So much has changed!

So a few years ago I decided to try out the new Ancestry.com DNA test. Why? I was curious about my ethnicity. My results showed 95% British Isles and 5% unknown.  That seemed about right based on what my grandmother had told me. I did notice that other people had more in-depth results and really wished that mine had been that way too. 

Later on I read that Ancestry.com recommends that you check back periodically as they are always adding new world areas to their DNA database. I figured that mine would stay the same, but thought what it is going to hurt to give it a quick check, so I did.

I have to say that I saw quite a change in my blood line.  I was amazed at all the different areas of the world my ancestors came from.  First off it showed that I was overall 99% European and 1% Native American.  We have always been told that there was Cherokee in our family, so now finally the proof. It is a small amount, but we will take it!

They then took that 99% European and broke it down to areas of Europe and percentages of each. According to my results I am:

48% Western Europe: Primarily located in: Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein

18% Scandinavia: Primarily located in: Sweden, Norway, Denmark

15% Great Britain: Primarily located in: England, Scotland, Wales

9% Iberian Peninsula: Primarily located in: Spain, Portugal

9% Ireland: Primarily located in: Ireland, Wales, Scotland






I have always been super interested in my family ancestry. I would imagine where they came from, the lives they left behind, why they left those lives, etc. I wish that they had written journals or letters so that we could have the knowledge of them.  I can just see the path of immigration that they took. If you really take the time to think about it all these countries were filled with immigrants too. I think about the Roman Empire and how far it extended out or about the Vikings and how they explored out into other parts of Europe. These two groups of people extended their bloodline and it became part of their new country of residence. I have to admit that finding out we had just a wee bit of Viking blood in us was both surprising and thrilling. 

 Before our trip to France I checked back into my family tree and discovered some French ancestors who later went to England. It made me feel a stronger connection while I was there. It was like finding a little piece of myself in a far off land. I have always wanted to travel the world and maybe someday I can visit all the other amazing countries that my family came from. 

I think this is so cool!!

"That's my 'two-cents worth', what's yours?"