
<p><em>By Éadaoin Harney, Ph.D.</em></p>



<p>In 2004, a construction crew preparing to build a shopping center in Norwich, England, uncovered a disturbing mystery: a medieval well containing the commingled remains of at least 17 people. The positioning of the skeletons suggested they had been thrown in head-first, victims of a single, violent event. For years, the identity of these individuals remained unknown, their story lost to the silence of the well.</p>



<p>But thanks to ancient DNA technology, a team of researchers from the Natural History Museum and University College London was finally able to tell their story in a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36044903/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">genetic study published in the journal <em>Current Biology</em> in 2022</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This month, 23andMe is adding these individuals to our <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Historical Matches</a><sup>SM</sup> feature, allowing customers to see if they share a genetic connection to one of the earliest identified Ashkenazi Jewish communities in England. This update offers a poignant glimpse into this tragic moment in history.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solving-a-medieval-mystery">Solving a Medieval Mystery</h2>



<p>When archaeologists first analyzed the site, the chaotic nature of the burial suggested a catastrophe, such as famine, epidemic, or violent massacre, in which the victims were hastily buried by survivors in a makeshift grave. However the exact nature of this catastrophe remained a mystery.</p>



<p>In this genetic study, researchers sequenced the genomes of six individuals buried within the well, shedding new light on the individuals buried within the mass grave. Their analyses revealed that all six individuals shared strong genetic affinities with present-day Ashkenazi Jewish populations. Additionally, radiocarbon dating placed their deaths between 1161 and 1216 CE. This precise timeline, combined with their ancestry and the location of the well just south of the medieval Jewish quarter, pointed towards a specific historical tragedy in Norwich’s history: the antisemitic riots of February 6, 1190 CE, for which there is historically documented evidence of a massacre of the Jewish community in Norwich.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-family-connections">Family Connections</h2>



<p>What makes this study particularly powerful is that it revealed that those buried in the well were not strangers, but a group of close relatives who likely sought shelter together during this violent massacre. Among the six individuals whose genomes were sequenced, the research team identified three young sisters and two other distantly related males. This suggests that the victims of this attack were not randomly selected from across the Norwich population, but instead that these may have been members of a single or small number of households or families who had gathered together for protection.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-window-into-genetic-history">A Window into Genetic History</h2>



<p>This study also provided the first genetic data for a Jewish community in medieval England, offering a new timeline for the Ashkenazi &#8220;genetic bottleneck&#8221;—a historical event detectable in the genomes of people with Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry where the population size was drastically reduced, leading to lower genetic diversity. While historians had previously theorized this bottleneck occurred later, during the persecutions of the 14th or 15th centuries, the genetic signatures in the Norwich individuals suggest it began centuries earlier.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This early genetic bottleneck is the reason why variants associated with specific hereditary diseases are common among modern Ashkenazi Jewish populations. With this in mind, the study team searched for these disease-associated markers and discovered that variants responsible for a number of conditions that occur at elevated frequency in Ashkenazi Jewish populations were already present in the medieval Norwich population at frequencies similar to those seen today. This finding challenges the long-held belief that such diseases became more common in this community later in history. Instead, the study demonstrates that the genetic factors affecting Ashkenazi Jewish health today have a lineage stretching back nearly a millennium, predating the major pogroms and expulsions of the later Middle Ages.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-honoring-the-past">Honoring the Past</h2>



<p>Although Jewish law typically prohibits the disturbance of human remains, the likely religious identity of these individuals was unknown during the initial rescue excavation in 2004. However, once researchers suspected that the remains might belong to members of the medieval Jewish community, they immediately consulted with the Norwich Hebrew Congregation. The study proceeded only after receiving specific permission from the Office of the Chief Rabbi to investigate the history of these individuals. Following the completion of osteological and genetic analyses, the remains were respectfully reinterred in the Jewish cemetery in Norwich during a multi-faith ceremony. Today, these individuals are remembered through a commemorative plaque placed near the original site of the well, ensuring their story is no longer lost to history.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" src="/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Jewish_memorial_in_Earlham_cemetery_Norwich._JPG-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-34742" style="width:358px;height:auto" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Jewish_memorial_in_Earlham_cemetery_Norwich._JPG-768x1024.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Jewish_memorial_in_Earlham_cemetery_Norwich._JPG-225x300.jpg 225w, /wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Jewish_memorial_in_Earlham_cemetery_Norwich._JPG-660x880.jpg 660w, /wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Jewish_memorial_in_Earlham_cemetery_Norwich._JPG-885x1180.jpg 885w, /wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Jewish_memorial_in_Earlham_cemetery_Norwich._JPG-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>A photo of the memorial stone that was placed at the site where the individuals were reburied. It is located in the Jewish section of Earlham Cemetery, Norwich.</em> <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jewish_memorial_in_Earlham_cemetery_Norwich._JPG.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Northmetpit</a>, <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Explore Your Connection</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members can now explore whether they share a genetic link to these individuals–and hundreds of others–through the Historical Matches feature.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A Note of Remembrance</h2>



<p>We are releasing this update as we approach January 27, the United Nations-designated International Holocaust Remembrance Day. While the events in Norwich occurred centuries before the Holocaust, they serve as a somber reminder of the long history of antisemitism and the atrocities committed against Jewish communities throughout history.</p>



<div style="float: center; text-align: justified; width: 700px; background-color: #eee; padding: 15px;">
<h4>About the Author</h4>
<p><strong>Éadaoin Harney</strong>, Ph.D. — Scientist II, Population Genetics R&#038;D
</p>
<p> 
Dr. Éadaoin Harney is an expert in the field of ancient DNA, with over a decade of experience extracting, sequencing, and analyzing the DNA of ancient and historical people from across the globe. Dr. Harney is a Population Geneticist at 23andMe and a Lecturer in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, where she teaches courses on human population genetics. Her current research focuses on searching for direct (Identical-by-Descent) genetic connections between historical and living people to learn about historical migrations and to help restore genealogical connections to the past that have been lost to time.</p>

</div>


New Historical Matches Could Connect you to the Lost Jewish Community of Medieval Norwich


<p><em>By Éadaoin Harney, Ph.D</em>.</p>



<p>This December, we’re adding 18 new individuals dating to the Late Antique Period in Dalmatia to our <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Historical Matches</a><sup>SM</sup> feature.</p>



<p>These newly added historical matches offer a rare biological glimpse into a world in transition during the decline of the Roman Empire. Keep reading to learn more about the region’s unique history.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-the-late-antique-period">What is the Late Antique Period?</h2>



<p>Historians generally define the &#8220;Late Antique&#8221; period as the era between the third and seventh centuries CE. It was a time of significant transformation for the Roman world, as political instability, shifting borders, and economic pressures altered long-standing structures across the Mediterranean. This period bridged the gap between the classical Roman era and the early Middle Ages.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-is-dalmatia">Where is Dalmatia?</h2>



<p>The Roman province of Dalmatia was situated along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, encompassing much of modern-day Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and parts of Serbia and Albania. The region takes its name from the Dalmatae, an Illyrian tribe that historically inhabited the interior.</p>



<p>For centuries, Dalmatia was integrated into the imperial Roman system, featuring established coastal towns, island settlements, and a network of roads and ports that linked the Eastern and Western halves of the Empire. Its position along major maritime routes meant it remained a key logistical hub even as the Empire faced mounting challenges.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-in-the-late-antique-port-of-hvar">Life in the Late Antique Port of Hvar</h2>



<p>Although we know Dalmatia served as a vital connection point during this period, historical records reveal relatively little about the daily lives of its inhabitants. To fill this gap, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39606698/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a 2024 study</a> analyzed the remains of 33 individuals recovered from the Hvar-Radoševi? burial site on the island of Hvar.</p>



