Saturday, January 05, 2013

Who Do You Think You Are?


Does anybody remember that show of a couple of seasons ago?  It was a product of Ancestry, the genealogy website and featured celebrities researching their family history.  I really enjoyed the show because I have done genealogy for years and years and visit the Ancestry website on a regular basis.

I was intrigued a while back when I learned of the Ancestry DNA program.  I was quite interested in learning more about my father's side of the family -- there are some mysteries there -- but I was not able to participate in any of the DNA programs available since I was not male.  In fact, there was only one male left in the family that could be tested and he didn't seem to be interested.  Unfortunately, before I could press him, he died unexpectedly a year ago.  So, when the Ancestry program came about I was excited because it is an autosomal test which would show both sides of a females DNA -- it just can't tell you what ethnicity comes from which side.  I ordered the test, provided the sample and sent it off.

About three weeks later I got the results.  I was simultaneously overwhelmed and underwhelmed.  I was overwhelmed because I thought it was so cool to have actually participated in such a program.  I was underwhelmed, not because of what it showed me, but by what it didn't show me.  I know I have some American Indian ancestry and it didn't show up at all, even in the "uncertain" category.  I was most interested in finding out if my father's father was actually from Irish Jewish heritage, which we suspect, yet, nothing "Jewish" showed up at all.  I understand the test is shallow but wide which may show a lot of heritage but maybe not so far back so possibly what I am looking for was too far back for it to show up.  They say the results can change as more people participate -- I am not sure how that would affect my personal DNA, I guess I need to do more research as to what the results mean and how they are compiled.

 At any rate it was an interesting thing to do but I have to say that I am a bit put off by the fact that I paid $129 to take the test and they are having a New Year's special and the test is now $99 for a limited time.  Figures.

So, here are the sought after results -- no surprises.  Maybe that is a good thing.

British Isles -- 86%
Central European -- 6%
Scandinavian  -- 8%

I tried to post the actual page -- it is pretty -- but it wouldn't work so you are just going to have to take my word for it!

Update

 Ok, so we visited our cardiologist yesterday to get the lay of the land for the Hubs.  Seems there is an issue with one of the grafts from ...