For as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamed and wondered of my ancestry, and since I knew so little beyond my immediate ancestry here in the USA, I’ve always felt a bit lost. Since I never knew my family’s history or what I was made of, I often struggled with having that feeling of belonging like a festering amnesia, which inspired a lot of my travels. For much of my European travels, I searched and searched for that feeling of belonging, and while much of that lacking is due to inadequate family and upbringing, I had felt at home in many of the areas that I visited.
So recently, I decided to reach out to Ancestry DNA to find out the truth. There are several services who offer DNA tests, genealogy services, and family tree building features, but the truth is that a lot of services aren’t as accurate as they may lead on, so I went with the most trusted brand and I found out some really cool links to Europe and Scandinavia that I never knew before. What made the results even more special was that I had visited many of my origin countries during prior trips and so I had already gained an understanding of those regions of the world. Now, I have to go back because with my new understanding, I can only imagine how powerful the connection will be for me.
Before I share my results, I think it’s best to clarify how these DNA tests are done. For starters, you purchase a DNA test kit (currently $69, but can be as much as $99 / one time fee), which is sent through the mail. When it arrives, you follow the instructions that have you either gather spit in a tube or you take a swab and rub it against the inside of your cheek, and then you seal it and mail it back. Then, within 4-8 weeks, you will receive your results online. You don’t need your SSN, and you don’t need to attach your name to your DNA sample; since each kit is given a unique code you don’t need to worry too much about your privacy. Your results are linked to your personal password-protected account online, and once they’re available, you simply receive an email. When I got that email, I can tell you that my heart was beating so fast while I awaited for the page to load with my results.
Ancestry DNA is typically more comprehensive than other ancestry/genealogy tests, and it is gender neutral, while providing a prediction of your genetic ethnicity through DNA matching. I found that it was indeed more accurate than another competing test, giving me a better breakdown of my ethnicity and the migrations that linked me to now. The site experience is perhaps the strongest secondary feature that Ancestry DNA boasts, because there are plenty of interactive tools that can assist you in building your family tree; by searching through historical documents from all over the world.
The fact that my ethnicity was linked mostly back to Scandinavian countries, at 34%, was a huge surprise for me. I had figured that I was part British, Irish, and German, but much stronger was that of the northern countries, which I found deeply fascinating. From there, as expected, Great Britain came in strong at 29%, followed by European South at 14%, European West at 8%, then Ireland, Scotland and Wales at 6%, with an interesting pinpoint dedicated to Munster, Ireland. Low confidence regions make up about 9% of my ethnicity, linking to Caucasus, Europe East, Iberian Peninsula, European Jewish, and Asia South; all of which came as a great surprise to me. I may be a mutt, but I am part of a long lasting line of humans that have been around for a long, long time, and I think that’s pretty cool. Overall, I came away very impressed with Ancestry DNA, and would recommend it for others who are curious about their origins, ethnicity and ancestry.
If you would like to learn more about Ancestry DNA, click here.
Before I share my results, I think it’s best to clarify how these DNA tests are done. For starters, you purchase a DNA test kit (currently $69, but can be as much as $99 / one time fee), which is sent through the mail. When it arrives, you follow the instructions that have you either gather spit in a tube or you take a swab and rub it against the inside of your cheek, and then you seal it and mail it back. Then, within 4-8 weeks, you will receive your results online. You don’t need your SSN, and you don’t need to attach your name to your DNA sample; since each kit is given a unique code you don’t need to worry too much about your privacy. Your results are linked to your personal password-protected account online, and once they’re available, you simply receive an email. When I got that email, I can tell you that my heart was beating so fast while I awaited for the page to load with my results.
Ancestry DNA is typically more comprehensive than other ancestry/genealogy tests, and it is gender neutral, while providing a prediction of your genetic ethnicity through DNA matching. I found that it was indeed more accurate than another competing test, giving me a better breakdown of my ethnicity and the migrations that linked me to now. The site experience is perhaps the strongest secondary feature that Ancestry DNA boasts, because there are plenty of interactive tools that can assist you in building your family tree; by searching through historical documents from all over the world.
The fact that my ethnicity was linked mostly back to Scandinavian countries, at 34%, was a huge surprise for me. I had figured that I was part British, Irish, and German, but much stronger was that of the northern countries, which I found deeply fascinating. From there, as expected, Great Britain came in strong at 29%, followed by European South at 14%, European West at 8%, then Ireland, Scotland and Wales at 6%, with an interesting pinpoint dedicated to Munster, Ireland. Low confidence regions make up about 9% of my ethnicity, linking to Caucasus, Europe East, Iberian Peninsula, European Jewish, and Asia South; all of which came as a great surprise to me. I may be a mutt, but I am part of a long lasting line of humans that have been around for a long, long time, and I think that’s pretty cool. Overall, I came away very impressed with Ancestry DNA, and would recommend it for others who are curious about their origins, ethnicity and ancestry.
If you would like to learn more about Ancestry DNA, click here.
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