<p>Using a multidisciplinary approach that combined ancient DNA sequencing, chemical dietary analysis, and skeletal health assessments, the research team reconstructed the biological profile of this community.</p>



<p>Their findings painted a vivid picture of a community shaped by its connection to the wider Roman world. While most individuals were genetically similar to other ancient Mediterranean populations, the study identified several outliers with roots in the eastern Mediterranean and North Africa, confirming the island&#8217;s role as a cosmopolitan crossroads.&nbsp;</p>



<p>However, the instability of the Roman world at this time also had its impact. Despite access to the sea, the dietary analysis revealed a surprise: the population appears to have consumed very little seafood, subsisting mostly on grains and terrestrial crops. The skeletal evidence further revealed that life in this strategic port was physically demanding, characterized by high childhood mortality and signs of significant physiological stress.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learn-more">Learn More</h2>



<p>Could you be connected to the inhabitants of Late Antique Dalmatia—or to hundreds of other historical individuals? The Historical Matches feature is available to <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members.</p>



<div style="float: center; text-align: justified; width: 700px; background-color: #eee; padding: 15px;">
<h4>About the Author</h4>
<p><strong>Éadaoin Harney</strong>, Ph.D. — Scientist II, Population Genetics R&#038;D
</p>
<p> 
Dr. Éadaoin Harney is an expert in the field of ancient DNA, with over a decade of experience extracting, sequencing, and analyzing the DNA of ancient and historical people from across the globe. Dr. Harney is a Population Geneticist at 23andMe and a Lecturer in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, where she teaches courses on human population genetics. Her current research focuses on searching for direct (Identical-by-Descent) genetic connections between historical and living people to learn about historical migrations and to help restore genealogical connections to the past that have been lost to time.</p>

</div>


New Historical Matches Could Connect You to the Dalmatian Coast During the Late Roman Period


<p>Everything we do at the 23andMe Research Institute starts with our amazing community of consented research participants. The data they share helps our scientists uncover new insights about genetics, across health and ancestry, pushing science forward in ways that we hope can benefit different communities, researchers, and future generations. These discoveries are also returned to our members in the form of new reports and features: from more detailed ancestry breakdowns to new health reports on a variety of conditions.&nbsp;</p>



<p>With that spirit of discovery in mind, here are some of the new reports and product features that our consented research participants and expert scientists helped to make happen in 2025.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-genetic-health-amp-wellness-reports-and-features">New Genetic Health &amp; Wellness Reports and Features</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="960" height="353" src="/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/health-product-generic.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34664" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/health-product-generic.png 960w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/12/health-product-generic-300x110.png 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/12/health-product-generic-768x282.png 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/12/health-product-generic-880x324.png 880w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /></figure>



<p>This year, consented 23andMe research participants, along with our groundbreaking research platform, delivered new polygenic risk score (PRS) reports to our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members, offering deeper insights into complex health conditions.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/genetics-may-explain-why-some-athletes-are-more-prone-to-acl-tears"><strong>ACL Tear</strong></a></td><td>Shows how a person&#8217;s genetics may influence their likelihood of experiencing an ACL tear, an injury common in high-impact sports.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/menopause-isnt-just-for-later-what-you-should-know-now"><strong>Early Menopause</strong></a></td><td>Offers insights to female members into the genetic predisposition for experiencing natural menopause before age 45.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/could-your-painful-periods-be-endometriosis-heres-what-you-should-know"><strong>Endometriosis</strong></a></td><td>Helps female members understand their genetic likelihood of developing endometriosis, a common condition that often takes years to diagnose.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/acid-attack-unraveling-the-genetics-of-gerd"><strong>GERD</strong></a></td><td>Provides insight into the genetics of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that impacts around 20% of people in the U.S.&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/osteoporosis-report"><strong>Osteoporosis</strong></a></td><td>Estimates an individual&#8217;s genetic likelihood of developing low bone density.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/new-report-on-severe-morning-sickness"><strong>Severe Morning Sickness</strong></a></td><td>Allows female members to assess their genetic likelihood of experiencing severe morning sickness during pregnancy.</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<p>We also answered the call from our members to provide more information about MTHFR as well as genetic differences that can impact health disparities.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/our-take-on-the-mthfr-gene"><strong>Homocysteine (MTHFR-Related)</strong></a></td><td>Examines common variants in the MTHFR gene associated with slightly increased homocysteine levels in the blood.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/the-duffy-antigen-gene-a-clue-behind-white-blood-cell-differences"><strong>White Blood Cell Count (Duffy Antigen-Related)</strong></a></td><td>Raises awareness about the Duffy null genotype, which is common among people with African ancestry and leads to naturally lower white blood cell counts. Understanding this can help prevent misdiagnoses and unnecessary follow-up testing.</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-expanding-health-beyond-dna"><br>Expanding Health Beyond DNA</h3>



<p>We further expanded our integrated health offerings to include expanded direct access to blood testing services (where available), including the <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andme-expands-blood-testing-biological-age">Biological Age Panel</a>. This allows members to get a more complete health picture by combining genetic and real-time health data.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-major-ancestry-updates">Major Ancestry Updates</h2>



<p>2025 brought the most significant update ever to our Ancestry Composition report, expanding granularity and increasing accuracy across the globe. Members can now see if they have connections to more than 4,500 geographic regions, the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market.</p>



