Someone wrote but has not signed their name Hello Jill I was interested in your query and about the use of DNA in your family search of a particular geographical area like Dorset. How precise is such a test.? I thought they could only give you general locations .Have you been able to match up actual proven family members? My reply I would be delighted to tell you my experience I first had my brothers DNA test done with FHDNA - Family History DNA- 2 years ago because I want to do the ARNOLD of Dorset YDNA line only-they had a Family names section so I concentrated only on ARNOLD I got hundreds of matches but the test shows 15 strong matches with a Moses Arnold Line which lead back to Thomas ARNOLD born 1645 Rappahannock Virginia he married Grace DOYLE - this is not surprising as this FHDNA is an American company and Ancestry had not begun by this time. But I also got just as many with William ARNOLD and Christian PEAKE Line - William ARNOLD was the son of [they all say] Thomas or Nicholas and one says Thomas Walter ARNOLD which makes me smile This was a surprise to me because my line never left Dorset until 1859 when Robert Arnold of Winterborne Kingston and Eliza HOOK left for Tasmania. I contacted every single one of my matches from 1st - 8th generation [over 200] and have gotten matches with every single line of ARNOLD that ever went to America - The trouble with some of them they make their trees private and if you can't see their oldest family member you can connect to your tree? Please unlock your trees or at least just put your oldest relative so we can connect or not? Hardly any in matches for Dorset at all - except one I knew from Tasmania and one who descended from William ARONOLD c1820 in Cheselbourne- who I also know about before. But this was positive to begin with Now [2 months ago] I had my own DNA done with Ancestry- the result is a little different - because I am a woman - I have the same result with Ancestry - a lot of American Connections but again all over the place - The reason for this is I think People are doing the wrong trees- but that is just what I think - I cant tell them I think something is wrong with your research - I did this in a nice way and got thrown off a list - so I will not do that again - let them eat cake I say Anyway I have had several Matches in Dorset with ARNOLD lines and again they are all my lines and they match my trees- INKPIN or INKPEN line, SHEPPARD line and HOWE line all of these married my Great grandfathers Siblings in Winterborne Kingston- so I know this DNA think had proven this line 1800 - 1860 person The before 1800 is the lines I want to find connections with and I have several but because the records before 1700 are scarce - I hit a brick wall again What I have gotten is a great Data Base of ARNOLD's in USA and in Dorset and I forgot to tell you I got some for ARNOLD matchers in Gloucestershire, London, Kent, Suffolk and Sussex- who I cant answer for because they are in the 1600s I have noticed that Richard ARNOLD of Bagber [who was NOT a Lord - but a Gentleman farmer - not in the peerage book] and Alice GULLY may have had about 30 children- because if people can't find an ARNOLD to latch on to in England they select them - smile - I think I have matches with people who connect to him but as I said I don't like some of their trees so I cant really connect with proof-- However I get a lot of Matches over 20 so far with Thomas ARNOLD born 1599 Kent, England, married 2nd to Phebe PARKHURST - which brings in another question? I think the thing is with DNA - the person you match with has to have the correct tree? Otherwise you connect to them but where did they come from? Now My great Grandfather was Henry James ARNOLD baptised in Winterborne Kingston to Robert ARNOLD of Winterborne Kingston and Eliza HOOK of Winterborne Clenston I know this because I have had strong DNA matches with my cousins- and who I have been researching for over 30 years - I know this is my line anyway and this also proves my DORSET Connection - I do and always will share my results so we can sort this family tree out as far back as we can with proof I will, if anyone ARNOLD wants, will share my report when I have finished collating all my results Hope this all makes sense - I will answer any questions you may have Jill Morley nee Arnold