Preference for unknown person in family tree, when the rest of the tree is known

Question

I am the 3rd generation of adoption. My bio-mom is also adopted, but I know her name after adoption. I have DNA proof that leads me to believe my bio-grandmother is also adopted out of her family; however I do not know who that person is. I do know my bio-great grandmother and bio-great grandfather. I want to go ahead and connect myself to their trees. What is the proper way to put in my unknown bio-grandmother to wikitree? I suspect she is still living, but don't know her current name or anything.

Answer 1

Hi Andrew, you will have to create a profile using Unknown as the first name and the known or estimated surname as the last name. You will have to also estimate the birth date and then mark the person as living for the death date. This will make the profile unlisted so no one can see it but you. Then you can attached the known parents of that person based on what DNA is telling you.

When more information comes available you can update the Unknown grandmother profile as needed to make it more accurate.

Comments

Thank you for the advice and answer. If I can ask a follow-up question. For my bio-mom, currently, I have her last name as unknown. Should I go with her last name as "inherited" from her bio-dad (my bio-grandfather) or her adopted last name?

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Hi Andrew, A better option to "Unknown" as the last name would be either the last name listed on her original birth certificate (most often the last name of the birth mother) if you have that available or the last name given to her by her adopted family or the last name of her birth father. For adoptees, the choice is up to you since they are all technically correct.