A new feature just released at AncestryDNA is their ethnicity inheritance tool which displays how much ethnicity has been inherited from each parent. It is a huge development in the world of DNA testing and reporting of ethnicity estimates. The visual element really helps to understand which part of the World we originate from and clues for where to look in geographic terms.
You can read the press release from AncestryDNA here
This is an interesting development as there is no need to have tested a parent to view the results – just your own DNA results will do!
This breakdown for me shows that I have inherited Welsh ancestry from both parents, with parent 2 having Irish, and both with some Scottish ethnicity.
Why are origins important?
Genetic inheritance can help solve brick walls when building out family trees and help to understand further DNA matches. Phasing or understanding these matches help to visualise the origins of our ancestors, mapping out geographical locations to look for clues for further research.
Having an understanding of where each parent gained their genetic inheritance from gives a sense of belonging, especially if you are unable or yet to test a parent’s DNA.
For me, my results are no surprise. I know that I have Welsh ancestry and have been able to trace both sides of my family (paternal and maternal) to great grandparents born in Wales. My maternal side can be traced to Scotland, but mostly in the North West of England. My paternal side is a little trickier with common surnames and everyone being called William! But I’m not giving up!
These advances in DNA testing and reporting are just the start in new technological advances and I look forward to learning and being part of this new phase of DNA developments.