<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-this-month-a-team-of-researchers-from-trinity-college-dublin-and-bournemouth-university-published-a-new-study-in-the-journal-nature-that-upends-our-understanding-of-women-s-roles-in-ancient-celtic-society-in-britain">This month, a team of researchers from Trinity College Dublin and Bournemouth University published <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39814899/">a new study in the journal Nature</a> that upends our understanding of women’s roles in ancient Celtic society in Britain.</h5>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Missing burials in Iron Age Britain</h2>



Prior to the publication of this study, relatively little was known about the social structure of Iron Age populations in Britain due to the scarcity of human skeletal remains from this period. Researchers are uncertain why so few burials have survived from this period, but it is possible that it is related to how ancient Britons treated the dead. They may have placed burials in environments like bogs or wetlands, where bones are less likely to preserve, or practiced cremation, leaving limited remains behind.&nbsp;



This shortage of skeletal evidence has made it challenging to answer important questions about Iron Age social organization, such as how people moved within society after marriage. However this changed when archaeologists discovered a rare, well-preserved Iron Age cemetery in Dorset in southern England, where members of a tribe known as the Durotriges—a name preserved in the writings of Ptolemy, the 2nd century Greek geographer and astronomer—were buried.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="500" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Coins-Celtic-HM-1024x500.png" alt="Photograph of front and back of coin from the Durotriges, circa 60 BC" class="wp-image-33651" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Coins-Celtic-HM-1024x500.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Coins-Celtic-HM-300x146.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Coins-Celtic-HM-768x375.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Coins-Celtic-HM-880x429.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Coins-Celtic-HM-1180x576.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Coin from the Durotriges, circa 60 BC</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Discovering a matrilocal society</h2>



The research team sequenced the genomes of 55 individuals who were buried in this ancient cemetery—in addition to two other Durotrigian women who were buried nearby—in order to investigate the family structure of Celtic populations in southern Britain during the Late Iron Age.&nbsp;



They discovered that most of the people buried in the cemetery descended from a single maternal lineage that spanned generations. This discovery suggests that the society practiced matrilocality—where men moved to live with their wives&#8217; families. In human history, matrilocality is far less common than patrilocality, where women join their husbands’ families. Remarkably, this study uncovered the earliest known case of matrilocality among ancient Europeans.



When the researchers expanded their analysis to other ancient European sites with available ancient DNA, they found that similar patterns of matrilocality were observed only in other Celtic populations in Britain. This suggests that matrilocality may have been a distinctive feature of Iron Age Britons, setting them apart from other ancient European societies.



These findings align with Roman accounts of the unique and influential roles women held in Celtic Britain. For instance, Julius Caesar wrote about British women taking multiple husbands, while historical records highlight two prominent female leaders: Cartimandua, the warrior queen of the Brigantes, and Boudica of the Iceni, who led a revolt against Roman rule.



While matrilocal societies are not necessarily matriarchal (where women hold higher social status than men), such practices are more likely to occur in matrilocal systems than in patrilocal ones.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Learn More</h2>



Interested in learning whether you share a genetic connection to this lineage of Celtic women? Thanks to Historical MatchesSM our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/">23andMe+® Premium membership</a> feature, you can find out if you share a genetic connection with the individuals whose DNA was sequenced as part of this study.

Photograph of Dorset, England showing green hillsides at sunset.

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

New Historical Matches could connect you a lineage of Iron Age Celtic Women in Britain

This month, 23andMe is adding eight new historical individuals from the colonial port of Campeche to Historical MatchesSM, a <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">23andMe+ Premium</a>TM &nbsp;membership feature.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unesco-world-heritage-site">UNESCO World Heritage Site</h2>



The colonial port of Campeche, located in what is now the southeastern part of Mexico, was founded in 1540 by the Spanish conquistador Francisco de Montejo ‘the Younger’. The port is near the site of the old Maya village of ‘Ah Kin Pech,’ from which it derives its name.&nbsp;



After its founding, Campeche quickly grew into one of the main ports of the Spanish Empire in Mexico, and it remained one of the region’s most prominent ports until the early 19th century. In 2000, the United Nations declared the city of Campeche a UNESCO World Heritage site, recognizing its historic town center as a key landmark of early Hispanic society in the Americas.&nbsp;



Within a few years of the founding of the port, an early colonial parish church was erected to serve the town’s inhabitants, including people of Spanish, Indigenous American, and African ancestry. The church continued to serve the community until 1680, when it was replaced by Campeche Cathedral, which is still in use. In 2000, Mexico&#8217;s Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia excavated the colonial-era parish church, discovering burials of 129 individuals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-historical-individuals">Historical Individuals</h2>



In 2022, <a href="https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2022.79" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scientists sequenced the genomes of ten individuals</a> who lived during the 16th–17th centuries and were buried in the cemetery of the Campeche parish church. Their goal was to learn about the lives of Campeche’s inhabitants and the social divisions that may have existed in the town’s earliest years.&nbsp;



Of the ten individuals they sequenced, eight had entirely Indigenous American ancestry (most similar to contemporary Maya individuals from southern Mexico), one had European ancestry, and one had African ancestry. Interestingly, none of these individuals had any evidence of mixed ancestry, suggesting that despite living nearby under colonial rule, strong social divisions may have endured at Campeche across generations during this early colonial period.



