(Editor&#8217;s note 7/8/2024: This post has been edited and updated since it first posted in 2019.) This new <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-ancestry/">ancestry breakdown</a> in Central and South Asia is currently available to customers on the latest version of our genotyping platform who are signed up for our Beta Program. This update significantly advances Asian DNA testing, offering more detailed and accurate results. 
South Asian people represent around a quarter of the world’s population but are severely underrepresented in global genetic studies. This makes it difficult for companies like 23andMe to build granular genetic ancestry prediction models for their South Asian customers. However, thanks to ongoing feedback from 23andMe customers with South Asian ancestry and outreach efforts such as our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/global-genetics/">Global Genetics Project</a>, we are now testing an extensive update to our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-ancestry">Ancestry Composition</a> feature that dramatically improves results for customers with Central and South Asian ancestry.
If you have genetic ancestry from Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, or Nepal, your 23andMe <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-ancestry/">Ancestry Composition</a> results may have looked something like this:
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26955 size-large" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.48-AM-1024x432.png" alt="23andMe Ancestry Composition Update - Map of Central and South Asia" width="1024" height="432" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.48-AM-1024x432.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.48-AM-300x127.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.48-AM-768x324.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.48-AM-880x371.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.48-AM-1180x498.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
But now, 23andMe’s updated Ancestry Composition report (currently in beta testing with customers)  breaks down Central &amp; South Asia into seven populations:
<ol>
<li>Central Asian (Afghan, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Pashtun, Pakistani from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Tajik, Uzbek, Turkmen)</li>
<li>Bangladeshi &amp; Northeast Indian (Assamese, Bangladeshi)</li>
<li>Central &amp; Southern Indian (name of group TBD)</li>
<li>Gujarati Patel</li>
<li>Kannadiga, Tamil, Telugu &amp; Sri Lankan</li>
<li>Malayali</li>
<li>North Indian &amp; South Pakistani (Bihari, Burusho, Chhattisgarhi, Goan, Gujarati, Haryanvi, Kashmiri, Madhya Pradeshi, Maharashtrian, Odia, Punjabi, Rajasthani, Sindhi, Uttarakhandi, Uttar Pradeshi).</li>
</ol>
Here is a sample report with updated results. This individual has ancestry from three of the seven populations highlighted on the map.
<h6><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26954 size-large" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.04-AM-1024x589.png" alt="23andMe Genetic Clustering Techniques for Central and South Asia" width="1024" height="589" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.04-AM-1024x589.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.04-AM-300x173.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.04-AM-768x442.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.04-AM-880x506.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-14-at-10.44.04-AM-1180x679.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></h6>
<h2>How did we identify these new genetic regions in Central &amp; South Asia?</h2>
The first step toward increasing the granularity of Ancestry Composition in Central &amp; South Asia and enhancing the precision of our Asian ancestry test was to build a reference dataset from populations within the regions.
We started with publicly available datasets, including the 1000 Genomes Project (Bangladeshis, Gujaratis, Punjabis, Tamils, and Telugu-speakers) and the Human Genome Diversity Project (Burusho and Sindhi). Next, we added research-consented customers who reported that all four of their grandparents were from a country in Central or South Asia. This effort significantly enhances the accuracy of Asian DNA testing by expanding the reference panel used in Ancestry Composition. Previously, the panel included 1,022 South Asian individuals, but this update more than doubles the size of the panel to 2,696, of which 2,164 are 23andMe customers.
After assembling this group of Central and South Asian individuals, we used genetic clustering techniques to identify distinguishable populations. These techniques allow us to generate two-dimensional plots wherein each individual is represented by a single point. Points corresponding to individuals who are genetically similar to one another generally appear close to one another in these plots, forming clouds, or “clusters,” of points.
To figure out which individuals defined each cluster, we colored each data point by the locations, ethnicities, or languages of their ancestors.