<p><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/ancestry-composition-version-7-is-here" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Ancestry Composition v7.0</strong></a> was a major overhaul, adding 33 new European populations and 6 new Indigenous American populations to our Ancestry Composition breakdown. Thanks to a new DNA phasing pipeline and a new method for refining reference panels, the update also improved accuracy for other regions of the world. Finally, a new chromosome painting method&nbsp; eliminated &#8220;Broadly&#8221; and &#8220;Unassigned&#8221; categories in the default view.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="508" src="/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/image-1024x508.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34636" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/image-1024x508.png 1024w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/12/image-300x149.png 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/12/image-768x381.png 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/12/image-880x437.png 880w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/12/image-1180x586.png 1180w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/12/image.png 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>We also added more than 800 new Genetic Groups this year. These updates were available to all 23andMe members, with additional features (such as <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/discover-distant-genetic-groups-with-23andme-premium" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Distant Genetic Groups</a>) for 23andMe+ Premium members.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/new-genetic-groups-in-eastern-europe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Eastern European Genetic Groups</strong></a></td><td>Introduces Genetic Groups for people with ancestry in Belarus, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/european-diaspora-genetic-groups-update" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>European Diaspora</strong></a> <strong><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/genetic-groups-french-german-us-canada" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Genetic Groups</a></strong></td><td>Adds new Genetic Groups for people of European descent who settled in the U.S., Canada, and South Africa.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/a-new-era-for-african-genetic-groups-at-23andme" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Expanded African Genetic Groups</strong></a></td><td>Expands from 25 to over 250 Genetic Groups across Sub-Saharan Africa, offering significantly more detail and precision for members in the African diaspora.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/new-genetic-groups-in-china-korea-mongolia" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Genetic Groups in China, Korea, Mongolia</strong></a></td><td>Expands Genetic Groups in East Asia, providing matches for members with ancestry from China, Korea, and Mongolia.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/genetic-groups-south-asia" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>South Asian Genetic Groups</strong></a></td><td>Adds more detail to Genetic Groups in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Afghanistan.</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-historical-matches">Historical Matches</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="393" src="/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/historical_matches-1-1024x393.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34662" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/historical_matches-1-1024x393.png 1024w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/12/historical_matches-1-300x115.png 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/12/historical_matches-1-768x295.png 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/12/historical_matches-1-880x338.png 880w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/12/historical_matches-1-1180x453.png 1180w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/12/historical_matches-1.png 1668w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>The <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches">Historical Matches</a><sup>SM</sup> feature continued to expand with over 275 new individuals added, connecting 23andMe+ Premium members to ancient and notable figures from diverse eras and regions.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/historical-matches-ancient-china" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Ancient China</strong></a></td><td>Adds fifty-six new Historical Matches from three recent studies of ancient China, offering connections to populations like those in Shandong Province and Chang’an.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/new-historical-matches-could-connect-you-to-cheddar-man-and-britains-earliest-farmers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Cheddar Man and Early Farmers in Britain</strong></a></td><td>Allows members to explore how the transition to farming transformed ancient Britain through 18 ancient individuals, including the famous Cheddar Man.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/historical-matches-beyond-an-xx-or-xy-binary" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Chromosome Number Diversity in the Past</strong></a></td><td>Adds historical matches based on a 2024 study identifying ancient individuals in Britain with sex chromosome variations (aneuploidies).</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/historical-matches-african-american-us-mexico" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Early Colonial Africans in Mexico &amp; Individuals from Catoctin Furnace</strong></a></td><td>Expands the Historical Matches feature to include 16 new historical African and African American individuals from Catoctin Furnace (U.S.) and colonial Mexico.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/historical-matches-from-early-medieval-france" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Early Medieval France</strong></a></td><td>Features individuals from early medieval France, highlighting evidence of migration from Great Britain, Ireland, and North Africa in shaping the region&#8217;s demography.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/new-historical-matches-connect-to-erik-the-reds-home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Erik the Red&#8217;s Homestead</strong></a></td><td>Adds four new individuals from the Viking Age settlement of Brattahlid, the homestead of Erik the Red, to the Historical Matches feature.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/new-historical-matches-could-connect-you-a-lineage-of-iron-age-celtic-women-in-britain" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Iron Age Celtic Women</strong></a></td><td>Adds matches to a lineage of Iron Age Celtic women in Britain, suggesting a matrilocal society.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/new-historical-matches-could-connect-you-to-medieval-iberians" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Medieval Iberians</strong></a></td><td>Adds individuals from Las Gobas, a medieval site in northern Spain, revealing insights into a small, isolated Christian community.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/historical-matches-may-link-you-to-named-historical-figures" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Named Historical Figures</strong></a></td><td>Includes DNA matches for notable individuals like George Bähr (German architect) and Bishop Peder Winstrup (Swedish bishop).</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/historical-matches-ancient-irish-elite" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Neolithic Ireland</strong></a></td><td>Adds individuals connected to an elite, megalithic society in Neolithic Ireland that built passage tombs over 5,000 years ago.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/new-historical-matches-the-mysterious-skeletons-of-roopkund-lake" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>The Mystery of Roopkund Lake</strong></a></td><td>Features genetic analysis of skeletons from Roopkund Lake, revealing three distinct groups with South Asian, Eastern Mediterranean, and Southeast Asian ancestries.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/new-historical-matches-could-connect-you-to-europes-viking-age" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Viking Age Europe</strong></a></td><td>Adds 23 individuals from sites across Europe and Greenland to study the genetic diversity of the Viking Age.</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-we-continue-to-deliver-cutting-edge-ancestry-science-nbsp">We continue to deliver cutting-edge ancestry science&nbsp;</h3>



<p>This year we also improved the DNA Relatives features with <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/update-to-dna-relatives" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">two new updates</a>: improved relationship prediction estimates and the HybridIBD™ algorithm. These updates dramatically enhance the accuracy of DNA Relatives predictions, in particular benefiting members with diverse ancestries.</p>



<p>Finally we recently launched Reconstructed Ancestors to 23andMe+ Premium <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/360013592713-23andMe-Beta-Testing-Program?_gl=1%2Aqni4iy%2A_ga%2ANjA0MDE5NzczLjE3NTE0NzQwNTA.%2A_ga_G330GF3ZFF%2AczE3NTU4ODE1NjQkbzUwJGcxJHQxNzU1ODgxNzAzJGo2MCRsMCRoMA.." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">beta testers</a>. This early feature uses a highly advanced algorithm along with your DNA and the DNA from relatives on your Family Tree, to piece together the ancestry composition of ungenotyped parents, grandparents and eventually other ancestors.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-year-of-insight-and-connection">A Year of Insight and Connection</h2>



<p>2025 gave us the opportunity to bring a wealth of new insights and features to our members, and the cycle of discovery isn’t slowing down thanks to the continued participation of our research community. As we look ahead to 2026, we’re excited to push genetic science even further, expanding what’s possible and continuing to build a more inclusive, accurate, and empowering experience for everyone on their journey of self-discovery. The best is yet to come.</p>


From Research to Real Insights: 23andMe’s New Product Features for 2025


<p>The invention of farming was one of the most transformative developments in human history. It didn’t happen just once — agriculture was independently invented in multiple locations across the globe beginning around 10,000 to 12,000 years ago, soon after the end of the last Ice Age. As farming spread, it reshaped human societies, diets, and even our DNA.</p>



<p>This month, we’re exploring how this transformation unfolded in ancient Britain by adding 18 ancient individuals who lived before and after the adoption of farming to the <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Historical Matches</a><sup>SM</sup> feature — including one ancient individual whose name you might recognize: Cheddar Man.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-arrival-of-farming-to-ancient-britain">The Arrival of Farming to Ancient Britain</h2>



<p>For most of the last Ice Age, Britain — like much of northern Europe — was too cold and inhospitable for humans to live there year-round. As the climate warmed around 12,000 years ago, hunter-gatherer groups began to resettle the region. This period is known as the Mesolithic Period (10,000–4,000 BCE).</p>



<p>At that time, Britain was still connected to continental Europe by a vast, low-lying plain called Doggerland, which allowed people and animals to move freely between the two regions. Around 8,000 years ago, rising sea levels submerged Doggerland beneath the North Sea, leaving Britain — and nearby Ireland — geographically isolated from the rest of Europe.</p>



<p>Because of this isolation, the spread of farming, which began in southwestern Europe about 9,000 years ago, didn’t reach Britain until roughly 6,000 years ago. That arrival marks the start of the Neolithic period (4,000–2,500 BCE) — a time of sweeping change that reshaped diets, settlement patterns, and daily life across the islands.</p>



<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30988490/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">In 2019</a>, researchers published the genomes of six Mesolithic and sixteen Neolithic individuals from across Britain to understand how the shift to farming affected local populations. They wanted to know whether Britain’s first farmers were descendants of earlier Mesolithic hunter-gatherers, or newcomers who migrated from the continent.</p>



<p>The results supported the second scenario: the earliest farmers in Britain had genetic ancestry distinct from the earlier hunter-gatherers, and were instead most closely related to farming populations from the Aegean region. This finding suggests that agriculture arrived in Britain not by cultural diffusion, but through the migration of farming communities who largely replaced the local Mesolithic populations.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-was-cheddar-man">Who was Cheddar Man?</h2>



<p>Perhaps the most famous individual included in the 2019 study was Cheddar Man, a Mesolithic hunter-gatherer whose nickname comes from where he was discovered — Cheddar Gorge in Somerset. He lived around 10,000 years ago, and his skeleton remains one of the oldest and most complete ever found in Britain.</p>



