Picking the Perfect DNA Test – An Interview with Shannon Combs-Bennett

RootsTech is a large, multi-day genealogy conference that takes place annually in Salt Lake City, Utah. But not being able to make the trip doesn’t mean you have to miss out on excellent talks, groundbreaking news, and more. Andrew Koch explores the RootsTech website in this episode of Best Websites. https://media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/content.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/BW-03-15.mp3 RootsTech Website RootsTech 2026 was a hit! But even if you couldn’t attend in-person, you can enjoy a good number of talks simply by navigating the RootsTech website (https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/). Covered in this episode: Viewing Presentations and Features Engaging with the Community Resources Visit Our Sponsor: VoiceGift What if your family tree could speak? VoiceGift helps preserve the voices and stories that define your family — so they’re never lost to time. Record memories from parents and grandparents… and link them to photos, albums, and heirlooms. Inspired by museum audio guides and designed to last, VoiceGift PLAY is an audio time capsule — for generations. Stay in the Know Sign up now for our FREE daily newsletter and get: Expert tips and tricks to accelerate your research In-depth articles on a variety of genealogical topics Exclusive offers on new tools and resources Plus, find Family Tree Magazine on your favorite social channels! Your Host Andrew Koch is the Editor of Family Tree Magazine.

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, Andrew Koch speaks with Daniel Loftus (Irish genealogist and founder of Project Infant) about the upcoming release of the 1926 census of Ireland. https://media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/content.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/FTM-03-2026.mp3 Feature: 1926 Census of Ireland Taken just after Irish independence, the census provides a snapshot of a young country and the people living in it.Mentioned in this episode: When Irish censuses were taken and what records survive today How Irish censuses can help your research Where to search the 1926 census (as well as the 1901 and 1911 censuses) for free What genealogy details you’ll find in the 1926 census [link to Daniel’s article] Behind-the-scenes looks at census digitization and indexing Visit Our Sponsor: VoiceGift What if your family tree could speak? VoiceGift helps preserve the voices and stories that define your family — so they’re never lost to time. Record memories from parents and grandparents… and link them to photos, albums, and heirlooms. Inspired by museum audio guides and designed to last, VoiceGift PLAY is an audio time capsule — for generations. In this episode, Andrew Koch interviews Geoffrey Stern, the Founder and CEO of VoiceGift. Find your voice at www.voice.gift Stay in the Know Sign up now for our FREE daily newsletter and get: Expert tips and tricks to accelerate your research In-depth articles on a variety of genealogical topics Exclusive offers on new tools and resources Plus, find Family Tree Magazine on your favorite social channels! Your Host Andrew Koch is the Editor of Family Tree Magazine.

In this episode of Best Websites, Andrew Koch walks listeners through FreeBMD, a free online index that houses over 300 million UK birth, marriage and death records. https://media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/content.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/02-2026-BW.mp3 Feature: FreeBMD Overview FreeBMD offers exactly what its name suggests: A vast array of birth, marriage and death records for the United Kingdom and Wales. Andrew Koch offers a detailed tour of the website, highlighting its features and benefits and how the website can be used for genealogy research. He also offers tips for navigating the website. Resources mentions in this episode: FreeBMD Visit Our Sponsor: VoiceGift What if your family tree could speak? VoiceGift helps preserve the voices and stories that define your family — so they’re never lost to time. Record memories from parents and grandparents… and link them to photos, albums, and heirlooms. Inspired by museum audio guides and designed to last, VoiceGift PLAY is an audio time capsule — for generations. Stay in the Know Sign up now for our FREE daily newsletter and get: Expert tips and tricks to accelerate your research In-depth articles on a variety of genealogical topics Exclusive offers on new tools and resources Plus, find Family Tree Magazine on your favorite social channels! Your Host Andrew Koch is the Editor of Family Tree Magazine.

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, Andrew Koch speaks with David Fryxell about how genealogists can optimize their searches for the best results as they seek out information about their ancestors. https://media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/content.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/2026-02-FTM.mp3 Feature: Online Search Strategies for Genealogists Finding the information you need as a genealogist can be tricky, especially when it comes to searching online. Sometimes you just need a couple of tricks to get search engines to yield the results you seek. In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, David Fryxell provides some of those tricks. Mentioned in this episode: The Evolution of Searching as a Genealogists Boolean Search and Wildcards: What They are and How to Make Use of Them Transcriptions and Their Challenges The Impact of AI on Genealogy Searches Modern Versus Traditional Genealogy Skills Exploring Genealogy Resources and Tools 41 Search Tips for Google, Ancestry and Other Genealogy Websites Think your ancestors are a lost cause? Not with our search tips for finding your family history online on Google, Ancestry and other websites. Family Tree Magazine /* Embedded-box css */ .embedded-box{ padding: 25px; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5; color: #82878c; background: #fff; border: 1px solid #e5e5e5; box-shadow: 0 1px 1px rgba(0,0,0,.05); overflow: auto; zoom: 1; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Roboto,Oxygen-Sans,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif; } .acf-embed-title{ margin: 0 0 15px; font-weight: 600; font-size: 22px; line-height: 1.3; } .acf-embed-description { display: inline-block; } .acf-embed-description img { float: left; max-width: 160px; margin-right: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .wp-embed-site-title a{ position: relative; display: inline-block; padding-left: 35px; } .wp-embed-site-title span { color: #82878c; text-decoration: none; font-weight: 600; } .wp-embed-site-icon { position: absolute; top: 50%; left: 0; transform: translateY(-50%); height: 25px; width: 25px; border: 0; padding-bottom: 0px!important; } Visit Our Sponsor: VoiceGift What if your family tree could speak? VoiceGift helps preserve the voices and stories that define your family — so they’re never lost to time. Record memories from parents and grandparents… and link them to photos, albums, and heirlooms. Inspired by museum audio guides and designed to last, VoiceGift PLAY is an audio time capsule — for generations. In this episode, Andrew Koch interviews Geoffrey Stern, the Founder and CEO of VoiceGift. Find your voice at www.voice.gift Stay in the Know Sign up now for our FREE daily newsletter and get: Expert tips and tricks to accelerate your research In-depth articles on a variety of genealogical topics Exclusive offers on new tools and resources Plus, find Family Tree Magazine on your favorite social channels! Your Host Andrew Koch is the Editor of Family Tree Magazine.