Sometimes, a cluster’s label is pretty easy to figure out: for example, here’s an older scatter plot of our European reference individuals (you can find the whole plot with a legend in our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/ancestry-composition-guide/">Ancestry Composition Guide</a>), in which we observed that Sardinians form a distinct genetic cluster. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26952 size-large" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-15-at-12.53.17-PM-1024x739.png" alt="23andMe Genetic Clusters - Scatter Plot of Central and South Asian Populations" width="1024" height="739" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-15-at-12.53.17-PM-1024x739.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-15-at-12.53.17-PM-300x217.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-15-at-12.53.17-PM-768x555.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-15-at-12.53.17-PM-880x635.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-15-at-12.53.17-PM-1180x852.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-15-at-12.53.17-PM.png 1986w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
<h2>What about Population Clusters in Central &amp; South Asia?</h2>
In a <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/423632v1">recent study</a>, the authors of a group at McGill University in Montreal identified distinct genetic clusters in South Asia.
In this figure (modified from reference 1), we have removed populations from other world regions for clarity. Note that there are two distinct clusters composed of people who say their ancestors were born in Gujarat. Who are these Gujaratis? And what makes them different from other Gujaratis?
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-26953 size-large" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-19-at-4.51.08-PM-1024x670.png" alt="23andMe Genetic Clusters - Scatter Plot of Central and South Asian Populations" width="1024" height="670" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-19-at-4.51.08-PM-1024x670.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-19-at-4.51.08-PM-300x196.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-19-at-4.51.08-PM-768x503.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-19-at-4.51.08-PM-880x576.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-19-at-4.51.08-PM-1180x772.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Screen-Shot-2019-03-19-at-4.51.08-PM.png 1375w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
23andMe also identified this distinct group of Gujaratis. Through further analyses, surveys, and confirmation from Beta testers, we determined that most individuals have the last name Patel. The Patels of Gujarat are a large community from western India that primarily descends from agricultural and merchant classes. (The name “Patel” is derived from the name “Patidar,” which means “landowner.”)
One reason this group might be so different from other populations in Gujarat is that a distinctive genetic heritage developed over the centuries as Patels favored marriage within their community. The practice of marrying within a small cultural, religious, or otherwise closely-knit community is called “endogamy,” and distinct genetic populations that form as the result of endogamy are found all around the world (including French Canadian, Armenian, and Ashkenazi Jewish populations among many others).
<h2>What else did we find?</h2>
Another cluster we identified comprises people from Kerala—the southwestern-most state on the Indian mainland. These individuals were genetically distinguishable from the residents of neighboring states in southern India, like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Other groups, like “Central Asian,” “North Indian &amp; Pakistani,” “Bangladeshi &amp; Northeast Indian,” and “Kannadiga, Telugu, Tamil &amp; Sri Lankan,” were more geographically broad. Still, individual customers may be able to see additional granularity in their <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/ancestry_composition/broadly_south_asian/">Ancestry Detail Reports</a> (see sample report, below, of a customer with known ancestry from Karnataka).
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-26951 aligncenter" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/AC-39-Sample-Report.png" alt="" width="650" height="338" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/AC-39-Sample-Report.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/AC-39-Sample-Report-300x156.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px" />Finally, there’s a group we’re calling “Central &amp; Southern Indian.” We know they’re genetically distinct, and we have a hypothesis about what makes them distinct. Still, we need our customers’ help to learn more about how people with this genetic ancestry might identify. That’s why our Beta testers’ feedback is so important to us. Your feedback helps us identify solutions, enact them, and make 23andMe features even better for all customers.
It is important to remember that people with ancestry from regions where these populations overlap may see population mixtures in their results. For example, many people from Afghanistan have a combination of “Central Asian,” “North Indian &amp; Pakistani,” and “Western Asian” DNA based on the reference populations chosen for this analysis.
We hope that some of these new genetic populations are now easier to interpret and that you learned something fun about genetic analysis along the way.
At the end of the day, identity is determined by many things, and each customer’s experience is unique when they explore their Ancestry Composition results. With this in mind, we invite you to share your thoughts with us, either through the feedback survey in the Central &amp; South Asian Beta report, or by commenting on the forums.
<h2>Reference:</h2>
<ol>
<li>Diaz-Papkovich A et al. (2018). “Revealing multi-scale population structure in large cohorts.” bioRxiv preprint. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/423632.</li>
</ol>

