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Original poster

Anyone done the Ancestry dna test?

37 replies

Clawdy · 02/03/2021 09:41

Been considering it for ages, and now there's a special offer on for Mothers Day. Was wondering how detailed it is, do they just say Europe, or do they go into details about England, Ireland etc? Would be intrigued to know how much Irish ancestry I have.

OP posts:
askmeagainin5 · 02/03/2021 09:44

I got my dad one for Christmas a year or two back. I can’t remember what exactly his results were but I remember us all being underwhelmed by how vague and boring they were, something like 95% British and 5% ‘western European’. But then again perhaps that’s just because we don’t have particularly interesting genes or ancestry Grin

BrotherlyLove · 02/03/2021 09:51

The ethnicity details constantly change, they do give some detail, for example my European but was Norway, Irish but was West of Ireland.
I should warn you of the possibility of unpleasant surprises though. I found out that my brother and I have different dads.
My dad is the dad I have grown up with. Fuck knows who my brother's dad is though.Sad

BrotherlyLove · 02/03/2021 09:52

bit not but

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Families
CormoranStrike · 02/03/2021 09:53

I found my results really dull and predictable.

BingBongToTheMoon · 02/03/2021 09:56

Me. I got my results last week.
They go into slight details.

BingBongToTheMoon · 02/03/2021 09:58

Personally, to get any benefit from it, you need to have spent time building your tree and use the result to make other family connections.
Mine hasn’t been very useful because I’ve spent the last 20 years seriously researching my tree, so it hasn’t given me much extra.
Bit disappointed to be honest.

Original poster
Clawdy · 02/03/2021 09:59

Ah, right, thanks.

OP posts:
HeartsAndClubs · 02/03/2021 10:02

Quite apart from the fact there is no way on this earth I would send my DNA away with no certainty as to what would become of it, those tests are extremely inaccurate.

There was an article recently where a set of twins did them, and they came up with entirely different results which were just not possible. So even if a test shows up that say, a sibling isn’t a full sibling, I would take it with a pinch of salt until you can find out for definite.

Personally. Would never take one, and I think that encouraging people to give up their DNA on the premise of it being a lovely gift is a slippery slope to something far more sinister.

IsolaPribby · 02/03/2021 10:06

I have done the 123andMe DNA test, and the results are fairly detailed. There is an app where you can explore detail. Mine came back with 97% Eastern European, which wasn't a surprise, but you can drill down to other components of your DNA and get an idea of when those ancestors would have been born.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 02/03/2021 10:08

I think it depends on your circumstances.

Fil ( now deceased) was adopted ( for want of of a better word, the family who took him in were paid to do this) in Ireland from a Mother and Baby home in the 1930’s. He never knew his mother.

Bil did the DNA thing in October last year. They’ve found FIL’s mum ( deceased) who was raped by a wealthy landowner’s son. And various cousins and half siblings.

It was a missing piece in a puzzle.

I’m adopted. I’ve sent for mine. I’ve met my birth mother ( not keen on her, she supports Trump🤦🏽‍♀️) but l can’t find out anything about my father. So I’ve used it for that. Just waiting for the results.

2typesofjungle · 02/03/2021 10:09

Be wary, you are giving your most intimate data away to a company who have contractually reserved the right to do what they like with it, including selling it on to whoever they like.

CoronaIsShit · 02/03/2021 10:11

Mine pinpointed my 54% Irish ancestry to a specific area in Ireland which was interesting and my ‘Northern Europe’ % was updated to Norwegian a few years after I’d done it which was even more interesting!

I have connections with lots of 2/3rd cousins including a 92 year old gentleman (my fathers aunts son) who was adopted as a toddler and I was able to put him in contact with my father who was able to provide him with a photo of his mother!

I got DH one last Christmas and his results were very interesting and quite shocking as it seems he is half descended from a neighbouring country he has always professed to hate (not UK and a cultural rivalry thing) and he also has a bit of DNA from another country that is much hated in his country Grin. He and his siblings took it in good humour though and have sworn not to tell his parents.

I’d definitely go for it.

