michelle Leonard. Michelle is a professional genealogist, genetic genealogist, researcher, speaker, writer and historian. She has considerable experience both as a traditional and genetic genealogist. She specializes in the use of DNA testing for genealogical purposes and, in particular, solving adoption, unknown parentage, MPE, illegitimacy and all manner of unknown ancestor mysteries. She also uses DNA testing in conjunction with paper trail research to confirm and enhance family trees as well as break down brick walls. Additionally she takes on traditional family history research work, tracing of long lost family members, documentary and television research, article, blog and book writing, podcasts, webinars, tutoring, lecturing and speaking engagements. Michelle spent several years working on the ground-breaking Fromelles Genealogy Project tracking down appropriate DNA donors to help identify WWI soldiers buried in a mass grave in France. She also served as the Genealogical Consultant on the official documentary about the find and has given many talks on the subject. She is a regular speaker at major genealogy events like Who Do You Think You Are? She regularly work on new WW1 and WWII soldier cases when battlefield remains are found and DNA testing takes place or when new identifications from previous burials come to light. in English and Modern History from the University of St Andrews and a PgCert in Genealogical, Palaeographic and Heraldic Studies from the University of Strathclyde. She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) and adheres to their code of ethics. She is also a member of the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) and the Scottish Genealogy Network. She is registered with the Information Commissionerโs Office (ICO) as a data controller under the Data Protection Act 1998 (Registration Number ZA256420). She is also the official genetic genealogist of ancestryhour.co.uk - join us on Twitter every Tuesday evening 7-8pm for lots of genealogy chat
Please see Michelle's LinkedIn Profile for further details on the services she offers and get in touch if you'd like to commission any work!
11/08/2025
๐จ ๐ท๐ฌ๐ต๐ผ๐ณ๐ป๐ฐ๐ด๐จ๐ป๐ฌ ๐ช๐ถ๐ผ๐น๐บ๐ฌ ๐ถ๐ญ ๐ป๐ฏ๐ฌ ๐๐ฌ๐จ๐น ๐จ๐ณ๐ฌ๐น๐ป! ๐จ
My 'Using DNA to Solve Unknown Parentage Mysteries' course hosted by Family History Academy begins this week.
Knowing where we come from is something most of us take for granted, but for those with unknown parentage situations, the search for answers can sometimes feel overwhelming.
This two-part course offers a clear, compassionate, and practical approach to solving those mysteries. Through genuine case studies, you will learn the important techniques I use in real-life casework to uncover missing parents and grandparents, including how to analyse DNA results and build targeted family trees.
Whether youโre searching for your own answers or helping someone else find theirs, this course will guide you step by step.
๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฌ:
๐ 14th & 28th August
๐ 3pm Eastern / 8pm UK
๐ป Platform: Zoom
๐ฅ All sessions are closed captioned, recorded and available for viewing for 14 days following each session
Learn step-by-step strategies to solve unknown parent and grandparent cases using DNA and traditional research methods. Taught by DNA Detective Michelle Leonard.
03/06/2025
๐๐๐๐ผ๐ ๐พ๐ผ๐๐! My popular Family History Academy 'Chromosome Mapping' course is back and begins tomorrow. The course will take place over two sessions on 4th & 18th June at 2:30pm Eastern/7:30pm UK time. If you love addictive puzzles and would like to master mapping your DNA back to your ancestors then don't miss this opportunity to learn how to do it.
This course will provide in-depth step-by-step guidance and practical techniques to help you assign DNA segments to specific ancestors, create detailed chromosome maps, and make new family history discoveries.
Here's what you'll learn:
โข How to understand DNA segment data (this is essential before you can start mapping!)
โข A detailed guide to conventional chromosome mapping
โข An overview of the available chromosome mapping tools
โข Step-by-step guidance on creating chromosome maps (at DNA Painter)
โข Detailed instruction on inferred chromosome mapping
โข Top tips on best practices and pitfalls to avoid
Both sessions will be recorded and recordings will be available for 14 days.
