Exploring The Past With MyHeritageDNA
Exploring The Past With MyHeritageDNA
There is a quote that says something to the effect that “we don’t just stumble upon our heritage, it’s there waiting to be explored and shared.” Up until now, I always thought my ethnicity was pretty cut and dry. My maternal grandparents immigrated from the Ukraine and paternal grandparents from Italy many moons ago – in the early 1900s. They each left their homeland in search of new beginnings and a bright future that only America could provide.
Now that I am almost nearing the (ahem)….half-century mark, I wanted to learn more about my heritage. Sadly, not much is known about where each of my grandparents immigrated from. So it was very hard to research our family tree.
Luckily, I found MyHeritage, the leading global destination for family history and DNA testing. With a simple MyHeritage DNA test, I learned so much about the fabric of my family’s past.
MyHeritage DNA is an affordable DNA test that reveals your unique heritage, geographic regions your family came from and previously unknown relatives. It provides an easy way to connect with new family members and discover ethnic origins.
The kit arrives in this stylish box and is so simple to use. Just two minutes of your time and a cheek swab is all it takes. Simply return your samples in the self-addressed envelope provided and you will have your results within a few weeks.
Before you send your kit back, make sure you activate it on the MyHeritage DNA website using the serial number on the package. It is really easy to navigate. Once you activate your kit and send it off for testing, you will be notified by email when your results are ready.
My results took about three weeks to arrive. I was pleasantly surprised at the results. It turns out my DNA is made up of much more than I originally thought. The test details the percentage breakdown of your ethnic origins from 42 different ethnicities.
The snapshot below shows what my ethnicity revealed.
The MyHeritage DNA website breaks it all down for you in a simplified manner. It shows any DNA matches, people who are likely related to you based on your shared DNA and possible family relationships should you choose to either reach out or add them to your family tree.
So the Balkan DNA isn’t much of a surprise since my mother’s parents were Ukrainian, I was just surprised at the percentage. I always considered myself 50% Ukrainian and 50% Italian but that is not the case. My paternal grandparents were both born in Italy but the results show only Greek DNA and no Italian at all. Who would have thought?
It’s so fascinating, especially since not much is known about their lives in the “old country” before they immigrated to the United States.
Interested in learning more about your family DNA? You can order your MyHeritageDNA kit directly from their website. Use coupon code BABBLEBOXX2 and receive Free Shipping.