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

23andMe Tests New Asian DNA Test Ancestry Breakdown in Central and South Asia

23andMe+® Premium members can now dive deeper into their heritage with Distant Genetic Groups: a new feature for Ancestry Composition.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="371" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/distant-genetic-groups-France.png" alt="A map showing distant genetic groups in France
" class="wp-image-33021" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/distant-genetic-groups-France.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/distant-genetic-groups-France-300x217.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>



Since the launch of Genetic Groups in 2020 as a new type of detailed results within Ancestry Composition, customers on the V5 chip have been able to see their close matches (previously labeled &#8220;Highly Likely&#8221; or &#8220;Likely&#8221; within the feature). These matches usually represent close family or recent connections.



Over the past few years, many customers have asked if we could go further back in time or lower the shared DNA requirements to find more distant ancestral connections.



To provide these customers with even more information about their more distant connections to Genetic Groups, we evaluated different thresholds at which we felt we could still deliver meaningful results and settled on an approach that achieved these goals.&nbsp;



Thanks to this additional R&amp;D, we are now allowing 23andMe+ Premium members to view their more distant connections to Genetic Groups.&nbsp;



Importantly, we are not removing or hiding Genetic Group matches that non-Premium members can already see. When we release new regions in the future, non-Premium members will still be able to view their very close connections to those regions.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Because of the nature of these analyses and because we are continuing to roll out new Genetic Groups around the world, not all 23andMe+ Premium members have distant Genetic Group matches. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="281" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Distant-Genetic-Groups.png" alt="A map of the world showing where 23andMe has updated Distant Genetic Groups" class="wp-image-33022" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Distant-Genetic-Groups.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Distant-Genetic-Groups-300x165.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Distant-Genetic-Groups-271x149.png 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Distant-Genetic-Groups-372x204.png 372w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>



Recently, we’ve added 36 Genetic Groups in France and Belgium, <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andme-improves-ancestry-results-for-people-with-south-american-levantine-sephardic-and-mizrahi-genetic-ancestry">13 Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewish groups</a>, <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andme-improves-ancestry-results-for-people-with-south-american-levantine-sephardic-and-mizrahi-genetic-ancestry">26 groups in the Levant</a>, and 21 Indigenous American groups in South America, and many more are coming soon.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-genetic-groups-and-what-is-a-distant-connection">What are Genetic Groups, and what is a “Distant” connection?</h2>



Genetic Groups are groups of people with significant genetic similarity to each other, who may share ethnic identities, languages, or other similar characteristics.&nbsp;



“Distant” matches to Genetic Groups reflect meaningful DNA connections to Genetic Groups that may be:&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Further back in time </li>



<li>Through fewer ancestors</li>



<li>Or otherwise harder to detect</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-does-it-mean-to-have-a-distant-match-nbsp">What does it mean to have a Distant match?&nbsp;</h2>



Distant matches can mean different things for different parts of the world, but each match still represents a meaningful amount of shared DNA. Typically, a distant match could mean that you share DNA with multiple people in that Genetic Group but the total amount of shared DNA does not meet our threshold for assigning matches at a higher confidence level.



Sometimes, these matches may reflect very distant ancestral connections, particularly if the population shares high amounts of DNA. Other times, these matches may reflect more recent connections through fewer shared ancestors.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-find-out-if-you-have-distant-genetic-group-connections">How to find out if you have Distant Genetic Group connections</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-medium"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="169" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sephardic-Mizrahi-300x169.png" alt="An image showing Sephardic and Mizrahi ancestral distant genetic groups." class="wp-image-33023" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sephardic-Mizrahi-300x169.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sephardic-Mizrahi.png 512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure>



If you are a 23andMe+ Premium member, visit your Ancestry Composition results and look for “new” tags to see if you have any distant matches. Click on the population or populations with the “new” tag and look for Genetic Groups with a “new” tag and an in-line Distant match strength. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-a-23andme-premium-member">Not a 23andMe+ Premium member? </h2>



If you are not a 23andMe+ Premium member and want to know if you would have any “Distant” Genetic Groups if you were to become a member, follow these steps:



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Indicate in the <a href="https://you.23andme.com/user/consent/tma/">Personalized Recommendations Consent</a> that you would like to receive Personalized Recommendations.</li>