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



You can find out if you share a genetic connection to eight of the individuals from this study and learn more about colonial Campeche through <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches">23andMe’s Historical Matches feature</a>, which is available to all <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/">23andMe+ Premium</a>TM  members.

In 2000, Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia excavated Campeche Cathedral, discovering burials of 129 individuals.

New Historical Matches Could Connect You to Colonial Era Mexico

An update to our 23andMe Ancestry Service adds new granularity for people with <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andme-adds-more-detail-for-customers-with-british-and-irish-ancestry">British and Irish ancestry</a> in the United States, allowing them to see if they are genetically connected to some of the earliest colonial settlements in the US, including Plymouth Colony and the settlers who arrived on the Mayflower.



This update includes hundreds of early British &amp; Irish American Genetic Groups, helping customers connect back many generations to communities within the United States. Genetic Groups are groups of people with significant genetic similarity who may share ethnic identities, languages, or other similar characteristics.



Discovering a genetic link to one of these early colonial communities might help some people connect to history. Our scientists will continue to add additional &#8220;European Diaspora&#8221; Genetic Groups in the United States and around the world, studying communities of people with ancestry from other parts of Europe.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="939" height="619" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/image.png" alt="A map of the United States that shows locations where people with connections to colonial genetic groups reside." class="wp-image-33500" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/image.png 939w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/image-300x198.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/image-768x506.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/image-880x580.png 880w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 939px) 100vw, 939px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mayflower-descendants">Mayflower Descendants</h2>



About four percent of 23andMe customers will see close matches to the “Mayflower Descendants” Genetic Group, while around 15 percent of 23andMe+ Premium members will see Distant Genetic Group matches to this group. Astonishingly, it&#8217;s estimated that there are 10 million people in the United States and up to 35 million worldwide who are directly descended from passengers of the Mayflower, according to the General Society of Mayflower Descendants.



This update follows closely on other updates looking at early migration patterns within the United States as well as other genetic groups around the world. We will continue to add more of these groups to improve results for our customers. Among those updates was a recent update looking at African American Genetic Groups. That update helped connect customers with African American ancestry to one or more of 213 genetic communities, primarily in the Southern United States—particularly to where their ancestors may have lived before the mass movement of southern Blacks known as the Great Migration.



Of the hundreds of genetic groups that are part of this update, 18 are linked to some of the earliest European colonial settlements in what was to become the United States. Although people of various backgrounds—Dutch, German, Swedish, and African, for example—inhabited those early settlements, this particular update looks at shared genetic connections to people with predominantly British &amp; Irish ancestry.



Below we highlight two of the 18 Colonial American Genetic Groups included in this update. Learning more about these early settlements offer an opportunity to see beyond some of the idealized versions of early colonial America, and examine what colonization meant not just for those early settlers but for the indigenous people and cultures devastated by it.



In this post, we highlight two of the 18 Colonial American Genetic Groups included in this update.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-mayflower-and-the-first-thanksgiving">The Mayflower and the First Thanksgiving</h2>



Ill-prepared for the arduous task of establishing a “new Jerusalem” on the shores of a protected bay at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts, the settlers who arrived on the Mayflower in 1620 might not have survived if not for the Indigenous Wampanoag people.



Indeed, within a year of their arrival, as they prepared for what was to become known as the first Thanksgiving, only about 50 of the original 102 remained. The event aligns with traditional harvest celebrations that were part of European tradition and some point to other<a href="https://www.nps.gov/casa/learn/historyculture/the-first-thanksgiving.htm"> harvest gatherings</a> celebrated by Spanish explorers in the 1500s in Florida and in Texas as the first Thanksgiving gatherings in North America. During that first Thanksgiving, which lasted three days, the 50 or so settlers gathered with about 90 tribal members.



The myth of that first Thanksgiving — a narrative created much later — often obscures the devastation brought by disease and war to the Indigenous peoples who had lived and thrived in North America for millennia. For many Indigenous Americans, Thanksgiving represents a vastly different perspective; rather than a moment of promise, it marks the beginning of centuries of displacement, disease, and violence.&nbsp;



But the ethos of that first Thanksgiving—where people gathered communally and with gratitude for the harvest—is still worth celebrating as we work to understand all that was wrought in the complicated history of colonization in North America. The first settlers also signed the Mayflower Compact, establishing a framework for communal governing of the colony. Another not-well-known fact is that the settlers did not have any written permission to settle the area around Plymouth. They were meant to land further south. Some of the passengers questioned their right to the land, objecting that there was no legal authority to establish a colony and hence no guarantee of retaining ownership of the land they’d improved. In response to this, a group of colonists drafted and signed the Mayflower Compact.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-connections-to-the-mayflower">Genetic Connections to the Mayflower</h2>



This latest 23andMe Ancestry Service update allows customers to determine if they are connected through shared ancestors to people who trace their genealogy back to the Mayflower. Customers linked to this group report ancestors primarily from the Massachusetts communities of Boston, Providence, New Bedford, Lynn, Springfield, Worcester, Hartford, Brockton, Weymouth, New London, Fall River, and Quincy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-virginia-colony-and-jamestown">The Virginia Colony and Jamestown</h2>



Before the settlers landed at Plymouth, the first permanent English settlement in the Americas was established at Jamestown in what was to become the Virginia Colony.



