Well, it’s that time again. I always get a bit excited when I hear there is a new update to any of the DNA companies’ estimations. No, DNA does not change, but their comparison algorithms do. They are supposed to get more accurate as time goes on, since they are continuing to learn and add more base tests from specific ethnic groups.

I have sometimes been discouraged with the updates; like when they take away something I know I should have and/or lump more of my DNA into some of those “Broadly” this or that categories. I have lately been constantly checking my Ancestry page for my updates. Some people got theirs way before I got mine, so I knew this one was coming for awhile.

These latest updates are generally being embraced by me. Definitely more than some previous ones….lol My last 23andMe update took away my tiny bit of Native American as well as good chunks of my Iberian and Scandinavian, but they were looking closer to my paper trail than Ancestry all along. Don’t get me wrong. I do love that I tested with Ancestry, since it has been the most important site in helping me discover who my biological father was, but their ethnicity estimates were more generalized with my particular DNA.

Anyway, I have received new updates from three companies since my latest post about my estimates from all the different companies. To clarify: I tested at both Ancestry and 23andMe. I then uploaded my raw DNA data to other places like My Heritage, WeGene, and GEDMatch; all for no additional charges.

First up is the update I received today from Ancestry.

Here is the update I received this morning.

Here is my previous Ethnicity Breakdown from Ancestry.

Basically, Ancestry’s most recent update focused further in on my DNA related to English, Irish, Scottish, Welch, etc. and separated them a bit better. I honestly believe that I could have a bit more in the Irish and Scottish section due to my current understanding and extent of my paper trail, but this could easily be due to how we each get our DNA. It isn’t literally half of the ethnicities of each of our parents. It is a very random combination that is basically fifty percent from each parent. My most recent estimate is most definitely closer to my paper trail in regards to my Scottish and Irish ancestry.

I did lose some of my Scandinavian, which should not have happen considering what I am finding on my paper trail. The Norwegian part could be correct, but not dropping to about half the previous amount which I assume included my Swedish and Finnish. I honestly do not yet know where the Norwegian comes in. I just know I have some Swedish ancestors along my paper trail in a few different areas.

My French appears to have disappeared, too. Of course, that was more clearly shown on other estimates all along, so Ancestry may not have enough French base testers or something. I was actually surprised to see French in the beginning of this journey, but have found direct ancestors on both of my parents’ sides that are clearly from France. Were they all genetically French or did they just live there for a few generations? I am not totally sure, yet, but the surnames also fit for French.

The Germanic Europe part that I have now makes sense, but I am not totally clear where it fits in, yet. I keep seeing this pop up in my results, so I think it mostly has to be from a few branches that I don’t have as far back. That or it could be from times of conquering countries mixing up the DNA or something.

Now let’s look at my 23andMe update.

This is my most recent 23andMe update.

This was my previous update from 23andMe.

And these were my first results from 23andMe.

I’m unfortunately back to 100 percent European. I say unfortunately, because I was raised to believe that I was a true “Heinz 57” mix which included some Native American from at least two sides. My first update included a little bit, but they took it away with this update.  😦  They probably saw it as “noise” this time and just lumped it in with my other categories.

My British and Irish section could be about right. My guess is that I am probably at least twenty-five percent Scottish and Irish, if not more. I thought at the first that I was a lot more Irish than Scottish, but the paper trail is looking like I am actually quite a bit more Scottish. I still have plenty of Irish going on in there, though. I am proud of this and it explains a lot of things.

My Scandinavian is back up and actually shows a bit more here on this latest 23andMe estimate. That’s good, since I know I have enough that it should show up in my DNA.

My Iberian has been absorbed somewhere, it seems; likely in one of the “Broadly” categories. This was something I had no idea about before being tested. A lot of my DNA matches on my biological father’s side on 23andMe also have Iberian DNA (or at least they used to). I discovered recently that one of my way back great-grandmothers was royalty “from the Spanish line”. I cannot find her on my tree at this moment, but she is back far enough in my tree that it is highly unlikely that my Iberian is only from her. 

My 23andMe results always have shown more French and German than I think it should have. It also appears that I should have more French than German, but on my results it shows (deeper down than this graphic shows) that I likely have both although it only knows actual regions related to the German in me. This is another reason why I suspect that a lot of the few branches that are rather short on my tree might have initially been from Germany. Since they actually have narrowed down my particular DNA as matching DNA from some specific locations in Germany… I think it MUST be in there. I just have to find where I got it from. I think my German is probably about ten percent with French being the rest. I would not be surprised (by looking at my paper trail) if my French DNA was at least ten percent on its own.

As for the Southern European and Broadly European, I am guessing that the bit of Italian I saw on another company’s estimate (updated my raw data there, too), is probably in there, too. My paternal grandma’s side has some royalty from Italy on the paper trail, so that’s cool! I also have family way back from several countries (like Austria, Poland, etc) that would be included in here.

Last, but not least, let’s look at my update from My Heritage.

This is my current update from My Heritage.

Here is my original estimate from My Heritage.

My Irish, Scottish, and Welsh went up and I believe this is probably a bit high. Yes, I definitely have some of all three of these, but unless there were many more who originally came from these countries and just moved to England… then this is too high. Like I said earlier, I think I am more like a fourth Scottish and Irish and then “a few drops” of Welsh.

My Scandinavian went up on this estimate and is much closer to the estimates of my Scandinavian from other companies.

My English is most definitely way too low. Their initial estimate of my English DNA was probably too low as well, but there is no way I only have about one percent English. They could have absorbed a lot of my English in the North and West European that about doubled. I would be really happy if I had more variety and not as much English, but unless A LOT of my branches moved to England early on and lived there for several generations (while actually being Irish or Scottish)… it is not so. I have nothing against being English. I just REALLY thought I was a much bigger variety of ethnicities. It honestly has been disappointing to me to not have a lot more variety.

Now, that Middle Eastern lost two-tenths of a percent, but it’s still there. That baffles and intrigues me, totally! I would LOVE to know where that comes from!

Do you need to order some DNA tests? Remember that there are going to be great sales for the holidays. Ancestry’s has already started. Please follow my links to purchase your DNA tests. This does not cost you any more money at all to use my links (and sometimes you can save 15%). If you do use my links, however, I will get a small reward for sending you there.

Click here to purchase DNA tests from Ancestry.com.

Click here to purchase DNA tests from 23andMe.

Have you been surprised by any of your updates? Let me know about it in the comments section.