AncestryDNA Updated Their Ethnicity Estimate (Now Called Origins)

 AncestryDNA changed their "Ethnicity Estimates" this past week, and now they call them "Origins."  

1)  You can access Origins from the Ancestry.com home page by clicking "DNA" > "Origins" in the drop down menu for DNA.

You will see this screen (well, not my data, but your data):

The white popup box on the left has four messages:

• Our biggest update ever -- We’re excited to introduce 24 new regions, 54 new subregions, and for the first time, 64 new ethnic groups in Africa.

• Origins has a fresh new design -- It’s now faster, more accessible to everyone, and works better on mobile devices. Learn more

• Your origins results have new names -- They’re now called ancestral regions (your ethnicity estimate) and ancestral journeys (your communities). Learn more

• Now introducing subregions -- We can now pinpoint your origins with even more precision. A subregion is a more specific (usually, smaller) place you’re connected to in a region. Learn more

2)  After making the white box disappear, I can read my Origins page more clearly:

There are three main screens now - "Origins" as above, "Journeys" and "By parent."

3)  Here is the "Journeys" screen (the page says "Learn where your ancestors likely lived and moved in the past 300 years"):

I have four "Ancestral Journeys":

• Central Southern England
• Early Connecticut & New York Settlers
• Early New England Settlers
• Northern New England Settlers.  

Each has a link to describe the different destinations, and a Timeline link.  

4)  And here is the "By parent" screen (the screen says: "Find out which regions and journeys you inherited from each parent—even if they haven’t taken tests"):

There are links for:

•  Ancestral regions by parent -- Learn which parent passed down your ancestral regions.
•  Ancestral journeys by parent -- Find out where your ancestors lived and moved on each side of your family.
• Chromosome painter. -- View your regions by parent “painted” onto your chromosomes.

5)  At the bottom of the "Origins" page there is a link that says "Updated July 2024. See what changed and FAQs" which compares this July 2024 Origins with the previous Ethnicity Estimate (July 2023):

 6)  So my Origins have changed significantly (Again!  Every update!):

• England & Northwestern Europe -- now 48%, previously 60%, a -12% change (presumably to Germanic Europe).
• Sweden & Denmark -- now 0%, previously 15%, a - 15% change (good, I always wondered where my Swedes and Danes were!).
• Norway -- now 3%, previously 9%, a -6% change (good, I don't have many known Norwegian ancestors)
• Germanic Europe -- now 36%, previously 7% (good, finally got a more correct percentage)
• The Netherlands (a new Region, split from Germanic Europe) -- now 5%  (good, a more correct percentage).
• Scotland -- now 5%, previously 7%, a -2% change.
• Wales -- now 3%, previously 3%, a +1% change.

For the record, my longtime estimate of my "Origins" of where my ancestors lived 500 years ago is:

• 70%  British Isles
• 24%  Germany/Switzerland
• 1%  Holland/Belgium
• 1%  France
• 4%  Unknown (perhaps some are French, German, Dutch, Belgian, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Scandinavian, Native American, or other places)

7)  In summary, this July 2024 Update appears to be a lot more accurate than the July 2023 update was.  In addirtion, they have added several more features to this "Origins" page.

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Disclosure: I pay for an All-Access subscription from Ancestry.com. In past years. Ancestry.com  provided a complimentary All Access subscription, an autosomal DNA test, material considerations for travel expenses to meetings, and hosted events and meals that I attended in Salt Lake City.

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2024/10/ancestrydna-updated-their-ethnicity.html

Copyright (c) 2024, Randall J. Seaver

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