Unlike the settlers on the Mayflower, who were escaping religious persecution, the 100 or so men who settled at Jamestown in 1607 came to make money for the investors in the Virginia Company. Like at Plymouth, the survival of the colonists at Jamestown was tenuous at first.



The colonists and their indigenous neighbors, the Powhatan Confederacy, skirmished, and there were years of warfare; after the wedding in 1614 of Pocahontas, the daughter of a Powhatan chief, and John Rolfe, a tobacco grower, there were several years of peace between the colonists and the Powhatan until the early 1620s.



In 1619, the first<a href="https://historicjamestowne.org/history/the-first-africans/"> 20 enslaved Africans</a> were brought to Jamestown, beginning more than 200 years of slavery in what would become the United States.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-connections-to-the-virginia-colony">Genetic Connections to the Virginia Colony</h2>



This update allows members with British &amp; Irish ancestry to determine if they are connected through shared ancestors to people who trace their genealogy back to the Virginia Colony and possibly Jamestown. Many in this Genetic Group report ancestors from communities in what are now the states of Virginia and West Virginia Richmond, Lynchburg, Nashville, Danville, Petersburg, Amherst, Bedford, Halifax, Gretna, Charlottesville, Buena Vista, and Roanoke.



Jamestown was the initial capital of the Colony of Virginia until 1699 when it was moved to Williamsburg. While the earliest settlers were British, Poles and Slovak craftsmen arrived early in the colony&#8217;s history. Over the years, people of other nationalities—French Huguenots, Germans, Scottish, and Irish immigrants—eventually settled there.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-find-out-more">Find out more</h2>



If you are a 23andMe customer with the <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/218392668-Upgrading-to-23andMe-s-Newest-Chip-Version">latest genotyping chip</a>, V5, you can see your results in your Ancestry Composition report. 



Curious if you’re connected? Discover23andMe’s <a href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/">Ancestry Service and more</a>.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-list-of-the-18-colonial-british-amp-irish-genetic-groups-in-the-united-states">List of the 18 Colonial British &amp; Irish Genetic Groups in the United States</h2>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Mayflower Descendants</li>



<li>Virginia Colonial Americans</li>



<li>St. Mary&#8217;s Descendants in Maryland and Kentucky</li>



<li>Northern Georgia and Alabama Colonial Americans</li>



<li>Coastal South Carolina Colonial Americans</li>



<li>Coastal Georgia Colonial Americans</li>



<li>Southern Mississippi and Alabama Colonial Americans</li>



<li>Coastal North Carolina Colonial Americans</li>



<li>North Carolina Piedmont Colonial Americans</li>



<li>&nbsp;Northern Alabama Colonial Americans</li>



<li>&nbsp;North Carolina Mountains Colonial Americans</li>



<li>&nbsp;Western South Carolina Colonial Americans</li>



<li>&nbsp;Blue Ridge Mountains Colonial Americans</li>



<li>&nbsp;Central Appalachian Mountains Colonial Americans</li>



<li>&nbsp;Central Alabama and Georgia Colonial Americans</li>



<li>&nbsp;Southern Coastal Plain Colonial Americans</li>



<li>&nbsp;New England Colonial Americans</li>



<li>&nbsp;Northeast Colonial Americans&nbsp;</li>
</ol>

An image of a traditional masts ship like the Mayflower.

Are You Genetically Connected to Early Colonial Americans?

A new update to the 23andMe+ Premium™ Historical MatchesSM feature allows members to learn if they are genetically connected to Vikings massacred in the Kingdom of England on November 13th, 1002 CE. This historical event came to be known as the St. Brice’s Day Massacre because it occurred on the feast day of St. Brice, a French cleric who lived in the 5th Century and was later canonized.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="178" height="300" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Ethelred_the_Unready-178x300.jpg" alt="A medieval print of King Aethelred the Unready" class="wp-image-33487" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Ethelred_the_Unready-178x300.jpg 178w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Ethelred_the_Unready-606x1024.jpg 606w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Ethelred_the_Unready-521x880.jpg 521w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Ethelred_the_Unready-699x1180.jpg 699w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Ethelred_the_Unready.jpg 710w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 178px) 100vw, 178px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">King Aethelred the Unready</figcaption></figure>



It’s a grim connection to the past, but this new update adds to the more than 500 historical individuals in 23andMe’s innovative<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches"> Historical Matches feature</a>.



These historical individuals are people who lived hundreds or thousands of years ago, including those killed on St. Brice’s Day from what is known as the Viking Age and individuals from ancient Rome, ancient China, or medieval Central Europe, to name a few. Some are known historical individuals like Beethoven, but most are nameless, like those killed over a thousand years ago on St. Brice’s Day.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-historical-matches-are-made">How Historical Matches Are Made</h2>



<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches">Historical Matches</a> identify places in your genome where you share identical DNA with ancient or historical individuals whose genomes have been sequenced, typically from archaeological studies.



For this latest update, the data comes from a 2020 study of the<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32939067/"> genomics of the Viking World</a>.