Do you have DNA mysteries you'd like to solve? Donโt miss this chance to join my exclusive three-part workshop for Family History Academy, where you'll learn how to turn complex DNA puzzles into solved family stories and walk away with skills to break through those brick walls!
๐๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ:
๐ 14th, 21st & 26th November
๐ 3pm Eastern/8pm UK
๐ป Platform: Zoom
In this hands-on six-hour workshop, youโll work through genuine DNA cases from the initial evaluation of the mystery to the final conclusion. Youโll be the DNA Detective, and Iโll guide you every step of the way! Whether you wish to tackle unknown parentage or verify family connections, this workshop will teach you:
โข Professional techniques for evaluating DNA evidence
โข Proven strategies to identify and interpret DNA matches
โข Step-by-step methods to solve family mysteries
This is my final course for 2024, so make sure to reserve your spot - boost your genetic genealogy skills and solve those mysteries youโve been holding onto!
The 5th edition of my popular Bootcamp in partnership with Family Tree Magazine kicks off ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, Wednesday, 25th September at 7pm BST! ๐งฌโจ
When & Where:
๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ: Wednesdays 25th Sep-13th Nov
๐ ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐: 7pm BST
๐ป ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐: Online via Zoom
This 8-week interactive course includes:
โ 4 live webinars packed full of up-to-date DNA learning
โ 4 interactive follow-up Q&A sessions
โ My newly updated 52-page DNA Workbook (digital copy included with the course, with the option to purchase a print version)
โ Access to a dedicated DNA Bootcamp Facebook group for ongoing support
โ Pre-reading material and more!
๐ป ๐๐๐งโ๐ญ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐? No problem! Youโll get access to session recordings shortly after each live event and throughout the course, plus for an additional 3 months after the final session. Watch and re-watch whenever it suits you!
Each week will provide you with new knowledge and step-by-step advice and there will be plenty of opportunities to pose your questions directly to me during the live sessions and in the dedicated Facebook group. If you're ready to enhance your family history research through DNA, this is your chance! ๐
I'm excited to kick off another edition of the DNA Bootcamp and canโt wait to hear lots of participant success stories!๐งฌ๐ต๏ธโโ๏ธ
๐ Feel free to share this post!
19/09/2024
I'm looking forward to presenting my 'Combining DNA & Traditional Research: In-Depth Case Studies' presentation for the Florida State Genealogical Society's 'Poolside Chats' program this evening at 8pm EDT. Registration for this session is open to all but please note that the recording will only be available to FSGS members.
Webinar Abstract: DNA testing has exploded onto the genealogy scene in recent years and is now one of the most important tools available to advance family history research. In order to successfully use DNA testing for genealogy, however, it is essential to combine itโฆ
17/09/2024
My next Family Tree Magazine DNA Club presentation takes place tomorrow!
Pitch it right when you reach out to a DNA match. Join us next week (Wed 18th Sept, 12.30pm UK time) for Michelle Leonard's webinar on DNA match messaging skills. Learn how best to message your matches. Find out more at https://tinyurl.com/de36ukzj
Are you curious about DNA but donโt know where to start? Join me for my '๐ซ๐ต๐จ ๐ญ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐' webinar, hosted by Family Tree Magazine. I'll walk you through the basics and give you the essential DNA know-how to kick-start your journey!
๐ Date: Wednesday 11th September
โฐ Time: 7pm - 8:30pm (BST)
๐ป Platform: Zoom
๐ฐ Cost: ยฃ10 (FREE for Family Tree Plus subscribers)
๐ฅ Canโt make it live? No problem! A recording will be available for 7 days after the live session so you can easily catch up at a time that suits you
๐ More Info & Booking: https://tinyurl.com/24du4jvw
Make this the month you unlock the secrets of !
Do you know absolutely nothing about DNA, but would like to change that?ย If so, join us for DNA Detective Michelle Leonard's webinar - held live on 13 September 2023.
