Denise Cross - Genetic Genealogist

22/11/2025

Just a reminder of what I do

Every case starts with a free consultation, after which budgets can be agreed upon for any further research.
£20 per hour for general research and one to one sessions.
Genetic Genealogy starts at £150 for the initial DNA analysis. Further fees depend on the complexity of the case, feel free to message me to discuss this further.
Workshops can be arranged for groups - price on application.
I am also available for talks on either genealogy or genetic genealogy - again, prices vary depending on the event.

22/11/2025

The fabulous Lost Cousins' newsletter.
I admit I already use the search method he mentions for death records but it is definitely worth a read.
If you haven't already joined Lost Cousins it is free to join and only requires a subscription to connect with other members. However, the subscription is only £10 a year....

The LostCousins newsletter is usually published 2 or 3 times a month. To access the previous issue (dated 14th November) click here; to find earlier articles use the customised Google search between this paragraph and the next (it searches ALL of the newsletters since February 2009, so you don't ne...

19/11/2025

Getting closer by the second - but not too late to order a tree for someone....

19/11/2025

I guess it's OK to mention Christmas now...

Gift Vouchers available for 'you know when' or any other occasion! ;-)

19/11/2025

I've just checked and I don't have it yet - anyone else?
Also, I noticed a 'search by face' option which I have never seen before?! Anyone used that?

14/11/2025

I just picked up a Family Tree from the printers and it looks amazing! (Even if I do say so myself!) Unfortunately as my client has ordered it as a present for someone I can't share any photos - you'll just have to take my word for it!

11/11/2025

One of the frustrating things about the GRO site is that you cannot look at past orders (beyond 3 months). Luckily I keep everything! I just noticed that I didn't have a death for my 3x Great Grandfather in my tree and Ancestry searches brought up a possible record in my shoebox. I nearly ordered the certificate but something at the back of my mind knew I had already done it. A search of my download folder for documents beginning 'COL' and 2 minutes later I found it! I ordered it in 2018!
Unfortunately there is nothing concrete to link it to him but I have a strong feeling it is the right one. But this may be why I hadn't added it to the tree.

11/11/2025

I've just seen an excellent question; how often does Ancestry update the 1939 register?
From the replies the general consensus was that it is annually, as opposed to Findmypast who do regular updates. I know from experience that Findmypast has the most up to date version and I use it over Ancestry every day. Another reason to use Findmypast over Ancestry for this record set, is the searchability and better transcriptions. Only yesterday I read about someone whose family were (very badly) mistranscribed on Ancestry and how they had struggled to find the right record. I found the same record on Findmypast in seconds.
And last night I couldn't find a death record for someone on Ancestry, not even a similar one - in fact according to their database, no one of that surname had died in that time frame at all. I went to Findmypast and it came up straight away. After some investigation I discovered that a whole section of the page was untranscribed on Ancestry. Of course I reported it.
Despite all this, I still use Ancestry as my main source as it has so many other benefits but it is always worth checking other sites!

09/11/2025

https://www.newsweek.com/woman-never-felt-she-belonged-dna-test-changed-everything-11009982?fbclid=IwY2xjawN9cxNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeJ_PkogDwnw3eZZWHTxBgEFKj0Q4P2oavd4QGvBX74EIN00zT0y7y5wihdbA_aem_vAYHLPU_BMJRxVzoOvEzFg

Christina got a DNA test to find out more about her heritage. She ended up getting more than she bargained for.

09/11/2025

Not first time, I saw a post on a genealogy group today - someone panicking over a relative on Ancestry DNA coming up incorrectly.
Ancestry (and other sites) will label your matches according to the amount of DNA (centimorgans) you share. With the exceptions of parents and full siblings, there is more than one possible relationship. Ancestry/Myheritage will go with what is assumes to be the most likely.
Use this tool to see the possibilities for each relationship. Then use their tree and other tools to work out exactly how they are related.
In this case a great niece had been marked as half 1st cousin and the tester was worried that there was an NPE in their tree. Turned out that the about of DNA shared was probable for both relationships -the site just got it wrong.

An interactive version of the shared cM data with probabilities showing the most likely relationships

08/11/2025

Ooh this looks really interesting - posting this here as a note to myself to watch/read later!

Marion Marden and Addicted to Dairies have made it to the screen!

A few years ago there was a long running TV series called ‘Heir Hunters’, investigating estates of people who had died without apparent beneficiaries, tracing families and uncovering their history to reveal fascinating facts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heir_Hunters

Probate genealogy researchers Fraser and Fraser continue to search for family members who are eligible to inherit estates, presenting the detail in short but engrossing online documentaries. While I was sharing London housewife and mother Marion Marden’s 1941-4 diary over the summer I was contacted by Fraser and Fraser to ask if I could help.

To find out more, see https://youtu.be/ZpCLP_0ADzU?si=kuGp_b1K6D6BlVZG