As part of that study, researchers sequenced the genomes of historical individuals buried in two mass graves in England—one in Oxford and one in Dorset—providing new insights into their ancestry. 23andMe scientists have added publicly available data from 27 of these historical individuals who were very likely killed during the St. Brice’s Day Massacre.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happened-on-st-brice-s-day">What Happened on St. Brice’s Day?</h2>



In the late 10th and early 11th centuries, the Kingdom of England faced relentless raids by Danish Vikings. Believing that the Danes were plotting to overthrow him, King Æthelred II of England, known as “Æthelred the Unready,” ordered a mass execution of all Danish settlers in his kingdom.&nbsp;



Historians do not know how many people were killed on that day, but among those reportedly killed was Gunnhild, the sister of Denmark’s King Sweyn Forkbeard, along with her husband. Enraged by the murder of his sister and brother-in-law, Sweyn intensified his raids on England, eventually seizing the English throne in 1013 CE and forcing Æthelred into exile. However, Sweyn’s rule of England was short-lived; he died just five weeks later due to unknown causes (some sources say that he fell from a horse, while others say that he was killed).&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unearthing-the-past-through-archaeology">Unearthing the Past through Archaeology</h2>



 In 2008, excavations on the grounds of St. John’s College at Oxford University led to the discovery of a mass grave that contained the remains of 33 men and two teenage boys. The skeletal remains showed evidence of sharp-force trauma, with wounds often inflicted from behind, suggesting the victims were attempting to flee.



A year later, in 2009, another mass grave was discovered in Dorset England, that contained the remains of about 50 men. Similar to the Oxford site, the men died violently. In this case, all had been decapitated, with their bodies carelessly thrown into the burial pit and their heads piled together at the southern edge of the grave.&nbsp;



Although no historical records directly link either of these mass graves to the St. Brice’s Day Massacre, radiocarbon dating of the skeletal remains align with the date of this event. Further, the violent nature of the injuries the individuals sustained and the careless way in which they were buried are consistent with a massacre, offering further evidence of the brutal actions taken on that day.



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



If you are a 23andMe+ Premium member, you can check it out to learn more about the St. Brice’s Day Massacre and to find out if you are distantly related to the Danish Vikings who died on this day in history or to hundreds of other historical individuals.&nbsp;



 Not yet a member? Learn more about <a href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/">all that 23andMe+ offers here</a>.

A photo showing the archeological dig where the skeletal remains of Vikings believed to be killed in the St. Brice's Day Massacre in Oxford England.

Are you related to Vikings killed in the St. Brice’s Day Massacre?

Just in time for family gatherings this holiday season, 23andMe launched a new Records &amp; ArchivesSM feature that promises to make family tree building more accessible for its 23andMe+ Premium members customers.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/How-to-build-image@2x-1-1024x576.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-33470" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/How-to-build-image@2x-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/How-to-build-image@2x-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/How-to-build-image@2x-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/How-to-build-image@2x-1-880x495.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/How-to-build-image@2x-1-1180x664.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-branches-on-the-family-tree">New Branches on the Family Tree</h2>



This easy-to-use tool leverages census records from the United States, Canada, and the UK and death records from the US. Enter a relative’s name and birthdate, and Records &amp; Archives will search through historical documents to find a match and new information via ‘hints.’ While not yet a comprehensive records search, the new feature can help identify possible relatives in your family tree. We hope to add new functionality in the months ahead.



These hints may also uncover unknown family members, helping you create a fuller picture of your heritage.&nbsp;



The tool takes some of the work out of building a simple family tree. It can help those looking to add names, dates, and hometowns to their family tree and map out relationships along the branches of that tree.



With this new feature, users can go beyond genetic testing and learn more about relatives who never had the chance to submit DNA samples, enriching their family tree with new names, dates, and relationships.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="803" height="1024" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/records_archives_01-803x1024.png" alt="" class="wp-image-33471" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/records_archives_01-803x1024.png 803w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/records_archives_01-235x300.png 235w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/records_archives_01-768x980.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/records_archives_01-690x880.png 690w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/records_archives_01-925x1180.png 925w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/records_archives_01.png 1537w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 803px) 100vw, 803px" /></figure>



The hints from 23andMe&#8217;s Records &amp; Archives help users fill in the gaps, uncover lost branches of their family history, and add depth to the information they&#8217;ve already gathered.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-few-clicks-to-build-new-connections">A Few Clicks to Build New Connections</h2>



The new Records &amp; Archives feature makes genealogical research more accessible and efficient.



It&#8217;s a simple but powerful way for customers to go beyond their DNA relatives and fill out their family trees using historical records. With just a few clicks, 23andMe+ Premium customers can now discover long-lost connections, solve a puzzle in their family history, or deepen their understanding of their heritage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-find-out-more">Find out More</h2>



All customers can add to their Family Tree and see if there are record matches, but only 23andMe+ Premium customers in the United States, Canada, and the UK can see details of those record matches and save them to their tree.&nbsp;&nbsp;



23andMe Ancestry Service or Health + Ancestry Service customers can go <a href="https://you.23andme.com/chip-upgrade/">here to upgrade</a> to 23andMe+ Premium to use Records &amp; Archives.



Not yet a customer? Learn more about<a href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/"> all that 23andMe offers here</a>.

