Last month Kyle and I decided to purchase the Ancestry DNA kits, we both know our basic heritage but we wanted to know more. Not only does the test give you the breakdown of your ethnicity but it also will link you to others that have also done the analysis who are potential relatives.
My results came back yesterday and it was amazing seeing my ethnicity report. It was worth every penny of the $100 it costs.
I am 49% Great Britain (which is a mix of England, Scotland, and Wales)
18% Europe West (which is Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland)
15% Scandinavian
7% Italian/Greek
6% Irish
5% Mix of other regions
It also linked me with 414 potential 4th cousins or closer. There is one individual who might be my 2nd cousin. I have contacted her so we will see what happens from there.
Throughout this process I was able to create a family tree with ancestry and as of right now I have my paternal grandfathers side linked all the way back to 1586. I have seen everything from census records from 1850 to ship records for ancestors who immigrated from Germany and Switzerland in the 1600's. One of the most interesting things is seeing the progression of my maiden name, from 1586 to now it has seen 7 different spellings.
I am amazed at the information I have been able to find. I am still sifting through information but it's been fun finding distant relatives and learning more about them. Can't wait to see what else comes up.
Have you ever looked into your families history?