01/09/2024
This is a must-read research guide from Scottish Indexes on 'identifying the father of an illegitimate child' through both traditional sources and DNA evidence. The final point about testing is particularly crucial: while attempting to locate a record naming the father should always be your first step in an illegitimacy situation, remember that a name on paper doesnโt always equate to the genetic truth. In many cases I've worked on, the man listed as the father turned out not to be the genetic father after all. It's essential to use whatever clues we can but be cautious and combine historical records with DNA testing for a complete and accurate picture.
This fantastic write-up is part of the invaluable series by Scottish Indexes - I highly recommend exploring the entire series on their page!
Identifying the father of an illegitimate child.
We mentioned in that a common reason a birth registration is hard to find is that the child is indexed under their motherโs maiden name because she was unmarried at the time of the childโs birth. From 1855 to 1919 you may see โillegitimateโ written on a birth certificate. In other records, you may see โnatural childโ which means the same thing. A person who was illegitimate not only had no right to an inheritance from their biological father but also from their mother. In fact, they themselves had no lawful heirs unless they married and had children. Of course most of our ancestors also had no money or property!
What we want to know is who was the father of the illegitimate child. There are a few records that can help. Here are the principal ones.
1 - Sheriff Court Records
Fathers were required to pay towards the maintenance of their children, whether they were married to the mother or not. Some fathers did this voluntarily, others were taken to court. Most court cases were heard in the Sheriff Courts and many unmarried women had their cases paid for. A mother had to prove she was in a relationship with the man accused.
From 1855 a successful case proving paternity was reported to the registrar and an entry was made in the Register of Corrected Entries. This basic entry linked to the childโs birth certificate should give the name of the childโs father and his designation; generally occupation and residence.
The Sheriff Court records will give you even more detail. If an extract of the court decree was made a copy was written in a book and these can be easily accessed on Scottish Indexes. The entry may give brief details of the case, tell you how much the father was required to pay and for how long. This entry may also give you a fuller designation of the father which can be helpful.
Court processes may also have survived, that is the paperwork relating to the case. These vary considerably. If the father did not fight the case little survives however if there was a drawn-out case you may find letters, photographs, statements from those involved and detailed accounts of the couple's relationship.
Sadly, not all Sheriff Court Processes survive but most before 1860 and after 1910 do. Work to index these is ongoing but if you have a date from the extracted decree or the Register of Corrected Entries these can be located. Scottish Indexes offers a service to locate and copy these.
From 1855 the Register of Corrected Entries will point us to a case but these types of cases predate civil registration. So far the earliest entry we have indexed is from 1748 but work is still ongoing.
If you are looking for a pre-1855 case which is not in our index we can use minute books and inventories to search for a case. Just email us at Scottish Indexes and we can recommend a research strategy. There is also a more detailed explanation of these records with examples in our Learning Zone.
You can search the records indexed so far using the โScottish Paternity Indexโ.
2 - Kirk Session records
As well as the state, the church (Kirk in Scotland) may also be involved when an unmarried woman had a child. There were two elements, first of all the couple would be disciplined by the Kirk but also the Kirk put pressure on the father to pay maintenance for the child. If this was unsuccessful the mother may still have had to take the father to court.
Records of discipline by the parish church can therefore tell us who the father of an โillegitimateโ child was. A record can often be found for both the mother and father of the child, this could be in the same parish or in different parishes.
The good news is that most surviving pre-1900 records are now available for free on ScotlandsPeople. The bad news is that there is no index.
Go to ScotlandsPeople > Search our records > Virtual Volumes > Place search and now type the name of the parish where your ancestor was living. Select the parish records and you will see a list of surviving volumes. Generally, discipline cases are in the volumes containing minutes, that is the minutes of the Kirk Session. Select the volume containing the right years and read from about the time of conception until the child is a year or two old (or until you find the entry). It is possible that the case is recorded after the child is a few years old so if you donโt find it you could keep searching. Most parents wanted their child baptised quickly though so the discipline case is often shortly before or not long after the birth of the child.