Records and Archives

Every October, we celebrate Italian-American Heritage Month, which honors the accomplishments of Italian immigrants and Italian-Americans, who comprise the fifth-largest ethnic group in the United States. In celebration, 23andMe+ Premium members, using the Historical MatchesSM feature, “Historical Matches,” can now discover how they are genetically connected to the ancient inhabitants of one of Italy’s most famous cities: Rome.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-ancient-city-of-rome">The Ancient City of Rome</h2>



Rome was founded in the 8th century BCE. At the time, it was one of many independently governed city-states on the Italian Peninsula. By its peak, during the Imperial Period (27 BCE–476 CE), Rome had grown into a major cosmopolitan city with over one million inhabitants. It served as a center of commerce that linked people and goods from throughout the Mediterranean, the Near East, North Africa, and beyond.



The city of Rome served as the capital of the Roman Empire from its founding in 27 BCE until 330 CE when Emperor Constantine moved the capital to Byzantium (renaming it Constantinople in his honor). After losing its status as a capital city, Rome gradually lost its political prominence and experienced a dramatic decline in population size. Following the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century CE, Rome’s population fell to less than 100,000 people. It wasn’t until around the 14th century CE that the population size began to increase again.&nbsp;



Despite its fluctuating political status, Rome endures as a cultural and religious center to the present day.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-roman-genomes-throughout-history">Ancient Roman Genomes Throughout History</h2>



In 2019, scientists sequenced the genomes of 127 individuals from 29 archaeological sites in and around the ancient city of Rome. To learn how the genetics of people living in the region changed over time, they sampled individuals who lived in the region over the past 12,000 years, from hunter-gatherers during the Mesolithic period (10,000–6,000 BCE) to the city’s inhabitants during the Medieval and Early Modern periods (700–1800 CE).&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="667" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Lupa_Capitolina_Rome-1-1024x667.jpg" alt="A bronze statue of the Capitoline Wolf nursing Romulus and Remus. " class="wp-image-33447" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Lupa_Capitolina_Rome-1-1024x667.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Lupa_Capitolina_Rome-1-300x195.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Lupa_Capitolina_Rome-1-768x500.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Lupa_Capitolina_Rome-1-880x573.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Lupa_Capitolina_Rome-1-1180x768.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Lupa_Capitolina_Rome-1.jpg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A bronze statue of the Capitoline Wolf nursing the mythical twin founders of Rome, Romulus, and Remus. </figcaption></figure>



The majority of the individuals that they studied lived in Rome during three key periods:&nbsp;



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>The Roman Republic (509–27 BCE): Following the overthrow of the last Roman king (Lucius Tarquinius Superbus) in 509 BCE, the ancient Romans established the first republic–a system of governance in which power was shared through a complex system of checks and balances, giving members of the public increasing rights over time. During this period, the ancestry of the ancient inhabitants of Rome started to appear similar to that of many present-day Mediterranean populations.&nbsp;</li>



<li>Imperial Rome (27 BCE–300 CE): This period spans the height of the Roman Empire, beginning when Augustus declared himself the first emperor of Rome and ending around the time when Emperor Diocletian established the Tetrarchy, dividing the rule of the Roman Empire among two emperors and their successors. This division paved the way for the eventual split of the empire into the Eastern and Western Roman Empires. During this period, ancient Rome’s inhabitants had highly variable ancestry, exhibiting strong connections to populations from the eastern Mediterranean and the Near East.</li>



<li>Late Antiquity (300–700 CE): During the Late Antique Period, Rome experienced a dramatic decline in its political influence and population size. The inhabitants of Rome continued to be highly diverse, but Central and Northern European-related ancestry started to become more common, possibly as a result of contact with invading populations, including the Visigoths, Vandals, and Lombards.</li>
</ol>



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



In honor of Italian-American Heritage Month, we have added 25 historical individuals from these three critical periods in Roman history to our Historical Matches feature. 



If you are a 23andMe+ Premium member, you can check it out to learn more about the ancient Romans and find out if you are distantly related to them or hundreds of other historical individuals.&nbsp;



Not yet a member? Learn more about <a href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/">all that 23andMe+ offers here</a>.

New Historical Matches Could Connect You to the Ancient Romans

Recently, 23andMe significantly improved relationship estimates with two new updates: a new algorithm that improves predictions for distant relatives and HybridIBDSM, a new method to determine DNA Relatives.



These improvements are particularly beneficial for those who use 23andMe to find connections with their most distant DNA Relatives. Whether you&#8217;re a hobbyist dabbling in genealogy or a dedicated researcher tracing distant branches of your family tree, these changes will provide better insights to help you delve more into your genetic connections.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-these-updates-mean-for-you">What These Updates Mean for You</h2>



With these updates, all customers will receive improved relationship predictions. These predictions will help you uncover older family connections that may date back much further than previously possible.



Existing 23andMe+ Premium and Total Health members will automatically be computed using the new HybridIBD algorithm. This will result in new and improved distant relatives. This update will provide more reliable insights for your genealogy research. 



All new 23andMe ancestry customers will be computed using the new HybridIBD algorithm.&nbsp;



Existing Ancestry and Health + Ancestry Service customers who want their results to be computed using the HybridIBD algorithm should upgrade to 23andMe+ Premium or Total Health.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ibd-the-science-behind-your-genetic-matches">IBD: The Science Behind Your Genetic Matches</h2>



Have you ever wondered what the signature of genetic relatedness is? The hallmark of genetic relatedness is long tracts of DNA shared between two people. Using shared DNA to estimate relatedness is called identity-by-descent (IBD). 