In this episode of Best Websites, Andrew Koch interviews DNA expert Diahan Southard to learn more about the latest news from AncestryDNA. https://media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/content.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/BW-01-2026.mp3 Feature: The Latest Updates to AncestryDNA AncestryDNA has recently made some major updates to its ethnicity updates! In this interview, Diahan Southard tells us genealogists what they can expect as they explore their DNA test results and uncover more about their heritage. Also mentioned in this episode: AncestryDNA’s release of 60 new regions (resulting in most customers receiving updates to their results), plus the introduction of macro-regions The difference between “Regions” (AncestryDNA’s ethnicity estimates) and “Journeys” (an analysis of community migrations) Diahan’s new articles on AncestryDNA Journeys and why you should revisit DNA results Updates from other DNA testing companies Tips for navigating confusing ethnicity results Visit Our Sponsor: VoiceGift What if your family tree could speak? VoiceGift helps preserve the voices and stories that define your family — so they’re never lost to time. Record memories from parents and grandparents… and link them to photos, albums, and heirlooms. Inspired by museum audio guides and designed to last, VoiceGift PLAY is an audio time capsule — for generations. Find your voice at www.voice.gift Stay in the Know Sign up now for our FREE daily newsletter and get: Expert tips and tricks to accelerate your research In-depth articles on a variety of genealogical topics Exclusive offers on new tools and resources Plus, find Family Tree Magazine on your favorite social channels! Your Host Andrew Koch is the Editor of Family Tree Magazine.

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, Andrew Koch talks to Rick Crume about the exciting features offered in Family Tree Maker 2024. https://media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/content.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/FTM-01-2026-2.mp3 Feature: Family Tree Maker 2024 Family Tree Maker 2024 is here! Rick Crume (Family Tree Magazine contributing editor and founder of Inside Genealogy) and Andrew Koch talk about the many features this program offers compared to earlier versions of the program and how genealogists can benefit from them. Also mentioned in this episode: The Many Unique Features of Family Tree Maker 2024 Family Tree Maker’s Workspaces The Strengths and Limitations of Family Tree Maker 2024 Other Genealogy Software Options New Direction for the Family Tree Magazine Podcast: New host, and a video version (Hear more in the December 2025 episode.) Visit Our Sponsor: VoiceGift What if your family tree could speak? VoiceGift helps preserve the voices and stories that define your family — so they’re never lost to time. Record memories from parents and grandparents… and link them to photos, albums, and heirlooms. Inspired by museum audio guides and designed to last, VoiceGift PLAY is an audio time capsule — for generations. Find your voice at www.voice.gift Stay in the Know Sign up now for our FREE daily newsletter and get: Expert tips and tricks to accelerate your research In-depth articles on a variety of genealogical topics Exclusive offers on new tools and resources Plus, find Family Tree Magazine on your favorite social channels! Your Host Andrew Koch is the Editor of Family Tree Magazine.

In this episode of Best Websites, genealogist Caitlin Hollander Waas talks with Lisa about Jewish genealogy and the tools at JewishGen that can help with the process. https://media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/content.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/BW-12-2025.mp3 Best Genealogy Websites: JewishGen.org In this episode, Lisa Louise Cooke  welcomes Caitlin Hollander Waas, the chief genealogist at JewishGen.org, to the podcast. They discuss the intricacies of researching Jewish ancestry and the invaluable tools and resources available at JewishGen. Guest: Caitlin Hollander Waas, Chief Genealogist at JewishGenVisit the website:https://jewishgen.com/ Stay in the Know Sign up now for our FREE daily newsletter and get: Expert tips and tricks to accelerate your research In-depth articles on a variety of genealogical topics Exclusive offers on new tools and resources Plus, find Family Tree Magazine on your favorite social channels! Listen to Lisa Louise Cooke’s Genealogy Gems podcast available at her website and all major podcasting services, or download the Genealogy Gems Podcast app.

