What secrets might your dna hold? Laura House, a genetic genealogist at Ancestry, joins Genealogy Guy on armchair genealogy. In this insightful conversation, Laura reveals the unexpected twists and turns that can unfold when using genealogy DNA tests. She urges listeners to be aware of the potential surprises that may arise, such as finding out about non-biological parents or previously unknown half-siblings. Laura stresses that this knowledge can provide much-needed closure and answers for those seeking to uncover their biological heritage. Don't miss out on the chance to hear from one of the world's foremost experts on genetic genealogy.

Dr. Nicholas Dixon emphasises the collaborative nature of the genealogy community and the willingness of professionals to help each other. He highlights the unique angle of bringing academic history to genealogy, which is not common in the academic world.
He also highlights the role of local family history societies in sharing knowledge and resources.

Helen Forster, a director at HTF Legal Limited, discusses with the Genealogy Guy the importance of digital legacy planning. She highlighted that only 27% of people know what will happen to their digital assets upon death, and only 9% have a clear plan. Digital assets include monetary investments and sentimental items like photos. She emphasized the need for digital executors to manage these assets, noting that 1 in 4 estates are contested. Forster also discussed the challenges of accessing digital assets post-death, such as needing passwords or thumbprints. She advised creating digital backups and shared folders to ensure family access to important data.

Genealogy Guy and Dominic Hendry from estateresearch.co.uk discuss the intersections of genealogy and legal support services, including probate genealogists, tracing services, and DNA evidence. They emphasise the importance of understanding legal issues in genealogy and accurate inheritance planning to avoid potential disputes. Genealogy Guy highlights the growing impact of DNA evidence and online genealogy on probate law, while Dominic stresses the significance of including accurate relationships and clear instructions in a will. They also discuss the difficulties and strategies for conducting genealogy research, including accessing publicly available records and double-checking information.

Cindy Ingle talks about her creation and maintenance of Cyndislist.com, a comprehensive categorised list of genealogical resources on the internet. The Genealogy Guy and Cyndi emphasise the importance of human curation in genealogical research, Cyndi also highlights the value of delving into the lives of our ancestors beyond basic facts. They also discuss various methodologies and resources for preserving family history and genealogy, including local newspapers, oral histories, and interviews. Cyndi Ingle is the creator and innovator behind the award-winning and globally recognized CyndisList.com a genealogist for more than 44 years of expertise in using technology for genealogy.

The  congenial Richard Miller explains to the Genealogy Guy about the great benefits of the GoldieMay.com app that plugs into Chrome. A genealogy research tool that helps organise and streamline the research process. They highlight the importance of organisation in genealogy research and how Goldie May can help alleviate this issue. Richard and Mell also discuss the importance of staying organised and focused in genealogy research, using tools to create objective-based research plans, link multiple projects, and save screenshots for easy reference. They emphasize the need for effective data management, including storing research log data in a CSV file and exporting it as a safety measure. Richard also offers a 20% discount off the annual or monthly subscription for armchair Genealogy Podcast listeners

Brad Argent and The Genealogy Guy explore the connection between genealogy and DNA research in shaping one's identity. They highlighted the significance of understanding one's ancestry and genetic makeup to gain a sense of identity and discuss the transformative nature of DNA research in providing a tangible connection to the past and one's ancestors. They also emphasized the importance of capturing family history through audio recordings, conducting thorough historical research and verification, and leveraging local newspapers in genealogical research.

In this episode, the Genealogy Guy has chats with the jolly Helen Tovey - Editor of Family Tree Magazine UK which is Britain's longest-running family history magazine providing expert advice it has been helping thousands of family historians discover and explore their family history since 1984. 

The Genealogy Guy chats with the perceptive Nicholas David Barrett, genealogist and consultant for BBC's "Who Do You Think You Are?", and discusses the show's origins and how it combines social history and genealogy. He gives his views on why he thinks this show has been so successful and had worldwide recognition as a TV format.

The Genealogy Guy interviews the very knowledgable Ted Udall from the Somerset and Dorset Family History Society discussing the history of Parish Records and tips. Without parish records and the stunning work of so many local history groups over the years much of the data that family tree sites now use would not be as vast as it is today.