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="280" height="300" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/61EhXFDmQL._AC_SL1500_-280x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-33274" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/61EhXFDmQL._AC_SL1500_-280x300.jpg 280w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/61EhXFDmQL._AC_SL1500_-768x822.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/61EhXFDmQL._AC_SL1500_-957x1024.jpg 957w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/61EhXFDmQL._AC_SL1500_-822x880.jpg 822w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/61EhXFDmQL._AC_SL1500_-1102x1180.jpg 1102w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/61EhXFDmQL._AC_SL1500_.jpg 1121w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 280px) 100vw, 280px" /></figure>



We use IBD extensively within 23andMe, especially in our feature, DNA Relatives. DNA Relatives shows customers how close their relationships are.&nbsp; We are launching these two updates to improve the accuracy of our relationship predictions. The first update changes our method of making relationship estimates from IBD data. The second update improves the algorithm we use to detect IBD in the first place.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improved-relationship-predictions">Improved Relationship Predictions</h2>



You may have noticed that your predictions from 23andMe and other companies top out around the 5th or 6th cousins. This is regardless of how far down the list of relatives you scroll. For the better part of two decades, researchers have thought that the most distant relationship we could detect using IBD was around 15 degrees. This corresponds roughly to an 8th cousin who shares a common ancestor during the American Revolutionary War. It has long been possible to detect small shared segments that arose hundreds of generations in the past. However, it was thought that the long shared DNA segments detected among genotyped individuals in large databases like that of 23andMe represented relatively recent relationships.



Most relatives inferred by 23andMe are probably moderately distant, perhaps from 4th to 15th cousins. However, a new 23andMe paper released earlier this year demonstrated that the most distant relationship we can detect may be closer to a few hundred degrees. This corresponds to a common ancestor who lived thousands of years ago, perhaps before the rise of the Roman Empire.



There are two primary reasons existing relationship estimates do not go back that far. First, existing inference methods underestimate the probability that distant relatives share IBD. These estimators assume that each pair of distant relatives is connected through only one genealogical lineage. This can be a reasonable assumption when two relatives are closely related, but the assumption breaks down when we consider relationships whose common ancestors lived many generations in the past. In the distant past, each person shared many common ancestors with each of their relatives. Each person is connected to their ancestors by many different lineages, a phenomenon known as “pedigree collapse”.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-published-research-on-relationship-inference">Published Research on Relationship Inference</h2>



<a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.05.13.594005v1.full.pdf">Our recent pape</a>r pointed out that the formulas underlying existing relationship inference methods don’t account for pedigree collapse. The fact that we are connected to each of our relatives many times over means that there are many paths for DNA transmission, not just one. This leads to a higher probability than we thought of sharing DNA with very distant relatives. As a result, there is a reasonable chance of sharing DNA with someone through an ancestor who lived many hundreds or even thousands of years in the past.



The second reason existing relationship estimators underestimate relationships is that they are applied almost exclusively to pairs of individuals known to share IBD in the first place. Genetic testing companies use a two-step procedure to identify your relatives. First, they find people with whom they share IBD. Next, they use this IBD to estimate relationships. However, the formulas that underlie existing relationship estimators aren’t designed for this approach. Instead, the formulas assume that two putative relatives were selected regardless of whether or not they shared IBD. Until our recent paper, it wasn’t well understood that this unintended application of estimators profoundly affected the inferences they made.&nbsp;



Below, Figure 1A shows the result of estimating a relationship using an existing relationship estimator, i.e., without accounting for two people sharing IBD.



In comparison, Figure 1B shows estimates made when accounting for the fact that IBD is shared. Figure 1 shows that existing relationship estimates all have a ceiling of around 10 degrees and are profoundly biased for more distant relationships. In comparison, a new estimator that accounts for observed IBD can generate very deep relationship estimates. Moreover, the higher uncertainty in the latest estimates captures the true range of likely relationships.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="194" height="300" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Estimated-Degree-v-True-Degree-194x300.jpg" alt="Two graphs showing degree of relatedness." class="wp-image-33299" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Estimated-Degree-v-True-Degree-194x300.jpg 194w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Estimated-Degree-v-True-Degree-661x1024.jpg 661w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Estimated-Degree-v-True-Degree-568x880.jpg 568w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Estimated-Degree-v-True-Degree.jpg 678w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 194px) 100vw, 194px" /></figure>



Figure 1: Existing and new relationship estimates. A) A relationship estimator that does not account for the fact that at least one segment of IBD is observed. B) An estimator that accounts for observing at least one segment of IBD.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-introducing-hybridibd-exceptionally-accurate-dna-matching">Introducing HybridIBD: Exceptionally Accurate DNA Matching</h2>



The new DNA relationship estimates described above rely on accurate IBD detection. HybridIBD is a new IBD detection algorithm that combines strengths from two separate 23andMe IBD algorithms to dramatically improve IBD detection. Let&#8217;s take a look at these two algorithms.