<p>Using 3D scans of his skull and genetic data extracted from his remains, researchers <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/cheddar-man-mesolithic-britain-blue-eyed-boy.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">created a facial reconstruction</a> showing that Cheddar Man likely had dark skin, dark curly hair, and blue eyes — a combination that was probably common among Mesolithic Europeans.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Cheddar_Man_National_History_Museum_London-1024x683.jpg" alt="Cheddar Man reconstruction. Attribution:
Werner Ustorf, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0&gt;, via Wikimedia Commons" class="wp-image-34462" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Cheddar_Man_National_History_Museum_London-1024x683.jpg 1024w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Cheddar_Man_National_History_Museum_London-300x200.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Cheddar_Man_National_History_Museum_London-768x512.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Cheddar_Man_National_History_Museum_London-880x587.jpg 880w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Cheddar_Man_National_History_Museum_London-1180x787.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>A reconstruction of Cheddar Man</em>. <em>Werner Ustorf, <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CC BY-SA 2.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>These results challenged long-held assumptions about what the first inhabitants of Britain looked like and helped spark a broader conversation about how human populations in Europe — and their appearances — have changed over time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-reminder-of-why-we-need-to-present-scientific-findings-with-care">A Reminder of Why We Need to Present Scientific Findings with Care</h2>



<p>Cheddar Man’s DNA has made headlines before. In 1997, researchers at the University of Oxford extracted the first ancient DNA from his remains. This early analysis focused on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) — the small portion of the genome inherited only through the maternal line. They identified Cheddar Man’s mtDNA as belonging to haplogroup U5, later refined to the U5b1 sub-lineage. This maternal lineage was common among Mesolithic hunter-gatherers across Europe, highlighting Cheddar Man’s genetic connections to other post-Ice Age populations.</p>



<p>Although scientifically valid, the way this finding was presented to the public caused confusion. As part of a public engagement project, researchers compared Cheddar Man’s mtDNA to that of residents in the nearby village of Cheddar. One participant, a local schoolteacher, shared the same U5 haplogroup. This was reported as evidence of continuity between ancient and modern populations — and media outlets sensationalized it as proof that a “direct descendant” of Cheddar Man was living nearby.</p>



<p>In reality, that connection was likely extremely distant. The U5 haplogroup is ancient (emerging around 25,000–30,000 years ago) and widespread, found in roughly 5–12% of modern Europeans, meaning many unrelated people carry it by chance. Moreover, because mitochondrial DNA is passed only from mothers to children, it cannot be used to identify direct descendants of a male individual like Cheddar Man.</p>



<p>This story is a reminder of the importance of communicating genetic findings carefully. At 23andMe we search across your whole genome for places where you share identical DNA. Nevertheless, if Cheddar Man appears among your Historical Matches, it does not mean you are his direct descendant. Instead, it means you share a distant common ancestor somewhere in the past — possibly long before Cheddar Man lived — and inherited the same segment of DNA from that ancestor.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learn-more">Learn more</h2>



<p>Now that you know more about Cheddar Man — and what genetic analyses can (and cannot) tell you about your relationship to him — check out the Historical Matches feature (available to <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members). You can see whether your DNA connects you with Cheddar Man or any of the other ancient individuals from across Britain highlighted this month — along with the hundreds of other historical people already included in the feature.</p>


New Historical Matches Could Connect You to Cheddar Man and Britain’s Earliest Farmers


<p>More than three years ago, 23andMe <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/african-ethnolinguistic-groups" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">launched 25 new African Ethnolinguistic Genetic Groups</a>. We&#8217;re excited to announce that this week we&#8217;ve updated these groups and now have more than 250 Genetic Groups across Sub-Saharan Africa.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This update may be especially helpful for Americans in the African diaspora whose genealogical ties and records were severed by the transatlantic slave trade. More than 80% of our Black and African American customers, who are on our <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/218392668-Upgrading-to-23andMe-s-Newest-Chip-Version" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">latest genotyping chip</a>, will now see matches to one or more of these new Genetic Groups. And <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members will also be able to see any <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/discover-distant-genetic-groups-with-23andme-premium" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">distant Genetic Grou</a>p connections they may have to these regions.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This update better reflects geographic, cultural, and language data for 23andMe customers with ancestry in Africa, and significantly improves the accuracy and specificity of Genetic Groups in this continent. Some of these new Genetic Groups overlap with the previous Genetic Groups in Africa; however, all African Genetic Groups now have more information, such as common haplogroups, languages, and ancestor locations. Even if your matches haven&#8217;t changed, there’s still more to discover about your heritage.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-powered-by-our-community-and-cutting-edge-science">Powered by our community and cutting-edge science</h2>



<p>This update takes advantage of our ongoing improvements to probabilistic models and classifiers in order to connect customers to more specific and precise regions and peoples in Africa. Critical to the development of these models was vastly expanded and more diverse reference data from 23andMe customers who have consented to participate in research and tell us about their ancestry. You can learn more about why improving the diversity of research participants is so important on our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/global-genetics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Genetics Project page</a>.</p>



<p>By combining cutting-edge statistical techniques with data from an expanded pool of reference individuals, we can better distinguish between closely related populations, significantly enhancing the number and specificity of Genetic Groups across Africa.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-check-out-your-results">Check out your results</h2>



<p>With this significant update, discovering more about your African heritage with 23andMe has never been more specific. This is part of our ongoing commitment to improving our science and representation for all our customers. We can&#8217;t wait for you to see it. <a href="https://auth.23andme.com/login/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Log in</a> to explore your updated results in your Ancestry Composition report today.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-few-more-details-about-this-update">A few more details about this update</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Some Genetic Groups are located in parts of Africa where we don’t yet have existing ancestry populations. </strong>In the Ancestry Composition report, Genetic Groups normally appear under specific ancestry populations (for example Genetic Groups in Portugal may be found under the &#8220;Portuguese &amp; Galician&#8221; population). However, some regions in Africa are not currently included in any ancestry population. Genetic Groups in these regions appear under the ancestry population that is most commonly assigned to people who match to these Genetic Groups. For example, people from Cameroon often have a mix of Angolan &amp; Congolese and Nigerian ancestry, so matches to Genetic Groups in Cameroon may appear under one of those populations. The same is true in Southern Africa, where many people have a blend of Angolan &amp; Congolese and Southern East African ancestry, so Genetic Groups in that region may show up under those populations.</li>



<li><strong>Some customers who had matches to the previous Genetic Groups in Africa will no longer see those matches.</strong> Many customers who previously had matches to Genetic Groups in Africa may see the new, updated version of those groups (for example, if you previously had a Genetic Group called &#8220;Kongo &amp; Mbundu peoples&#8221; you will likely see the updated version of that group that is also called &#8220;Kongo &amp; Mbundu peoples&#8221;). However, some people may no longer see any Genetic Groups in Africa. This can be because they share low amounts of DNA with multiple groups and therefore don&#8217;t meet the threshold for any given group.<strong> </strong>Some individuals have ancestors spread across many groups and do not share enough DNA with a single group to get a match.  In addition, unfortunately customers on <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/218392668-Upgrading-to-23andMe-s-Newest-Chip-Version">genotyping chips other than V5</a> will not have access to this update as the data quality requirements for the new model&#8217;s high-resolution classifications could not be met with older genotyping chips. Customers on older chip versions are still able to see their previous results for these Genetic Groups.</li>



<li><strong>This update only adds new Genetic Groups in Eastern, Middle, Southern, and Western Africa.</strong> We have not updated Genetic Groups in North Africa. We plan to continue to increase the diversity, accuracy, and specificity of Genetic Groups around the world with future updates.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-are-the-new-genetic-groups">Where are the new Genetic Groups?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="665" src="/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/genetic_groups_in_africa-1024x665.png" alt="Map of Africa showing the 267 African Genetic Groups." class="wp-image-34439" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/genetic_groups_in_africa-1024x665.png 1024w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/11/genetic_groups_in_africa-300x195.png 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/11/genetic_groups_in_africa-768x499.png 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/11/genetic_groups_in_africa-880x572.png 880w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/11/genetic_groups_in_africa-1180x766.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>With this update there are now:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>57 Nigerian Genetic Groups</li>