On both our website Scottish Indexes and the government website ScotlandsPeople you will find guides to help you get the most out of these records.
3 - Poor Relief records
As an unmarried woman with a small baby, many mothers needed financial assistance. Surviving records may name the father of her illegitimate child. Survival rates and the information given in these records vary dramatically around the country. The Learning Zone on Scottish Indexes gives an overview of what can be discovered with links to some indexes available online.
4 - Marriage and Death Certificates
If a mother was unmarried the fatherโs name could not go on the childโs birth certificate unless the father went with her to register the child or as a result of a court order. When the person was born illegitimately went on to marry, however, they may at that time have given the name of their biological father. People did not always do this, for example they may named their stepfather instead, but itโs worth looking at their marriage certificate just in case. The same is true when a person dies, you may see something like โreputed fatherโ so always look at birth, marriage and death certificates.
5 - Baptism records
Before 1855 we rely on baptism records but we use them less after 1855 because civil registration is so comprehensive. However, as I said strict criteria had to be fulfilled for a fatherโs name to be recorded in the civil registration records. This was not the case with baptism records. Consulting post-1855 baptism records can be extremely useful. Many of these are held by the National Records of Scotland and can be consulted in their Digital Archive Search Room for free. If you cannot visit the search room in person Scottish Indexes can make a search for you. See our โResearch Servicesโ page.
6 - DNA
We have an advantage that the Sheriff Courts of the 19th century did not have, which is DNA testing. This can be a conclusive way to discover the father of an illegitimate ancestor. Michelle Leonard of Genes & Genealogy is a specialist in this area and regularly shares her knowledge with us all at the Scottish Indexes Conferences. Follow Michelle on Facebook to see when and where she will be speaking if you want to learn more about using DNA to trace your family history.
21/08/2024
I'm looking forward to teaching my 'Unexpected DNA Surprises course for the Society of Genealogists starting tomorrow Thurs 22nd August.
The course will take place:
๐ Thursdays, 22 August - 5 September 2024
๐ 7:30pm - 8:45pm (BST)
๐ป Zoom
DNA is a powerful tool in genealogy, but it can sometimes reveal unexpected results. Over three weeks, I will guide you through understanding and assessing these surprises. Whether it's a close relative you didnโt expect to match with, distant connections that don't align or a lack of matches to known ancestral lines this course offers practical guidance, case studies, and step-by-step demonstrations to help you navigate these mysteries.
**Why Attend?**
If youโve ever been puzzled by unexpected DNA matchesโor want to be prepared just in caseโthis course is for you.
๐ More Info & Booking: https://tinyurl.com/buj9n76u
๐ฅ **Recording available** until 19th September so don't worry if you can't make it live as you can still catch up.
27/06/2024
I'm looking forward to hosting this webinar series by the fantastic Donna Rutherford for Family Tree Magazine starting this evening!
Join DNA expert Donna Rutherford for this exclusive 2-part webinar series, covering how to build expert research trees and how to improve your skills and become a DNA detective.
17/06/2024
๐๐๐๐ผ๐ ๐พ๐ผ๐๐! My Family History Academy 'Chromosome Mapping' course begins tomorrow and there are now just three spots left before it is sold out. The course will take place over two sessions on 18th & 25th June at 3pm Eastern/8pm UK time. If you love addictive puzzles and would like to master mapping your DNA back to your ancestors then don't miss this opportunity to learn how to do it.
This four-hour course will provide in-depth step-by-step guidance and practical techniques to help you assign DNA segments to specific ancestors, create detailed chromosome maps, and make new family history discoveries.
Here's what you'll learn:
โข How to understand DNA segment data (this is essential before you can start mapping!)
โข A detailed guide to conventional chromosome mapping
โข An overview of the available chromosome mapping tools
โข Step-by-step guidance on creating chromosome maps (at DNA Painter)
โข Detailed instruction on inferred chromosome mapping
โข Top tips on best practices and pitfalls to avoid
Both sessions will be recorded and recordings will be available for 14 days.
