Tracing Black Ancestry: What DNA Results Really Mean—and Don’t
A masterclass in interpreting DNA evidence within the wider context of historical records.
Paul Crooks presents this masterclass regularly for research audiences in the UK and US. View scheduled dates
The Challenge: Why DNA Results Create New Uncertainty
Many people turn to DNA testing expecting clear answers about their ancestry.
What they often receive instead is a set of results that are difficult to interpret and do not fully explain their family history.
Percentages appear precise—but raise new questions.
Matches appear—but without clear context.
What seems like a breakthrough can quickly become another point of uncertainty.
This is not a failure of the individual test. It reflects what DNA results are designed to measure—and what they are not.
DNA does not function as a complete record of identity.
It provides signals that must be interpreted within a broader historical framework shaped by slavery, migration, and disrupted lineage continuity.
Rather than treating DNA as a standalone solution, this session reframes it as one form of evidence—useful, but limited—requiring careful interpretation alongside historical records.
To explore the methodology of the 1880 Barrier in a live, interactive environment, view upcoming session availability:
UK Eventbrite | US Eventbrite
What You’ll Gain
- DNA Measurement Clarity: A clearer understanding of what DNA test results are actually measuring
- Ethnicity Estimates in Context: Insight into why percentages can shift and vary across results
- Matches and Relationships: Understanding why DNA matches do not always clarify family connections
- Limits of DNA Evidence: Recognition of where DNA stops providing answers
- Integrated Interpretation: A more accurate view of how DNA fits within Black ancestry research alongside historical records
Who This Is For
- Those who have taken a DNA test and want to understand the results
- Individuals confused by ethnicity percentages or unexpected matches
- Anyone researching African-Caribbean or African American ancestry
- Those seeking clarity on how genetic evidence relates to historical records
About the Speaker
Paul Crooks is a genealogist and author of A Tree Without Roots. He is recognised for one of the earliest documented reconstructions of African-Caribbean ancestry from the Caribbean to Africa using archival records. His work focuses on how identity can be traced across records shaped by slavery, migration, and historical disruption.
Drawing on over 20 years of research, his work examines how different forms of evidence can be interpreted using an evidence-based framework known as Evidence-Led Genealogical Reconstruction (ELGR)—reframing how identity is understood across historical sources.
This session forms part of a wider series of Evidence-led talks on identity, history, and interpretation
Current schedule of evidence-led talks on identity and ancestry: UK Dates | US Dates