<li>44 Angolan &amp; Congolese Genetic Groups</li>



<li>41 Ethiopian &amp; Eritrean Genetic Groups</li>



<li>32 Ghanaian, Liberian &amp; Sierra Leonean Genetic Groups</li>



<li>32 Southern East African Genetic Groups</li>



<li>28 Somali Genetic Groups</li>



<li>22 Senegambian &amp; Guinean Genetic Groups</li>



<li>9 Sudanese Genetic Groups</li>



<li>2 African Hunter-Gatherer Genetic Groups</li>
</ul>



<p></p>


A New Era for African Genetic Groups at 23andMe


<p>Every year on the third Saturday in October, the world celebrates International Archaeology Day, recognizing the important contributions archaeological research makes to society. This year, to celebrate, we&#8217;re spotlighting one of our favorite archaeological mysteries in the <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Historical Matches</a><sup>SM </sup>feature—the skeletons of Roopkund Lake.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-about-roopkund-lake"><strong>About Roopkund Lake</strong></h2>



<p>Roopkund Lake is a small glacial lake located over 5,000 meters (over 16,000 ft) above sea level in the Nanda Devi National Park, in the Indian Himalayas. In 1942, a forest ranger patrolling the park stumbled upon a chilling scene: hundreds of skeletal remains strewn around the lake. The site has captivated researchers and locals alike ever since.</p>



<p>The mystery of who these individuals were, how they died, and why they were in such a remote and inhospitable location has sparked decades of speculation. Some early researchers proposed that the remains belonged to an army that had lost its way in the mountains, while others suggested they might have been traders following a trans-Himalayan route that had since vanished. A few archaeologists posited that they were pilgrims traveling to nearby shrines, possibly part of the ancient <em>Nanda Devi Raj Jat</em>, a religious procession spanning ~290 kilometers (~180 miles) that is still undertaken in the region every 12 years.</p>



<p>The identification of women and children among the dead, however, made some of the proposed explanations less plausible–especially the claim that they may have been members of an army. Without weapons, trade goods, or written records, no single theory could fully account for the diversity and composition of the group. Local folklore offered its own interpretation: a king, his family, and attendants on a pilgrimage to honor the mountain goddess Nanda Devi had violated sacred protocol and were struck down by a deadly hailstorm in divine retribution.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-exciting-23andme-connection"><strong>An exciting 23andMe connection</strong></h2>



<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31431628/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">In 2019</a>, scientists sequenced the genomes of 38 individuals from Roopkund Lake in an effort to better understand the origins of the mysterious remains. But instead of resolving this longstanding mystery, their findings uncovered an even more complex puzzle. </p>



<p>So what makes this story one of 23andMe’s favorite archaeological mysteries? That 2019 research study was actually led by our very own Dr. Éadaoin Harney—a Scientist on the Population Genetics R&amp;D Team and 23andMe’s “resident ancient DNA expert.” She worked on this study during her PhD at Harvard University where she was a member of Prof. David Reich’s ancient DNA laboratories–one of the largest ancient DNA research laboratories in the world.</p>



<p>“<strong>When I first started working with the Roopkund ancient DNA data, I thought that genetics would be a simple and straightforward way to finally help solve the mystery of who they were</strong>,” said Dr. Harney. But she was in for a big surprise! “The first hint that this wasn’t going to be as simple as I initially thought was when we discovered how ancestrally diverse the Roopkund individuals were. Then we learned that they didn’t all die at the same time, as had previously been believed. Instead radiocarbon dates generated from the bones spanned over 1,000 years.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-dna-adds-to-the-mystery"><strong>How DNA adds to the mystery</strong></h2>



<p>The 2019 genetic analysis showed that the individuals fell into three distinct genetic groups, with ancestries from across the globe.</p>



<p>The largest group (which we’ll refer to as Roopkund A) consisted of 23 individuals who died between the 7th and 10th centuries CE, likely during multiple distinct events. Genetically, all appeared South Asian, but with remarkably diverse ancestries–each individual appeared most closely related to different present-day South Asian populations. This finding suggests that they may have traveled to the lake from multiple locations across the subcontinent. Although the exact purpose of their journey to Roopkund Lake remains uncertain, some researchers speculate that they may have been early participants in the <em>Nanda Devi Raj Jat</em>, a traditional pilgrimage that still passes by the lake every 12 years.</p>



<p>The other two groups were even more surprising. One group (Roopkund B) consisted of 14 individuals whose DNA connected them to present-day populations from the eastern Mediterranean—particularly populations in Greece and neighboring regions. The third group (Roopkund C) was represented by a single individual with genetic ancestry most similar to Southeast Asian populations. Radiocarbon dating revealed that these individuals likely died in a single event some time between the 17th and 20th centuries. Why people with ancestry from such distant regions were traveling together in one of the most remote parts of the Himalayas remains a mystery to this day.</p>



<p>Dr. Harney joined 23andMe in 2020 with the goal of creating an approach to identify direct genetic connections between historical and living people. She and her colleagues on the Population Genetics R&amp;D Team succeeded! This technology was first described in their <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10958645/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2023 study of African Americans from Catoctin Furnace</a>, which was published in (and featured on the cover of) Science. She then helped spearhead the creation of the 23andMe Historical Matches feature, enabling customers to learn how they connect to different historical and ancient individuals.</p>



<p>Over the last five years, one of her secret ambitions was to use this technology to try and finally solve the mystery of the Roopkund individuals&#8217; identities. Could identifying any close genetic relatives of the Roopkund individuals in the 23andMe genetic database help us learn about their identities and answer what brought them to Roopkund?</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-did-we-solve-the-mystery"><strong>Did we solve the mystery?</strong></h2>



<p>We compared the Roopkund individuals to over 11 million research consenting participants in the 23andMe genetic database. While we were hoping this analysis would reveal a number of close genetic relatives, unfortunately, the mystery of Roopkund Lake lives on.</p>



<p>We found that only about 1,240 research participants—less than 0.011% of the individuals included in our analysis—share any sort of genetic connection to the Roopkund individuals. And of those participants, we can count the number of individuals who share over 30 cM of DNA (what we label a “significant genetic connection” in the Historical Matches feature) on just one hand. In fact, we found so few &#8220;significant relatives” that the chances any of those connections trace back to a recent shared common ancestor on a genealogical family tree are extremely slim.</p>



<p><em>(Although if you happen to be one of those lucky individuals who sees a “significant connection” listed to one of the Roopkund individuals in your 23andMe report, please </em><a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/requests/new" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>reach out to us</em></a><em>, as we’d love to learn more!)</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-else-did-we-discover"><strong>What else did we discover?</strong></h2>



<p>So, we didn’t solve the mystery of who the Roopkund individuals were, but we did gather fascinating data about their connections to the present day.</p>



<p>First, here is a breakdown of the 17 Roopkund individuals whose DNA was well preserved enough to include in our analyses:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>8 from Roopkund A (South Asian ancestry)</li>



<li>8 from Roopkund B (Eastern Mediterranean ancestry)</li>



<li>1 from Roopkund C (Southeast Asian ancestry)</li>
</ul>



<p>As we mentioned, about 1,240 23andMe research participants shared a genetic connection to the Roopkund individuals. The figure below shows the number of matches each Roopkund group received and highlights the amount of DNA shared. As you can see, the vast majority of the connections we discovered involve less than 20 cM of DNA, meaning that they likely trace back to a shared common ancestor who lived long before any of the Roopkund individuals.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="411" height="252" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-3.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34359" style="width:625px;height:auto" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-3.png 411w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-3-300x184.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 411px) 100vw, 411px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>This figure shows the distribution of total shared DNA that we detected between 23andMe research participants and each of the Roopkund groups (A, B and C). It shows that the vast majority of the connections we identified are to individuals in the Roopkund B group, and the DNA segments they share are shorter than 15 cM. In order to protect participant privacy, all counts <em> less than or equal to </em>5 are masked and appear equal to 5. </em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Of those who share a genetic connection, the majority (~1,160) shared a connection to one or more individuals in the Roopkund B group—the one with Eastern Mediterranean-related ancestry. This didn&#8217;t surprise us, since the majority of 23andMe research participants have European ancestry, making them more likely to be related to the Roopkund B individuals.</p>



