Have you heard - GEDmatch database was accessed to find the Golden Gate Killer?  HACKERS!  MyHeritage's 92,283,889 people database has just been breached -  Here's a link.

Last year I took the Ancestry.com DNA test when they were running a special offer under $100.00.  The test kit came fast and Ancestry.com had my results faster than they had promised, in around two weeks.  I had been very excited to see my results - I had heard so much about DNA tests and family ancestry research.  There were some interesting TV shows that showed how people had used to them to discover hidden secrets about their family origins.  I got an email from Ancestry.com saying my results were online to view.  This is what I saw:

As you can see above ancestry.com told me I was 57% Scandinavian, 32% British Isles, 8% Eastern European and 3% Uncertain.  I had expected more information and was very disappointed.  This breakdown didn't tell me very much and was very general.  I complained to Ancestry.com and asked for a refund, but had no response.  I also asked Ancestry.com for my raw results.  Again no answer.

I read online that Ancestry.com had promised to give us our raw test results in early 2013.  In March 2013 Ancestry.com announces results were available.  I found this out online while reading an ancestry related blog.  Ancestry.com says they don't believe their members want their raw results or more information beyond the type of general breakdown you see above.  I say, that's hogwash!  Anyway it isn't easy to download your raw results - first you have to find the link and then go through a bunch of steaps to download them as a zip file.  You can find the link in the gray box on the right side of the "Manage Your Test Results" page.

I downloaded my results and unzipped the text file.  Of course it was huge amount of data that meant nothing to me.  Unlike 23andMe, Ancestry will provide no tools to analyze your results.  Again, Ancestry.com says they are a low priority to their members.  This is an incredible statement.

Though reading various ancestry blogs I found out about the Eurogenes K36 test on GEDMatch.com. They allow you to take your Ancestry.com results, upload them to their server and get amazing results that told me everything I wanted from the Ancestry.com test.  You saw my Ancestry.com analysis above, here is my GEDMatch test analysis from Ancestry.com raw data for their Eurogenes 09 test:

 Here's that data as text:

I think that's amazing - GEDMatch gives you lots of different opinions to view your results. You can see that test picks out my Native American ancestry.  Crowing Rooster Tuskingo Shoe Boots, a Chief in the Cherokee nation was my forth great-grandfather, while Pochantas, Princess of the Powhatans was my ninth great-grandmother.  This test gives me .80% North Amerindian, which seems to be the right amount for that ancestry.

Here are my results from the Eurogenes K36 test which gives more data:

Before my family came to the USA my ancestors were mostly Scots - English (both with roots in Norway) and Irish - Norman.  Both tests reflect that.

Here's my EUTest results - this shows my European mixture in a different way.  I think DK stands for Denmark and NO is Norway:

You can take the results of their various tests and create a really cool matrix of different ways to interpret your ancestry.  I highly recommend the GEDMatch system.  If you use it be sure to donate something to their work.  The system is free.

If you are interested in learning more about ancestry read these blog

Native American Ancestry and DNA - Am I descended from Pocahontas?

Bob Atchison