Ancestry

[Darius]

We have several people in our family that are great at doing the family history stuff. They have even travelled to Norway several times to visit gravesites and get legal documentation. Because of one of those visits, we had relatives from there come to visit us. One of my cousins from there could be my twin. It was just so weird! We had so much fun and I plan to go there in the fall.

[Vin]

We have several people in our family that are great at doing the family history stuff. They have even travelled to Norway several times to visit gravesites and get legal documentation. Because of one of those visits, we had relatives from there come to visit us. One of my cousins from there could be my twin. It was just so weird! We had so much fun and I plan to go there in the fall.

That's interesting! I hope to connect with some of my cousins from the test, but I didn't seem to get a lot of them unfortunately. Your family's story reminds me of the tv show, Who Do You Think You Are, it's the one with celebrities who explore their family history and travel to different parts of the country and the world. Molly Ringwald was on there one week and she went to Sweden to look into her ancestors' history and where they lived.

[Emiliano]

I'm interested in taking the DNA thing, most of what I know about my family history is from passed down oral history on my moms side. I don't know much about my dads side beyond where his parents were from, and even then my dad used to say that his father probably wasn't even actually from the country he emigrated to the USA from.

I think it's really interesting to think about how people in general spread across the globe, what motivated or compelled them to leave their homelands, and how people from various areas ended up meeting each other and then giving birth to you. It also puts into perspective the shared, unexpected ancestries we have. Like the white supremacist who found out he had a sizable percentage of sub Saharan African DNA.

What holds me back is of course the price, and that I think I'm more interested in the narrative than just the DNA. But if the technology for time travel family history trips ever becomes a reality, I'd be all over it. It's imagining the lives they led and the cultures they lived in and what it would be like to have a conversation with an ancient ancestor that interests me about looking into family history.

But it's still fascinating stuff and I am jealous that you've got that peek into your ancestry.

[Vin]

I'm interested in taking the DNA thing, most of what I know about my family history is from passed down oral history on my moms side. I don't know much about my dads side beyond where his parents were from, and even then my dad used to say that his father probably wasn't even actually from the country he emigrated to the USA from.

I think it's really interesting to think about how people in general spread across the globe, what motivated or compelled them to leave their homelands, and how people from various areas ended up meeting each other and then giving birth to you. It also puts into perspective the shared, unexpected ancestries we have. Like the white supremacist who found out he had a sizable percentage of sub Saharan African DNA.

What holds me back is of course the price, and that I think I'm more interested in the narrative than just the DNA. But if the technology for time travel family history trips ever becomes a reality, I'd be all over it. It's imagining the lives they led and the cultures they lived in and what it would be like to have a conversation with an ancient ancestor that interests me about looking into family history.

But it's still fascinating stuff and I am jealous that you've got that peek into your ancestry.

Yeah, I enjoyed the test. I know that I don't have a lot of non-European DNA, but I am curious where the others come into the mix. My dad has always considered himself fully Italian, but since a large percentage of his family came from Sicily, I'm thinking perhaps the Middle Eastern and North African DNA came in there.

I'd totally be down for a time machine experience. I think it'd be so cool to meet ancestors and see the way they lived first hand.

And obviously I can't say for sure what's affordable to everyone, but Ancestry tests are generally $100, but sometimes they have deals in the $80s.

[Sylph]

If anyone's interested, I got my results back for the DNA. Nothing too shocking, but it's still cool:
29% Italian/Greek
26% England/Wales/Scotland
17% European West (Germany/France)
13% Irish
6% Caucasus
5% European Jewish
2% Northern Africa
1% Middle Eastern
1% European East

They say it's not always 100% accurate, but it's still interesting. I knew going in my largest ethnic backgrounds are Italian and English, so they didn't just pull the stats out of thin air. It also helped confirm some family tree questions I had through cousin confirmations. So all and all, I think it was money well spent.

No Caribbean Blood?

Meh, I guess it can't be helped Lol


I'm glad you found out about yourself, tho I wonder where now this will take you? I'm more curious as to what people do with this sort of information.

I for one would love to visit distant relatives of the Amerindian Tribe that was brought here alongside Angolan & Mozambican Slaves, tho I believe now they are extinct and only we are the descendants that are left and it's 350+ years diluted now.


It's both sad and cool to know in a sense;

We are descendants of a Tribe that was already isolated, but now we're all that's left of them as well.

[Vin]

No Caribbean Blood?
Meh, I guess it can't be helped Lol
I'm glad you found out about yourself, tho I wonder where now this will take you? I'm more curious as to what people do with this sort of information.
I for one would love to visit distant relatives of the Amerindian Tribe that was brought here alongside Angolan & Mozambican Slaves, tho I believe now they are extinct and only we are the descendants that are left and it's 350+ years diluted now.
It's both sad and cool to know in a sense;
We are descendants of a Tribe that was already isolated, but now we're all that's left of them as well.

Unfortunately not :.( Yeah, I guess I was a little bummed out not to have a larger amount of cousins. When I was waiting for the results, I watched a lot of YouTube videos of people reviewing their results and seeing all the cousins they were connected to and the family circles created. The family circles use DNA + people's existing family trees to connect people who are all descendants of a common ancestor like a great-grandparent or something. Sadly, I'm not part of a single family circle, so much of the research I'm still doing on my own. I guess, for now, I got what I paid for, the ethnic estimate breakdown, but I'm optimistic if I keep growing out my tree and as other people take the test, it might lead to better things in the future.

And I agree, it is sad and cool to know. [MENTION=21558]Emiliano[/MENTION] was talking about how it's interesting to know the motives for immigration, but it's not always for positive reasons. It's also sad to see some ancestors who lived their lives in poverty in their native countries, endured the struggle of making it to the US, and passing away a few years later. I found that out about my 2x great-grandmother. Also, thinking about people with African roots, it's also unfortunate because in most cases, I'm sure it wasn't even the choice of ancestors to come to the New World.

All and all, it's an interesting experience researching this. I only do it when I have some time on my hands. I'm a little ahead of the game though, majority of people I encounter on Ancestry are 60+ and retired.

[bryyzy]

I know I am Spanish and Italian through my parents and their parents but I always wanted to know 100% about my origin. Could be an interesting exercise

[Vin]

I know I am Spanish and Italian through my parents and their parents but I always wanted to know 100% about my origin. Could be an interesting exercise

Oh wow, a fellow Bryan and Italian, so many similarities

But in seriousness, you should! It's rewarding learning about ancestors.

[bryyzy]

Oh wow, a fellow Bryan and Italian, so many similarities

But in seriousness, you should! It's rewarding learning about ancestors.

Are you sure we ain't cloned hahaha

[Vin]

Are you sure we ain't cloned hahaha

Haha, maybe :p Except the living in different countries thing haha