Cissyandflora · 02/03/2021 10:15

I did mine a couple of years ago. Absolutely love it. I’m passionate about researching my family history and it’s my hobby. Has been for 12 years now and I’m still excited by it! The dna test was the cherry on the cake. It’s autosomal dna test and will show you who you share dna with and where you are likely to be from in the world. I find it fascinating. As the person above said- be aware that you could have surprises. You can find that someone has a different father etc. I have discovered a cousin who has found her mother must have had an affair with an uncle of mine. That kind of thing can happen. I wish I could get all my family to do one but no one else is interested!

Fab90 · 02/03/2021 10:16

They are broadly accurate on a continental level, as far as ethnicity is concerned. From what I’ve seen, I’ve been impressed. The real value is in the dna matches, and these are accurate. It’s true that you’ll get a lot more out of it the more you’ve done on your family tree.

Angel2702 · 02/03/2021 10:19

It is far more useful in connecting you with matches and building trees. The ethnicity part is more a party trick and although fairly accurate will vary slightly company to company as they use different algorithms and databases.

Angel2702 · 02/03/2021 10:23

@HeartsAndClubs

Quite apart from the fact there is no way on this earth I would send my DNA away with no certainty as to what would become of it, those tests are extremely inaccurate.

There was an article recently where a set of twins did them, and they came up with entirely different results which were just not possible. So even if a test shows up that say, a sibling isn’t a full sibling, I would take it with a pinch of salt until you can find out for definite.

Personally. Would never take one, and I think that encouraging people to give up their DNA on the premise of it being a lovely gift is a slippery slope to something far more sinister.

This isn’t quite accurate. The story you mention relates to the ethnicity estimates which do vary and will never be 100 per cent as they are based on matches in the database plus an algorithm to work it out.

With regards to matches however it is very accurate, if it says you aren’t a full sibling etc it is very unlikely to be wrong at such a close relationship level. Accuracy between matches doesn’t drop off until you get to really small amounts of DNA matches and more distant cousins.

As to being sinister what on earth do you think they would do with your DNA? It’s linked to an account number so you could put in entirely anonymous info if you so wished.

potatopot · 02/03/2021 11:50

I got a lot out of doing the test. The ethnicity bit is dodgy, as others have said - they also regularly update it and your regions and percentages can change massively.

It is good though for building and validating a family tree. You can also get your data file and upload it to gedmatch to get more detailed country percentages, and promethease to get health data about chances of becoming ill with specific diseases. Be warned re promethease though they don't filter out anything upsetting re cancer etc, it's up to you to read it and draw your conclusions.

Original poster
Clawdy · 02/03/2021 11:59

Interesting that they update it - was that Ancestry?

OP posts:
SenecaTrewe · 02/03/2021 12:06

Don't do it! It will most probably say you're 67% British and the rest Scottish with 0.3% Eastern European, and you'll have given your DNA data to a corporation. Plus you might open a can of worms and find out that your Auntie Pat is actually your mum.

SenecaTrewe · 02/03/2021 12:10

As to being sinister what on earth do you think they would do with your DNA?

Have you read about IBM's involvement in the Holocaust??

Einszwei · 02/03/2021 12:17

Yes, you can get localised results. With your main results, you get 'communities' Ie.Yorkshire, midlands, German New York Settlers etc. As more people test, they fine tune the algorithm. It will never be completely accurate...the ethnicity estimates are more for fun.

The health aspect is no longer included with Ancestry...that is 23andme.

Just a word of warning though - many family secrets have been uncovered when people take these DNA tests.

Original poster
Clawdy · 02/03/2021 19:22

Thanks for all the comments, think I will go ahead!

OP posts:
IsolaPribby · 02/03/2021 21:12

Is anyone watching DNA Family Secrets on BBC 2?

Original poster
Clawdy · 02/03/2021 21:45

Will check it out.

OP posts:
howrudeforme · 02/03/2021 22:03

My ds (mixed) was interested and sadly the three basic ethnicities he is did not throw up anything different.

The percentages change as their database gets more data. I was impressed that that they narrowed his Italian part to a village (spot on) bit this was through tests from Italian immigrants to NY.

He has significant Asian background and the results are vague as the companies mainly market to eeetern countries. Ds gets most of his information from family.

The English stuff was even more vague!

He checks in sometimes and the percentages change.

We get annoyed as we’ve been contained a few times for info but no one gives anything back.