How to find birth parents

Finding Birth Parents Using DNA Matches

Finding birth parents through DNA is often a mix of science, detective work, and patience.

Discovering your birth parents through DNA testing can be an emotional and life-changing journey. Modern genetic testing services, like AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and MyHeritage, allow you to compare your DNA with millions of other users, revealing potential relatives based on shared genetic segments.

1. Understanding DNA Matches
When you take a DNA test, the service identifies people who share significant portions of DNA with you. The amount of shared DNA is measured in centimorgans (cM) — the higher the number, the closer the relationship. For example:

• Close family (parent, sibling): 1,700+ cM

• Half-sibling, aunt/uncle, grandparent: 1,300–2,300 cM

• First cousin: ~850 cM

2. Building a Genetic Network
By examining your top matches, you can group them into clusters based on how they are related to each other. This helps you identify which side of your family they belong to (maternal or paternal). If you already know one side of your family, you can focus on matches from the unknown side.

3. Using Family Trees and Records
Many DNA matches have public family trees. By comparing these trees and looking for overlapping surnames, locations, or time periods, you can narrow down potential relatives. Public records, such as birth, marriage, and census data, can help fill in missing details.

4. Contacting Matches
Reaching out to DNA matches should be done respectfully and with sensitivity. A short, polite message explaining your search and how you might be related often works best. Not everyone will respond, but even a few helpful replies can provide key clues.

5. Confirming Relationships
Once you have a strong lead, you can confirm the connection through additional DNA testing with the suspected relative or by cross-referencing historical records.

Through hundreds of cases we have developed a step-by-step strategy for using DNA matches to identify birth parents, feel free to ask for our assistance