<p>In addition to occurring more frequently, the Roopkund B individuals also shared some of the strongest genetic connections to 23andMe research participants, as shown in the figure below which depicts the maximum amount of DNA that each Roopkund individual shared with a research participant.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="643" height="448" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-4.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34360" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-4.png 643w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-4-300x209.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 643px) 100vw, 643px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>This figure shows the maximum amount of shared DNA that we detected between 23andMe research participants and each of the Roopkund individuals. The individuals are arranged along the x-axis by when they lived, as measured by radiocarbon dating. We masked this result for Roopkund individuals who shared DNA with 5 or fewer 23andMe research participants in order to protect participant privacy, and reported maximum DNA sharing as equal to 0.</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>We decided to see what Genetic Groups the Roopkund individuals could be connected to, using the same approach that we use to connect customers to these Genetic Groups.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Many of the Roopkund B individuals received matches to Genetic Groups in south eastern Europe, with the strongest connections to groups in Greece and Crete–exactly mirroring the findings of the original study!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="849" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_b_2-1024x849.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34352" style="width:575px" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_b_2-1024x849.png 1024w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_b_2-300x249.png 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_b_2-768x636.png 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_b_2-880x729.png 880w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_b_2-1180x978.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>This map shows the location of the different Genetic Groups that we compared the Roopkund B individuals to. Groups shown in darker colors shared the strongest genetic matches to one or more of the Roopkund B individuals.</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Since the Roopkund A and Roopkund C individuals shared far fewer genetic connections to 23andMe research participants, it was hard to localize their ancestry in the same way. But we were able to connect the Roopkund C individual to a single Genetic Group, located in China. This finding is generally consistent with the original study, where this individual exhibited connections to populations in East and Southeast Asia.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="874" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_c_2-1024x874.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34353" style="width:592px;height:auto" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_c_2-1024x874.png 1024w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_c_2-300x256.png 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_c_2-768x655.png 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_c_2-880x751.png 880w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/10/roopkund_c_2-1180x1007.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>This map shows the location of the different Genetic Groups that we compared the Roopkund C individual to. Groups shown in darker colors shared the strongest genetic matches to the Roopkund C individual.</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>We couldn’t connect the Roopkund A individuals to any of the Genetic Groups that we have identified. That doesn’t mean they aren’t genetically related to any of these groups. Instead it is likely just because the original research team was only able to sequence a small amount of DNA from these individuals, making it harder to connect them to research participants in the 23andMe database.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next"><strong>What’s Next?</strong></h2>



<p>So for now, all we can say is that the mystery of Roopkund Lake continues. But we promise this archaeological site is one that is close to our hearts. If we have any updates in the future, we’ll be sure to let you know.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learn-more"><strong>Learn more</strong></h2>



<p>Want to see if you share a genetic connection with any of the individuals who died at Roopkund Lake—or hundreds of other historical people? The Historical Matches feature is available to <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members.</p>



<p>And if you are interested in finding ways to celebrate International Archaeology Day, check out organizations like the Archaeological Institute of America, which has an exciting <a href="https://www.archaeological.org/events/category/international-archaeology-day/list/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">calendar of Archaeology-related events</a>.</p>



<p></p>


New Historical Matches Could Connect You to the Mysterious Skeletons of Roopkund Lake


<p><em>This update is currently available to all eligible customers on the latest, V5, genotyping chip. </em></p>



<p>The 23andMe Ancestry Team has been working hard on <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/a-major-update-to-ancestry-composition-is-coming-soon" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a major update to the Ancestry Composition report</a>, and results are now available! Our goal is to provide the most accurate and meaningful genetic ancestry results in the industry. We ground our models in rigorous science, guided by established population genetics research, to ensure your results are consistent, reliable, and can help guide your personal journey of discovery.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-changes-you-ll-see">What changes you&#8217;ll see</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>New granularity in your ancestry percentages: </strong>33 new populations in Europe and 6 in the Americas to explore. Plus we&#8217;ve updated our algorithm to eliminate “Broadly” and “Unassigned” categories in the default results view.&nbsp;</li>



<li><strong>More accurate results: </strong>A new state-of-the-art DNA phasing pipeline reduces errors and gives a more accurate estimate of your percentages, even if your ancestry isn&#8217;t from Europe or the Americas.&nbsp;</li>



<li><strong>New features:</strong> A new “Version History” section lets you compare your new results to your previous result, and <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members can also access all previous versions of their results at different confidence thresholds.</li>
</ul>



<p>This update powers your Ancestry Composition, Ancestry Timeline, Parental Inheritance, DNA Painting, and more.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-our-focus-for-this-update">Our focus for this update</h2>



<p>For this update we focused on improving the entire Ancestry Composition pipeline integrating the latest research. Throughout the rounds of development we look at two major metrics: precision and recall. Precision lets us know<strong> how often</strong> we correctly predict that a piece of DNA is from a specific population. Recall tells us <strong>how much</strong> DNA from a specific population we can correctly identify. Working to maximize both precision and recall is critical to making Ancestry Composition and other ancestry features as accurate as possible.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="366" height="368" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AC78_wheel.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34276" style="width:170px;height:auto" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AC78_wheel.png 366w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AC78_wheel-298x300.png 298w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AC78_wheel-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AC78_wheel-271x271.png 271w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 366px) 100vw, 366px" /></figure>



<p>The final models in this update had good precision and recall across the new populations, ensuring the accuracy of the ancestry breakdown predictions while also expanding the specificity and granularity of the populations. One example of the improvements gained by this update is the reduced amount of North Asian ancestry predicted for some Indigenous North American customers. You can learn more about the development process and see precision and recall metrics for each population in the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/ancestry-composition-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ancestry Composition Guide</a>.</p>



<p>While this update focused on increasing granularity in Europe and the Americas, customers from other parts of the world will still benefit thanks to the improvements to the science and the removal of broadly and unassigned ancestry.</p>



<p><a href="https://you.23andme.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Sign in</strong></a><strong> and check out your new results.&nbsp;</strong></p>



<p>Not yet a 23andMe member? Learn more about what <a href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe has to offer</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-questions-you-might-be-wondering-about">Some questions you might be wondering about</h2>



<p><strong>Why are certain populations combined?</strong></p>



<p>To define the 78 Ancestry Composition populations, we analyzed the reference datasets, chose candidate populations that appeared to cluster together, and then evaluated whether we can distinguish those groups in practice. Some populations tend to cluster on their own, but most country-level populations overlap to some degree. In these cases, we experiment with different groupings of country-level populations to find combinations that we can distinguish with high confidence. Check out the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/ancestry-composition-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ancestry Composition Guide</a> to learn more.</p>



<p>Does this mean that the people in those groups are the same? No. Each group has its own history, culture, and often different languages. These groupings are a reflection of our current genetic understanding and scientific methods, not a statement about cultural identity.</p>



<p>Does this mean DNA that is assigned to these populations is from all groups? Not necessarily. For example, DNA assigned to the Belarusian, Polish &amp; Ukrainian group might mean your ancestors were from one, two, or all three of those country-level populations. Sometimes other information from your DNA, such as your Genetic Groups, might help you identify more specific locations your ancestors may have come from.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Why are some reference panels smaller than before?</strong></p>