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, Andrew Koch and Lisa Louise Cooke look back on all that has happened in the world of genealogy in 2025. https://media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/content.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/2025-12-FTM.mp3 Feature: 2025 – The Genealogy Year in Review As we close out the year, we’re taking a look back at the moments that shaped our pursuit of genealogy in 2025. Lisa Louise Cooke’s guest is Andrew Koch, editor of Family Tree Magazine.  He’s here to share his expert perspective on the biggest genealogy news stories of the year and what they mean for you, the family historian, moving forward.  Mentioned in this episode: New/significantly updated websites for several important genealogy resources include FamilySearch Catalog, Chronicling America, the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries, WikiTree, and the Irish National Archives. FamilySearch Full-Text Search moved out of beta and into main part of the site. Records are continually being added so it’s worth checking regularly. MyHeritage finishes Name and Stories Indexes added French-language papers from Canada.Elephind.com has been relaunched. It’s a great resource for searching multiple disparate newspaper collections at once. Watch Lisa Louise Cooke’s interview with the founder of Elephind.com for the story behind the relaunch and recommended search strategies. Visit Our Sponsor: Newspapers.com Use promo code ‘FamilyTreeMagazine’ for a 20% discount on your subscription. Sign up today at Newspapers.com and embark on a journey of discovery! Stay in the Know Sign up now for our FREE daily newsletter and get: Expert tips and tricks to accelerate your research In-depth articles on a variety of genealogical topics Exclusive offers on new tools and resources Plus, find Family Tree Magazine on your favorite social channels! Your Host Listen to Lisa Louise Cooke’s Genealogy Gems podcast available at her website and all major podcasting services, or download the Genealogy Gems Podcast app.

In this episode of Best Websites, Katherine Schober highlights how Matricula Online can help you locate church registers. https://media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/content.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/BW-11-2025.mp3 Best Genealogy Websites: Matricula Online Matricula Online is a specialized digital archive where you can find church registers (mostly books of birth, marriage and death) from various European countries (currently Austria, Germany, Poland, Serbia and Slovenia). German genealogy expert and translator Katherine Schober of Germanology Unlocked joins Lisa Louise Cooke on the podcast to explore this valuable and free website. Visit Matricula Online at https://data.matricula-online.eu/en/   Visit Our Sponsor Newspapers.com Use promo code ‘FamilyTreeMagazine’ for a 20% discount on your subscription. Sign up today at Newspapers.com and embark on a journey of discovery! Stay in the Know Sign up now for our FREE daily newsletter and get: Expert tips and tricks to accelerate your research In-depth articles on a variety of genealogical topics Exclusive offers on new tools and resources Plus, find Family Tree Magazine on your favorite social channels! Listen to Lisa Louise Cooke’s Genealogy Gems podcast available at her website and all major podcasting services, or download the Genealogy Gems Podcast app.

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, Rhonda Lauritzen offers practical tips for organizing your family history writing projects. https://media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/media.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/content.blubrry.com/family_tree_magazine/10-2025-FTM.mp3 Organizing Your Family History Writing Projects Rhonda Lauritzen is a professional biographer at Evalogue.Life and a regular speaker at international conferences. She has written a dozen books and has been hired to help tell the stories of families, cities, and nonprofits. As an expert storyteller, Rhonda is joining us today to share how to efficiently write well-organized, gripping family history projects. Read In the Write Order by Rhonda Lauritzen in the Nov / Dec 2025 issue of Family Tree Magazine. Organizing Your Family History Writing Projects In this article, Rhonda Lauritzen offers strategies for managing family history writing projects to avoid overwhelm. Family Tree Magazine /* Embedded-box css */ .embedded-box{ padding: 25px; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5; color: #82878c; background: #fff; border: 1px solid #e5e5e5; box-shadow: 0 1px 1px rgba(0,0,0,.05); overflow: auto; zoom: 1; font-family: -apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Roboto,Oxygen-Sans,Ubuntu,Cantarell,"Helvetica Neue",sans-serif; } .acf-embed-title{ margin: 0 0 15px; font-weight: 600; font-size: 22px; line-height: 1.3; } .acf-embed-description { display: inline-block; } .acf-embed-description img { float: left; max-width: 160px; margin-right: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .wp-embed-site-title a{ position: relative; display: inline-block; padding-left: 35px; } .wp-embed-site-title span { color: #82878c; text-decoration: none; font-weight: 600; } .wp-embed-site-icon { position: absolute; top: 50%; left: 0; transform: translateY(-50%); height: 25px; width: 25px; border: 0; padding-bottom: 0px!important; } Visit Our Sponsor: Newspapers.com Use promo code ‘FamilyTreeMagazine’ for a 20% discount on your subscription. Sign up today at Newspapers.com and embark on a journey of discovery! Stay in the Know Sign up now for our FREE daily newsletter and get: Expert tips and tricks to accelerate your research In-depth articles on a variety of genealogical topics Exclusive offers on new tools and resources Plus, find Family Tree Magazine on your favorite social channels! Your Host Listen to Lisa Louise Cooke’s Genealogy Gems podcast available at her website and all major podcasting services, or download the Genealogy Gems Podcast app.