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>phasedIBD compares matches between phased genomes, separated into distinct parental contributions. It excels at finding the short IBD segments that connect you to distant relatives. With phasedIBD, segments down to 5 cM or shorter can be identified reliably. This is important for accurately identifying distant relatives!</li>



<li>IBD64 works by comparing unphased genomes, which gives it an advantage for finding long IBD segments shared between close relatives since these are often considerably fragmented by phasing errors. For a more detailed assessment of phasedIBD and IBD64, see the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaa328">paper authored by 23andMe scientists in Molecular Biology and Evolution</a>.</li>
</ul>



With HybridIBD, every new genome is first analyzed by phasedIBD to find distant relatives. Then, any pair sharing a significant amount of IBD has refined their IBD using IBD64. This dual approach leverages the strengths of each algorithm, improving the overall accuracy of DNA Relatives.



We&#8217;ve developed a robust and scalable pipeline for HybridIBD that processes new customers against our database of over 15 million individuals, discovering approximately 300 million new relationships daily!



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benefits-for-23andme-customers">Benefits for 23andMe Customers</h2>



When the new relationship estimators are implemented, all 23andMe customers can expect improved distant relative predictions for many relatives currently predicted as second cousins or higher. &nbsp;Customers will also see improvements in some close relationship predictions, especially first cousins, as the new estimator better accounts for age differences between you and your relatives.



Customers with Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry will see particularly large improvements in their distant relative predictions because our new relationship estimator better accounts for pedigree collapse, which was particularly strong in the historical Ashkenazi population. The new, wider confidence intervals also better capture the true range of likely relationships.



Customers’ results computed with HybridIBD can expect further changes. First, the accuracy of distant DNA Relatives will increase significantly. With phasedIBD now responsible for identifying distant relatives, many previous identifications made by IBD64 will be superseded by more accurate matches from phasedIBD. Two particular improvements to call out are that customers with South Asian, West Asian, or North African ancestries will find fewer DNA relationships with customers with only European ancestry, and customers with East Asian ancestries will see significantly more accurate second, third, and fourth-cousin relationships.



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



If you’re curious to learn more about the science behind these updates, we recommend checking out these papers:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.05.13.594005.">Ethan M. Jewett and the 23andMe Research Team (2024). Correcting model misspecification in relationship estimates bioRxiv.</a> </li>



<li><a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaa328">&#8220;Fast and Robust Identity-by-Descent Inference with the Templated Positional Burrows-Wheeler Transform&#8221; by Freyman, W. A., et al., in Molecular Biology and Evolution (2021).</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-find-out-more">Find out more</h2>



23andMe customers can see their<a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/ancestry_composition_hd/"> Ancestry Composition</a>.&nbsp;



Are you still waiting to be a customer? Find out more about 23andMe’s<a href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/">&nbsp; Ancestry Service and other services</a>.

Improvements to DNA Relatives: New HybridIBD Algorithm and Relationship Predictions

23andMe&#8217;s new <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/new-23andme-update-connects-many-african-american-customers-to-southern-roots">African American Genetic Groups feature</a> leans heavily on science, but it also relies on the well-crafted writing of Jalen Robinson, a third-year medical student at Morehouse School of Medicine who worked over the summer as an intern with the 23andMe Research Equity and Partnership team and helped build this feature. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="536" height="695" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Jalen-R-e1729182003758.png" alt="23andMe intern and Morehouse College of Medicine student Jalen Robinson." class="wp-image-33409" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Jalen-R-e1729182003758.png 536w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Jalen-R-e1729182003758-231x300.png 231w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 536px) 100vw, 536px" /></figure>



Robinson, from Newton, Georgia, a rural community of 600, knows a lot about what places like his own hometown and others like it have to offer. Proud of where he comes from, he&#8217;s also motivated to give back and decided to go to medical school partly because he saw how the lack of access to healthcare in his community had affected the lives of friends and family members who died of preventable diseases. Becoming a doctor allows him to improve access to medical care in rural and underserved communities in the South.



His work on the African American Genetic Groups feature isn&#8217;t about healthcare but about recognizing these communities&#8217; cultural, political, and historical importance.



We sat down with Jalen to hear a little about what he learned during this project and what he hopes customers will use this feature.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-medical-school">Why Medical School</h2>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>You were motivated to attend medical school because you saw how a lack of access to healthcare in rural communities like yours costs lives. It&#8217;s not a parallel, but many small communities feel forgotten. Would helping people reconnect with their roots help people seeking to make these connections and communities?&nbsp;</li>
</ol>



Absolutely! I believe that helping people reconnect with their roots can be incredibly powerful for both individuals and communities. Growing up in a small town, I&#8217;ve experienced the deep pride and identity tied to shared history and values. Fostering these connections empowers residents to advocate for better healthcare and resources.



When people understand and feel more connected to their roots, they often become more engaged in their community&#8217;s well-being. This can lead to increased support for local healthcare initiatives, participation in outreach programs, or even a return home to contribute to the growth of their communities.



