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):
- 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
- Central Southern England
- Early Connecticut & New York Settlers
- Early New England Settlers
- Northern New England Settlers.
- 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.
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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