Comments on: AncestryDNA Ethnicity Prediction: Learning to Speak Genetics

By: AncestryDNA celebrates DNA Day. Wait, what’s DNA Day? | Ancestry.com

AncestryDNA celebrates DNA Day. Wait, what’s DNA Day? | Ancestry.com — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 19:28:14 +0000

[...] how DNA and family history come together. Check out this recent blog post that discusses how DNA works and some of the challenges we are constantly working on to advance the [...]

By: Phyllis

Phyllis — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 23:21:16 +0000

A person with a possible 5-8 cousin was e-mailed for my review. When I looked they had 69% British Isles and 31% Scandinavian and no uncertain %.

My per centages are 83% Eastern European and 12% Central European and uncertain is 5%.

Does this possible match suggest my uncertain percentage may consist of one of both of her Genetic Ethnicity?

By: Jackie

Jackie — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 16:05:08 +0000

Sorry, my results were less than satisfactory. Okay, the Vikings were a highly mobile and prolific bunch, but I think the %’s quoted are extremely high, certainly for my profile. The other two geographic areas for mine were certainly plausible, but actually gave no “ethnic” information, as many ethnic groups lived or passed through the geographic areas. And no mention of any Native American background, even though my NA heritage has been researched and documented by several different individuals and genealogists.

By: Alice

Alice — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 03:02:12 +0000

So here is a question. I was adopted at birth. I know my maternal side but I have little information on my paternal side. Many of my DNA matches make sense as they appear on the maternal side of my tree. But these results make me question the validity of the DNA matches: (1) are some of the DNA hits I’m getting, that don’t appear to have any connection to my tree, possibly those of my birth father’s family? and (2) Some DNA matches/hits appear on my adopted family’s tree where I have no biological connection at all – so the DNA matches to that tree seem to prove that the results aren’t reliable.
Any insight?

By: Ed Rocco

Ed Rocco — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 19:49:58 +0000

“Before getting this test done, people should really educate themselves a little on how DNA is passed down from your ancestors to you and also how the science of DNA analysis/deciphering works.”

Well said Mark.

Further: “Sizing Up the Family Gene Pool” should be read; http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/26/magazine/ethicist-dna.html?_r=0.

“A Government Accountability Office investigation into so-called direct-to-consumer genetic testing found inaccurate results and exaggerated claims about how much those results could really tell you. One expert declared the testing so inaccurate that, when it came to medical inquiry, “the most accurate way for these companies to predict disease risks would be for them to charge consumers $500 for DNA and family-medical-history information, throw out the DNA and then make predictions based solely on the family-history information.”

“As for the privacy issue, your concern is well founded. Many of these companies do use customers’ data for medical research or commercial applications, or they sell it to third parties whose interests you might never know. Legally they can’t do that without your consent, but the fine print on those consent forms goes by so quickly that it can be hard to follow.”

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 18:17:15 +0000

I can see how DNA can be used for making ID info for solving much in todays matching for cases of modern reasons such as in criminal activity? As for ancestory back to creation that may need much more done yet. Especially when so many believe by faith in a Father Son & Holy GHOST SPIRIT SOUL. HIS written Word from the Dead Sea Scrolls. Today almost all accept all the 62 Books Of the Holy Bible Genesis-Malachi + Matthew Mark Luke &John with Joseph Mary,Peter Paul Abraham Sarah Hagar Isaac Ishmael Jacob Esau. JOHNS REVELATION.OF Jesus Christ Cross Gospel.+

By: Trevor Thacker

Trevor Thacker — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 22:08:36 +0000

Hi Michele, The issue has been reported and we’re working to resolve it at this time. Sorry for the inconvenience.

By: Michele

Michele — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 21:10:45 +0000

I can no longer see the “Ethnicity” data for my matches. What is going on?

By: Lydia

Lydia — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 17:50:59 +0000

Exactly Cheryl!!!!
People need to research these areas before they jump to the conclusions that the DNA is wrong. They also need to know how the DNA actually works….. Every piece of DNA your parents have, does not get passed down & cut in half in you. My mother has DNA that I dont have, & DNA is different in siblings as well. You can also carry DNA that is inactive in you, but may become active in your child. For example neither of my parents have an uncertain, but I do. You also can have a higher percentage of something than your parent has. They say it takes about 6 children, for all of a persons DNA to get passed down.
If you are confused, Call the ancestryDNA support, they have been educated & can answer these questions. They made me understand things that I didnt know before.

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 16:53:33 +0000

I had my DNA done and it pretty much matched. I was excited to get back my son’s DNA and that is where it got interesting. His father’s side is directly from Ireland and Sicily so I excepted to see that along with some mixture of mine. However, instead he had Scandanavian and Persian along with my European side. I was concerned the results where right and so I called. I was reminded that these results may not show your most current ethnic backgrounds but may go way back. When I started looking up the history of northern Ireland, I found that the Vikings were a major presence there for a long time. Way before we started recording anything. The same with Sicily. It was a major strategic area in that area when the Greeks, Romans, Turks, Persians and Moors where fighting over land. So when I dug deeper, it does make sense. I have learned that you have to know the history of the area you are researching and to remember that the country borders that we know today are really not what they used to be.

As far as matches, I have found one direct match and I have connected a couple of distant matches. Again, I feel the results are correct, I just think that the connections are farther back than we have researched.