Ultimately, I hope this reconnection fosters a stronger sense of community ownership and collaboration. By working together, communities can identify their needs and develop solutions, ensuring everyone feels heard and has access to the care they deserve. Beyond improving health outcomes, this renewal can enhance the community spirit, creating a cycle of support and growth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-researching-african-american-genetic-groups">Researching African American Genetic Groups</h2>



<ol start="2" class="wp-block-list">
<li>You wrote up the descriptions of these broader African American Genetic Groups. Did you learn anything you didn&#8217;t already know or were surprised during your research?</li>
</ol>



Yes, I definitely learned a lot, which surprised me during my research. Growing up in southwest Georgia, I was unaware of the variety of genetic groups present in Georgia and throughout the southeastern United States. I didn’t realize how historical migration patterns have shaped genetic variations or how significant the influence of different regions and ancestral backgrounds has shaped the current genetic landscape.



During my research, I was particularly struck by the lasting impact that African Americans have had on culture, food, dance, music, language, and more. My purpose for this content section was to acknowledge the history of slavery and its role in the migration of African Americans to these areas while primarily highlighting the contributions and unique aspects of African Americans within these different groups. 



As I explored each genetic group, I was amazed by the rich histories associated with them. I discovered various languages, cuisines, and pastimes that reflect this heritage. Learning how African ancestry is celebrated through numerous parades, festivals, and events was inspiring. Additionally, I found that people can experience this history firsthand by visiting museums and historical societies dedicated to preserving and sharing these stories.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-african-american-experience">The African American Experience</h2>



<ol start="3" class="wp-block-list">
<li>One of the fascinating aspects of DNA is that beyond just telling you about genetic predispositions or your ancestral background, it can reveal historical events, migration, and, as 23andMe&#8217;s Steven Micheletti has shown with his published work, the impact of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. What aspect of America&#8217;s history do you think this new feature reveals?</li>
</ol>



One of the most significant aspects this new feature reveals is the complex nature of the African American experience throughout history. By tracing genetic connections and migration patterns, we gain insight into the lasting impact of historical events like the Transatlantic Slave Trade and how they shaped family lineages and communities. 



This feature encourages uncomfortable conversations about events often overlooked in history. It allows us to confront the realities of slavery and understand how African Americans migrated to various regions within the U.S.



Moreover, it highlights the resilience of African Americans and their substantial contributions to communities. Their lasting impact is evident today in culture, language, food, music, and celebrations that honor African ancestry. Additionally, this feature gives individuals previously unaware of their ancestral lineage the chance to explore the genetic groups they are matched with, fostering a greater understanding and a deeper connection to their heritage. This newfound knowledge can empower people to celebrate their roots and fully engage with their cultural identity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insights-from-23andme">Insights from 23andMe</h2>



<ol start="4" class="wp-block-list">
<li>You&#8217;ve used 23andMe, what did you learn most helpful for you?</li>
</ol>



Using 23andMe has been incredibly insightful for me. One of the most helpful aspects has been the ability to trace my ancestry and understand the diverse genetic backgrounds that contribute to my heritage. 



As an African American male, I knew my roots traced back to Africa, but it was exciting to pinpoint specific countries and see the percentage of my ancestry from each. I also found learning about my European, Indigenous American, and Caribbean ancestry composition fascinating. Discovering the specific genetic groups I’m connected to added even more depth to my understanding of my heritage.



I recently received my results, which showed a high probability of my ancestry being linked to African Americans from Mitchell and Baker Counties. This made sense, given my family&#8217;s long history in Baker County. 



However, I was surprised to find a 99 percent probability match to the Savannah River Basin African Americans genetic group, which includes Edgefield, Aiken, and Saluda counties in South Carolina, near the Savannah River that forms much of the South Carolina-Georgia border. I didn’t know of any ancestors from that area, so this discovery opened up new avenues for tracing my roots and exploring whether my ancestors might have migrated to Baker County.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-surprises">Some Surprises</h2>



<ol start="5" class="wp-block-list">
<li>You also recently reviewed your ancestry results with Steven. What stood out as the most exciting thing for you and your family?</li>
</ol>



In addition to understanding my ancestry composition and specific genetic group connections, the health reports were the most exciting aspects for my family and me. My paternal family has a history of various cancers, while my maternal family has a history of diabetes and cataracts. I’ve always been curious about my risk for specific health issues.



The health report revealed that I had no variants detected for certain types of cancers 23andme tests for, which was reassuring. However, it noted that I am at elevated risk for Type 2 diabetes, something I was already aware of. Interestingly, I also had two variants detected for age-related macular degeneration, which indicates a slightly increased risk of developing that disorder. Additionally, I carry one of the two genetic variants tested for APOL1-related chronic kidney disease.



Before the health report, I was unaware of these findings and didn’t know I was at risk for these conditions. With this knowledge, I am empowered to take proactive steps and consult with my medical providers on ways to reduce the risk of developing them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-others-might-learn">What Others Might Learn</h2>



<ol start="6" class="wp-block-list">
<li>What do you hope customers take away from using this new feature?</li>
</ol>



I hope customers gain a greater sense of identity and belonging using this new feature. I want them to learn more about their ancestral composition, discover where their ancestors originated from, and understand any potential health risks they may face. 



This knowledge can empower them to connect more deeply with their heritage and make informed decisions about their health and well-being.

A map showing all the African American Genetic Groups

Working on 23andMe’s African American Genetic Groups Project

A group of people enslaved to the Confederate General Thomas Drayton, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, in May 1862.

Ancestry Service — Page 5