My Ancestry DNA arrived yesterday!

I understand that 6% of English people have Viking ancestry. Can't think why....

The one I bought recently was either £69 or £79 but for one pound extra I got access to the family history search site Ancestry for 3 months. I am making the best of it and have actually added loads to both DH’s and my trees!

Yes, quite an interesting thing to have done, and a useful reminder to even the most fervent Nationalist (which I'm not!), that we're all in fact mongrels, and as such, we benefit from hybrid vigour rather than suffering from damaging, regressive in-breeding. My DNA is predominantly Scots/Irish, with a touch of English, and an intriguing wee dash of both Scandinavian and Iberian. I'm also reminded that the more people go in for this, the more success such programmes as Long Lost Relatives will have in making connections.

I know I have Viking ancestors without the need for DNA testing. I went to the GP years ago about my hands. He said I had the beginning of Dupuytren's contracture, it's a Viking trait.

I keep meaning to do it - only interested in origins, though - don’t want contact with any far flung relatives - TBH I’m not mad keen on the ones I know about!

Some 20 odd years ago dh and I did the Oxford Ancestors DNA test, but that was for way-back roots. Interestingly we had the same paternal ancestor - shared IIRC by some 45% of native Europeans - but we’re talking 25,000 years ago.

Our maternal ones were different. His apparently came (as far as they could tell then) from SW France, some 20,000 years ago, so a mere parvenu compared to mine, which was NW Greece 45,000 years ago. His was fairly common compared to mine, shared by only 11% of native Europeans, inc. Cheddar Gorge Man.

Chocolatelovinggran

I understand that 6% of English people have Viking ancestry. Can't think why....

Quite a few of those must be Geordies I think! On the Newcastle metro we once saw Erik Bloodaxe to the life - very blue eyes, very ruddy, weatherbeaten face, long reddish-gold hair and beard.

A dd was at uni there and we often remarked on how hardy the young locals were - out on the town on freezing winter nights in skimpy little dresses, no coats or even cardis - boys in thin, short sleeved shirts.

Presumably anyone not hardy enough would never have made it across the North Sea in a longship…

There are frequent special 'offers' .... have seen £59 ones but then postage is added on at c £10. I will get around to it some day but have already done one with a rival firm. But Ancestry is the best as has the biggest 'pool' of contributors to draw on.

Mine would probably be mainly Irish with a big dose of Viking. I have thought of doing this as it would be interesting to find out more about my heritage.

I was lucky enough to be able to Ancestry DNA my parents which has been very useful in my family tree research. Many people test just for the ethnicity but be aware that ethnicity can go back a long way, way before your tree is viable. That said, my parents ethnicity has more or less matched my research. Your ethnicity percentages will also vary a bit between full siblings as will their DNA cousin matches so don't be alarmed if a sibling shows differently to you. Ancestry have, by far the biggest database but if you're really keen, you can upload your results to a couple of other sites.
I find genealogy and my family tree fascinating and have done trees for lots of friends as well!

I did mine with Ancestry and my family tree is huge. I found loads about my grandparents on both sides and have gone back as far as 1620 to my 8th great grandparents on my mums side. I also discovered that my dad's dad died in South Africa in the 2nd Boer War. His mum remarried and one of his half brothers was murdered in Glasgow in 1943. It's amazing what you can discover.

I'm also intrigued by this. I've got a couple of friends who've done it and got some fascinating results. I may also ask for it for a xmas or b'day present.

Blondiescot one of my daughters got me mine for xmas a few years ago. My DH found his birth family through the adoption agency but no one could tell us who his father was. We bought a DNA kit and set an account on Ancestry. We found out then who his father was and someone in DH family confirmed that the man was a friend of their family.

I have done trees for many people, BMD were introduced in 1837, before this all records are church records, more difficult if you are searching in Wales because of the Patronymic system ,
continued much longer in North Wales than South Wales.

I must do it. Although I was born in Birmingham, as far as I know I am Irish through and through but you never know.

Re ethnicity, I’d love dd2 to do it, since she has Mediterranean- type creamy-olive skin, like nobody else in either my family or dh’s. I have GGParents from both near-coastal Suffolk and ditto Devon, so I dare say there’s a bit of washed-up Armada sailor in there somewhere.

I did mine a year ago (a present) I haven’t found any cousins etc but I only did the test I didn’t sign up for the trees and extras etc
I had already spent 20 years doing my trees so had found many cousins etc previously
I did find out that I have quite a bit of Danish/Norwegian and Icelandic in my DNA so that’s the Vikings for you

I am finding all the hints of those who have already done this really useful, a sort of beginners guide before taking the leap as it were. Thank you.

toscalily

I am finding all the hints of those who have already done this really useful, a sort of beginners guide before taking the leap as it were. Thank you.

Ditto!

I am from the East, we are Anglo Burmese. I would love to do this, absolutely fascinating. Am wondering though if it covers world wide?

Bluebelle if you did your test with Ancestry you can download your results and upload them to Gedmatch, MyHeritage & FamilyTreeDNA free which might produce new matches for you.

Waterloo Sunset Ancestry covers 1800+ regions worldwide.

I did mine last year so my children could rule out all links to me in their search for their paternal grandfather. The only information we had was that he was an 'American airman'. When we identified him it turned out that he was in the US Army, wounded in France & in England to recover. He came from a Mormon family so there is quite a bit of information online. Familysearch.org is a good source of information.

My DNA test resulted in a shock for a maternal cousin as he has a daughter he knew nothing about.

FannyCornforth

Ooh, how fascinating!
I’ve never been that interested in my own, as I’m convinced that I’m boringly 💯 Anglo Saxon.
I might just give it a go though

Nothing at all boring about the Anglo saxons. Why do you say that. I'm very proud of my Anglo saxon and Viking ancestry They fashioned our legal system , gave us the English language, crafted beautifu jewellery, remember Sutton Hoo, and fashioned our country. Not so boring after all.

I'm 8% Norwegian, 4% Swedish, 3% Irish, 3% Germanic Europe, 82% English!!!

Thank you Cressida, that is interesting, I might give it a go!
And wow, I can’t imagine how your cousin felt with your DNA result! What a beautiful discovery, I hope it all went well.

It’s illegal for the ordinary person to have a DNA test, which is not for medical reasons, as it could cause problems in the family.

In France