<p>A reference panel, or a reference population or reference dataset, is a collection of DNA samples from people with some common connection. We compare your DNA to these reference panels to determine which ancestry most closely corresponds to your DNA. We often use 23andMe research participants who tell us they have four grandparents all born in the same country for reference panels.</p>



<p>However, sometimes when we look at the ancestry prediction for individuals in a reference panel for a specific population a few individuals don&#8217;t end up being predicted to have a reasonably large percentage of their DNA from that population. These individuals are considered outliers. As part of this update we systematically reviewed our reference panels around the world to remove these outliers. But don&#8217;t worry; even though some reference panels might be smaller, we still check that the models perform as well as (or better than) before for people with ancestry from these regions.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Why is there no Indigenous Caribbean population?</strong></p>



<p>To define a new ancestry population we need reference panels made up of individuals who have deep genetic roots from one place. However, many individuals from the Caribbean are highly admixed (“admixture” refers to places where there was mixing of previously separate populations). This makes it incredibly difficult to identify a sufficient number of individuals with primarily indigenous DNA from the Caribbean. The reference panels for the new Indigenous American populations are almost entirely unadmixed, which is why we are able to provide ancestry percentages for these populations.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="502" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/avg_ancestry_caribbean-1024x502.png" alt="" class="wp-image-27359" style="width:371px;height:auto" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/avg_ancestry_caribbean-1024x502.png 1024w, /wp-content/uploads/2019/08/avg_ancestry_caribbean-300x147.png 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2019/08/avg_ancestry_caribbean-768x376.png 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2019/08/avg_ancestry_caribbean-880x431.png 880w, /wp-content/uploads/2019/08/avg_ancestry_caribbean-1180x578.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>So where does Indigenous Caribbean ancestry show up? We tend to see that Indigenous American ancestry in individuals from the Caribbean is spread among several of the new Indigenous American populations (especially North American, Southern Mesoamerican, Central Andean &amp; Amazonian, and Northern Andean).</p>



<p>Does this mean Indigenous Caribbean ancestors came from those places? Not necessarily. It simply means that of the options available today, those populations are the closest genetic match.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Why weren&#8217;t other parts of the world updated?</strong></p>



<p>While we would love to be able to make major updates around the world more frequently, each new population requires new reference data and major updates in the prediction models. Throughout the years we have increased the number of populations across the rest of the world; however, we have not updated the populations in Europe since 2012. This update was an important opportunity to provide more detail in Europe and the Americas.</p>



<p>We will continue to work towards providing more specificity and granularity around the world in your ancestry percentages as well as Genetic Groups (keep an eye out over the next few months for new Genetic Groups in Africa), <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Historical Matches</a><sup>SM</sup>, and other features.</p>



<p><strong>Why did the colors change?</strong></p>



<p>Adding 39 new colors to the color palette was quite the task for the 23andMe Design Team. The team took this opportunity to think about the colors holistically, coming up with a new system that provides a gradient across the world, allowing for nearby populations that are closer together geographically to be represented by more similar colors, while at the same time providing a system that can work for more populations in the future.</p>



<p><strong>Who will get this update?</strong></p>



<p>All customers genotyped on the current (V5) chip and with access to the ancestry service will see this update. A genotyping chip (or array) tests for a fixed set of genetic variants (SNPs) across the genome. Different chip versions (V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, etc.) test for different sets of SNPs. More recent chips often include better coverage for certain populations, recently discovered variants, or better genetic markers that help improve ancestry?composition algorithms or detect health?associated variants.</p>



<p>Ancestry Composition is trained on specific genotyping chip versions, and these latest models were only trained on the latest chip version. The models are incompatible with data from older genotyping chips, as older chips don’t include most of the genetic markers used by these new ancestry models. More recent chip versions are also designed with better coverage for diverse populations.<br>If you&#8217;re on an older chip version (or not sure which chip version you have) learn about chip upgrades <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/360025014494-How-Do-I-Upgrade-My-Genotyping-Chip" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.</p>



<p><strong>What happens if my family deleted data and I want to connect with them?</strong></p>



<p>When you connect with a biological parent through Your Connections, we use the additional information we learn from your parents&#8217; DNA to improve the resolution of your Ancestry Composition results. You will also be able to see the proportions of each ancestry that you inherited from each parent in the Parental Inheritance section in your Ancestry Composition report. If a family member has deleted their account they will need to purchase a new kit and create a new account before you can connect with them.</p>


It’s Finally Here: A New Version of Ancestry Composition


<p>Each year from September 15–October 15, National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the histories, cultures, and contributions of people from Spain, Latin America, and other Spanish-speaking communities. To mark the occasion, we’re highlighting a remarkable ancient DNA study from Las Gobas, a medieval site in northern Spain that sheds new light on life in early Iberia, which comprises present-day Spain and Portugal.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-setting-the-scene-iberia-in-the-early-medieval-period">Setting the Scene: Iberia in the Early Medieval Period</h2>



<p>From the 5th to 8th centuries CE, Iberia was ruled by the Visigoths, a Germanic people who established power after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. In 711 CE, their kingdom collapsed after the Umayyads—an Islamic dynasty with roots in Arabia and North Africa—invaded and established the Emirate (and later the Caliphate) of Córdoba. This new state controlled much of Iberia, along with the Balearic Islands and parts of North Africa.</p>



<p>In the mountainous north, however, many communities retained their independence and Christian traditions, even as the rest of the Iberian peninsula underwent profound cultural and political change.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-at-las-gobas">Life at Las Gobas</h2>



<p>Las Gobas, located in today’s province of Burgos in northern Spain, consists of 13 rock-cut caves and several freestanding structures. Beginning in the 7th century, it served as a mixed-use settlement with homes, a Christian church, and a cemetery. By the late 9th century, the residential area was abandoned, but the site continued to be used as a burial ground and place of worship until the 11th century.</p>



<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39196943/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">In 2024</a>, researchers analyzed DNA from 33 individuals buried at Las Gobas. They discovered that the community’s ancestry remained surprisingly stable over the centuries, with little evidence of genetic influence from the Islamic expansion that reshaped much of Iberia.</p>



<p>Why was Las Gobas different? Their DNA offered a clue. Many individuals carried stretches of identical DNA inherited from both parents—patterns that often occur in small, insular populations with limited outside contact. This genetic isolation likely helped shield the community from broader population shifts happening elsewhere.</p>



<p>The study also revealed striking details about life at Las Gobas:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Inbreeding: </strong>The DNA of several individuals showed evidence that their parents were close relatives; likely first cousins or closer.</li>



<li><strong>Disease:</strong> DNA evidence showed infections from multiple pathogens, including what may be one of the earliest documented cases of smallpox in northern Iberia.</li>



<li><strong>Violence:</strong> Skeletal remains showed signs of traumatic injuries, likely from swords—evidence of interpersonal conflict or warfare.</li>
</ul>



<p>Taken together, the findings paint a vivid—and sometimes harsh—picture of life more than a thousand years ago in a small, tightly knit community in northern Spain.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learn-more">Learn more</h2>



<p>Want to see if you share a genetic connection with these newly added individuals from Las Gobas—or hundreds of other historical people? The <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Historical Matches</a><sup>SM</sup> feature is available to <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members.</p>



<p></p>


New Historical Matches Could Connect You to the Medieval Iberian Site of Las Gobas


<p><a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/ancestry-composition-version-7-is-here" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>This update</em></a><em> <em>is currently available to all eligible customers on the latest, V5, genotyping chip.</em></em></p>



