Many people choose to do DNA tests in order to see their ethnicity estimates. Since I have completed my genealogy research back several generations, I have an idea of my ethnicity.
My Ancestry Estimates
My paternal grandmother is from a long line of people from
Ireland, particularly County Cork and perhaps County Tipperary. The surnames I
research are Sullivan, Sheehan, Gleeson, and Tierney. My paternal grandfather
is from a long line of people from the German states of Westfalen & Posen. The surnames I research are Hork, Sievert, Sommer, Trösster, Voss, Döbener, and Randuntz.
On my mother’s side, both her maternal and paternal sides have been in the U.S. since colonial times and settled in the South. Likely, they came from countries of present-day Great Britain. The surnames of her paternal ancestors are Johnston, Hutson, Jones, Selman, Haley, and Oldham. The surnames of her maternal ancestors are Lancaster, Loveless, Welch, Coor, Rodgers, Hughes, Polly, Neel, and Kethley.
Does my Ancestry DNA ethnicity reflect that? Over time, Ancestry has adjusted the estimates as they get more data and refine their algorithm. What is missing from the image below is any color in the country of Germany.
2023 Ethnicity Estimates for Lisa Gorrell, Ancestry DNA
In 2021, this was my Ancestry map, which did include Germany.
2021 Ethnicity Estimates for Lisa Gorrell, Ancestry DNA
Estimates Only
Now it is important to remember that these DNA estimates for
ethnicity are just estimates and are accurate to the continent level. So, in
reality, my estimates are fine. My ancestry is from Europe and many parts of
Europe are covered. If you remember English history, they were conquered over
centuries by Vikings, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, and the Normans. This can easily
explain the heavy concentration of my ancestry being in Great Britain. It is
nice, though, to see the concentration showing in Ireland, especially the Beara
peninsula, which is in County Cork.
Ancestry DNA has the ability to separate the DNA of our parents. It was easy to do that with my DNA, since it seems my mother’s side has no Irish or Swedish, which could include some northern German DNA.
Husband's Estimates
My husband’s estimates align well with what we know about
his ancestry. His maternal side is from Sweden and they have narrowed it down
to southern and central Sweden. His paternal side is from Germany and England,
particularly Cornwall. His map actually shows parts in Germany, though the
estimates are at 2%.
I was able to separate the ethnicity between his parents, as his mother is mostly Swedish and his father is not. Surnames I research on his maternal line are Nilsen and Lundquist (American names) and on his paternal side are Gorrell, Davey, Shotts, Bishop, Wollenweber, Voehringer, Wollam, Nicholas, Emerick, and Reiff.
Remember, these are estimates and change often. My children’s ancestry is from the continent of Europe. That we know for sure.
#52Ancestors-Week 17: DNA
This is my sixth year working on this year-long prompt,
hosted by Amy Johnson Crow (https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/)
at Generations Cafe. I write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or My Trails into the Past.
I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.
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