Friday Fun with AncestryDNA

I now know where I came from! 

Well maybe not, but I'll take you on a tour of Ancestry's latest offering.

My AncestryDNA test results have arrived and I'm very excited about it. There are different types of DNA tests and not all of them would work to help answer my biggest question, but AncestryDNA has the potential.

I've been looking for my Native American ancestor(s) and want to validate that I am at least 1/64th, or 1.5 percent, Native American. The problem is that this ancestral line crosses between male and female at least twice. A gender-neutral test is what I needed. The AncestryDNA test looks at a variety of markers to find ethnic results and is not limited by gender, so it fits my needs. The AncestryDNA test is also dynamic; the results aren't a one-time answer. They will refine their analysis and their database over time. I didn't get my answer, but do have hope that over the next few months or years it will become clear.

You want to know what it looks like and how it works. I got in at the introductory price of $99 in January (2013). My sister-in-law looked last week and the price was $129 and it's only for Ancestry members. I would estimate a two-month minimum membership would be needed to participate. Three months would be better to give you time to review your matches.

You order the test, it arrives, you collect a saliva sample, register the kit code online, send the sample back, then wait for it to be processed. The kit arrived about a week after I ordered it. The results took perhaps two to three weeks. I don't recall when I sent it back, but it was not immediately. There is a link to an FAQ that arrives by email when your results are available for review on Ancestry.com.

Here are some more screen shots from my results.

The match list, stars are set by me:

 

 

 A review match example (and yes, we had already connected before this):

 

Maps of my direct-line birth locations:

 

 

Possible match examples by name and by location:

 

 

An interesting tidbit about this match candidate is the Alabama connection. My Stapleton ancestral line runs through that Alabama birth. Right now I don't see a relationship in this match, but I certainly see a good possibility.

Ethnicity Limitations

You are wondering why I have German birth locations, yet show no German ethnicity. The ethnic results are looking further back than my tree goes. That's a drawback. Our European ancestors were warriors who invaded other lands, spreading their genes. I was surprised to see the high Scandinavian percentage of 63. I had myself categorized as only 25 percent Swedish, but those Vikings did get around!

If you have any questions, please leave a comment or drop me an email. I hope some of you will join me in this new type of genealogical adventure.