๐ฝ๐ฐ๐น๐ป๐ผ๐จ๐ณ ๐ช๐ณ๐จ๐บ๐บ ๐ป๐ฏ๐ฐ๐บ ๐พ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฒ! I'm looking forward to teaching my 'Using DNA to Solve Unknown Parentage Mysteries' class for the Scottish Genealogy Society on zoom on Tuesday evening at 7-9pm UK time.
This class will walk you through the process required to solve mysteries from choosing the correct tests to working with DNA results when you have no known family history information as reference. It will also provide practical demonstrations of the most important techniques and practices and genuine case studies and success stories will be included to show how DNA testing used in conjunction with traditional research can provide much sought after answers to previously unfathomable mysteries. There will also be plenty of time for Q&A after the presentation portion of the class.
Non-SGS members can join for just ยฃ15, while members enjoy a discounted price of ยฃ10. Click the link below to book and learn more about solving mysteries using DNA!
Discover the power of DNA with our 2-hour zoom class. Solve family tree mysteries starting at just ยฃ10 for members and ยฃ15 for non-members. Get answers and insights now!
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Genes & Genealogy is a professional family history and genetic genealogy research business run by Michelle Leonard.
I am a professional genealogist, genetic genealogist, researcher, speaker, author and historian. I specialise in DNA Detective work solving adoption, unknown parentage and all manner of complex unknown ancestor mysteries. I also uses DNA testing in conjunction with paper trail research to break brick walls and confirm and grow family trees.
Additionally I undertake traditional family history research, living relative tracing, historical and television research, book commissions including published works and private bespoke family history books, article and blog writing, tutoring, lecturing, webinars and speaking engagements.
I have a wealth of practical experience with unknown ancestor cases and a proven track record of solving mysteries using a combination of DNA analysis and traditional research methods. My first involvement with using DNA for genealogical purposes came just over a decade ago now when I worked on a special project which used DNA testing to identify battlefield remains. I spent several years working on the ground-breaking Fromelles Genealogy Project tracking down appropriate DNA donors to identify WWI soldiers buried in a mass grave in France and served as the Genealogical Consultant on the official Fromelles documentary "WW1: Finding The Lost Battalions". I regularly work on new historic soldier cases when battlefield remains are uncovered and DNA testing is conducted.
I am also a very experienced public speaker and regularly speak at major genealogy events throughout the UK and Ireland such as Who Do You Think You Are? Live and Back To Our Past. I have also been invited to speak at many smaller events and regularly give talks to family history societies and groups particularly in my home country of Scotland. Additionally I have experience presenting to international audiences via webinars and e-conferences for established providers such as Legacy Family Tree Webinars and Family History Fanatics.
I am also one of the co-authors of a brand new book on using DNA for genealogy entitled "Tracing Your Ancestors Using DNA: A Guide For Family Historians" to be released in summer 2019. I regularly write articles and blog posts for publications and websites such as Family Tree Magazine (UK), Forces War Records Magazine and Ancestry Hour.
I hold an M.A. in English and Modern History from the University of St Andrews and a PgCert in Genealogical, Palaeographic and Heraldic Studies from the University of Strathclyde. I am a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) and adhere to their code of ethics; you can see my profile HERE. I am also a member of the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG), the Scottish Genealogy Network and the Society of Genealogists. I am registered with the Information Commissionerโs Office (ICO) as a data controller under the Data Protection Act 1998 (Registration Number ZA256420).
Finally I am also the official genetic genealogist of ancestryhour.co.uk and on hand to answer any DNA queries during our #AncestryHour Twitter hour which takes place every Tuesday evening 7-8pm GMT. You can follow me on Twitter @Genealogylass.
Please see my LinkedIn or APG profile pages for further details on services I offer and get in touch if you'd like to commission any work.