<p>23andMe’s flagship Ancestry Composition algorithm was last updated in 2022, when three new reference populations were added in China. Since then, the 23andMe Ancestry Team has focused on improving the specificity of reference populations and updating the methods underlying this state-of-the art algorithm. The result? More specificity and accuracy in the ancestry breakdowns we provide.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="508" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ac-omega-map-correc-1024x508.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34246" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ac-omega-map-correc-1024x508.png 1024w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ac-omega-map-correc-300x149.png 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ac-omega-map-correc-768x381.png 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ac-omega-map-correc-880x437.png 880w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ac-omega-map-correc-1180x585.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>The project, Version 7 of Ancestry Composition, is the most significant update to the feature ever.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improved-algorithm-expanded-populations-better-results">Improved algorithm, expanded populations, better results</h2>



<p>Over the last few months, we’ve been hard at work finalizing the details on this major update to your favorite report: Ancestry Composition.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="499" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3-1024x499.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34237" style="width:537px;height:auto" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3-1024x499.png 1024w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3-300x146.png 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3-768x374.png 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3-880x429.png 880w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3-1180x575.png 1180w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3.png 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>Here’s what we&#8217;ve been working on:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Better breakdowns in Europe and the Americas</strong>: Thanks mainly to consented 23andMe research participants we&#8217;ve been able to expand the number of unique populations in our reference datasets. Reference datasets are collections of DNA samples from people with deep roots in a specific part of the world. It&#8217;s what is needed to compare each piece of your DNA to in order to determine where in the world that DNA most likely came from. What this means is we’re launching with nearly four times the resolution in Europe and six new populations in the Americas. We also took the opportunity to refine reference datasets from around the world, making them more specific to each global population.</li>



<li><strong>Enhanced Accuracy:</strong> The accuracy of these new ancestry results are greatly improved by using our <a href="https://www.cell.com/hgg-advances/fulltext/S2666-2477(25)00082-X" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recently published</a>, state-of-the-art DNA phasing method. You could think of phasing as sorting which DNA you inherited from each parent. Reducing errors in phasing means a more accurate estimate of your ancestry percentages and better <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/212860507-Chromosome-Painting-23andMe-Ancestry-Results" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DNA Painting</a>.&nbsp;</li>



<li><strong>Elimination of Broadly and Unassigned DNA: </strong>We are updating our algorithm to report the most likely assignment for a given stretch of DNA rather than at a fixed confidence threshold. This will have the benefit of eliminating &#8220;Broadly&#8221; and &#8220;Unassigned&#8221; categories in the default results view. You will still be able to view your results at different confidence thresholds in the Version History section.</li>



<li><strong>Better Error Detection:</strong> We&#8217;ve upgraded our smoother to better filter out erroneous trace ancestries between two larger blocks of ancestry. See our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/ancestry-composition-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ancestry Composition Guide</a> for more information about the current smoother.</li>



<li><strong>Version History:</strong> Compare your new results to your old ones in a new &#8220;Version History&#8221; section. <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members will also be able to access previous versions at different confidence settings.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-the-new-reference-populations-nbsp">What are the new reference populations?&nbsp;</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>33 new ancestry populations in Europe are coming:</strong> Albanian &amp; Macedonian; Andalusian, Asturian &amp; Castilian; Aragonese &amp; Catalan; Austrian &amp; Southern German; Basque; Belarusian, Polish &amp; Ukrainian; Belgian, Rhinelander &amp; Southern Dutch; Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin &amp; Serbian; Bulgarian, Moldovan &amp; Romanian; Canary Islander; Czech, Hungarian, Slovak &amp; Southern Polish; Danish; Dutch &amp; Northern German; English; Estonian; Finnish; French; Greek; Icelandic; Irish; Kosovar &amp; Northern Albanian; Latvian; Lithuanian; Maltese; Northern Italian; Norwegian; Portuguese &amp; Galician; Russian; Sardinian; Scottish; Slovenian; Southern Italian; Swedish; Swiss, Southwestern German &amp; Western Austrian; Welsh</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="840" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/europe_map-1024x840.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34262" style="width:523px;height:auto" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/europe_map-1024x840.png 1024w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/europe_map-300x246.png 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/europe_map-768x630.png 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/europe_map-880x722.png 880w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/europe_map.png 1101w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Indigenous American will be broken into 6 new ancestry populations:</strong> Arctic North American, Central Andean &amp; Amazonian, North American, Northern Andean, Southern Mesoamerican, and Western North American</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="562" height="393" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-2.png" alt="" class="wp-image-34236" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-2.png 562w, /wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-2-300x210.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 562px) 100vw, 562px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-your-dna-story-now-clearer-across-time-place-and-family">Your DNA story, now clearer across time, place, and family</h2>



<p>These updates, drawn from sharper science and richer data, power everything you use to explore your ancestry, including Ancestry Timeline, Parental Inheritance, DNA Painting, and more. This builds on the world’s most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market with over 4,000 regions, helping you experience the life-changing power of DNA by tracing where your ancestors lived and what they passed on to you.</p>



<p>Ancestry Composition, Version 7. More precision. More connection. More you.</p>



<p>This is a massive project for us and a chance to get back to our roots by digging deeper into yours. We’re thrilled you’re as excited as we are.</p>



<p>The 23andMe Ancestry Team</p>



<p></p>


A Major Update to Ancestry Composition


<p>This August, we’re adding 23 new historical individuals whose genomes were studied as part of a large-scale investigation into one of Europe’s most iconic eras—the Viking Age (800–1050 CE).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-a-viking">What is a Viking?</h2>



<p>The term Vikings refers to seafaring people from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Sweden, and Norway) who lived between the late 8th and late 11th centuries. Renowned for their sailing skills and distinctive longships, Vikings traveled widely—raiding, trading, and settling far beyond their homelands. Their influence stretched from the North Atlantic and Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Middle East, and even as far as North America.</p>



<p>This period of exploration and expansion left lasting cultural and genetic legacies across Europe and beyond, which scientists can now explore through ancient DNA.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-the-genetics-of-the-viking-age">Studying the Genetics of the Viking Age</h2>



<p>In 2020, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32939067/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">researchers sequenced the genomes of 442 individuals</a> from archaeological sites across Europe and Greenland dating to, or around, the Viking Age. The results revealed that Viking populations were genetically diverse and spread their ancestries into many regions. For example, the study found evidence of:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Danish-like ancestry moving into England</li>



<li>Swedish-like ancestry reaching the Balkans</li>



<li>Norwegian-like ancestry influencing Ireland, Iceland, and Greenland</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meet-some-of-the-newly-added-individuals">Meet Some of the Newly Added Individuals</h2>



<p>The 23 historical individuals we’re adding this month come from eight archaeological sites that span the wide geographic range touched by Vikings. Highlights include:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>A 10th-century ship burial on Tomme Island, Norway.</strong> Excavated in 1910, this large earthen mound overlooked a natural harbor and contained a mid-10th century ship, the remains of two individuals, and rich grave goods, including weapons and jewelry.</li>



<li><strong>The Salme ship burials, Saaremaa, Estonia.</strong> First discovered in 2008 during construction work, the site revealed two ship burials. The first contained seven individuals; the second, 34. These burials likely held warrior-seafarers who died in an armed conflict during the Vendel Period (8th century), which directly preceded the Viking Age.</li>



<li><strong>An Icelandic church buried under volcanic ash.</strong> Archaeologists uncovered a mid-10th century hall, an associated cemetery, and a church in southern Iceland. Based on volcanic ash layers from eruptions of Katla volcano, all individuals buried here died before 1300 CE, when the site was completely covered.</li>
</ul>



<p>And more!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learn-more">Learn more</h2>



<p>Want to see if you share a genetic connection with these newly added Viking Age individuals—or hundreds of other historical people? The <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Historical Matches</a><sup>SM</sup> feature is available to <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>™ members.</p>



<p></p>


Ancestry Service