<li>After consenting to receive personalized recommendations, browse your Ancestry Composition results by clicking on each of your populations.</li>



<li>Look for a notification within your detailed ancestry results that you have a Distant Genetic Group match.</li>



<li>Please keep in mind you may not have any Distant Genetic Group connections at this time. </li>
</ol>



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="399" height="512" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/British-Irish-73-percent.png" alt="Ancestry Composition with link to distant genetic groups in Britan and Ireland." class="wp-image-33024" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/British-Irish-73-percent.png 399w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/British-Irish-73-percent-234x300.png 234w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 399px) 100vw, 399px" /></figure>



How to find out if you are a 23andMe+ Premium member:&nbsp;



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Go to your account settings at <a href="https://you.23andme.com/user/">https://you.23andme.com/user/</a></li>



<li>View the “Personal Information” section and find the section called “Membership.” </li>



<li>If you are not a member, it will say, “Not a 23andMe+ Premium member.”</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-else-is-included-with-23andme-premium">What else is included with 23andMe+ Premium</h2>



Do you want to upgrade to 23andMe+ Premium to view your Distant Genetic Group connections but are unsure if it’s worth it just for that?&nbsp;



23andMe+ Premium has so much more, including <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/23andmes-historic-matches">Historical Matches</a>SM, up to 5000 (3x) DNA relatives, Advanced DNA Relative filters, exclusive reports Powered by 23andMe Research including ADHD, depression, atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, migraine, lupus and more. These reports and features are powered by our latest genetic research and peer-reviewed studies.&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Upgrade to 23andMe+ Premium from the Health + Ancestry service: <a href="https://you.23andme.com/subscription/">https://you.23andme.com/subscription/</a></li>



<li>Upgrade to 23andMe+ Premium from Ancestry Only service: <a href="https://you.23andme.com/subscription_ao/?source=historical_matches_web">https://you.23andme.com/subscription_ao/</a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-yet-a-23andme-customer">Not yet a 23andMe customer?</h2>



Purchase a new kit with one year membership included: <a href="https://www.23andme.com/membership/">https://www.23andme.com/membership/</a>&nbsp;

A map of the world showing where 23andMe has updated Distant Genetic Groups

Discover Distant Genetic Groups with 23andMe+ Premium

New 23andMe Italian Genetic Groups for Italian American Heritage Day&nbsp;



Next time you mangi i fusilli bucati, note the similarities between the chewy, spiral noodles and a DNA double helix. Visualize each noodle as a piece of your DNA that links you to your ancestors: this noodle comes from Nonna Elisabetta, and she got it from her Nonna, Vittoria. This noodle comes from great-grandpa Giuseppe. That one from Celestina. You realize Celestina had curly hair like you, not unlike the fusilli bucati you’re savoring.&nbsp;&nbsp;



And perhaps you, like fusilli, trace your roots to southern Italy.&nbsp;



Now, for Italian American Heritage day, October 12th, 2023, 23andMe is introducing 59 new Italian Genetic Groups, to help customers who tested on the <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/218392668-Upgrading-to-23andMe-s-Newest-Chip-Version">latest genotyping chip</a> learn even more about their fusilli, er…rather, their Italian genetic ancestry.&nbsp;



Before we dive into that, a little history. Following the unification of Italy in 1861, southern Italians experienced worsening economic conditions due to policies that heavily favored the industrialized north at the expense of the more agricultural south, in addition to other factors such as soil exhaustion. As a result, between 1880 and the First World War, over four million Italians — most from the southern Italian provinces of Campania, Abruzzo, Apulia, Basilicata, and Sicily — immigrated to the United States.&nbsp;



While many Italians eventually returned home, more remained in the United States and were later joined by other family members — or started families of their own, leaving a lasting imprint on America’s genetic tapestry. Today, <a href="https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/italian-american-heritage-culture-month.html">over 16 million people</a> in the United States report Italian ancestry, making it the fifth-most reported ancestry behind German, English, Irish and “American.”



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="868" height="414" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ancestryitalian_us_R2_global-e1697057601847.png" alt="" class="wp-image-32234" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ancestryitalian_us_R2_global-e1697057601847.png 868w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ancestryitalian_us_R2_global-e1697057601847-300x143.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ancestryitalian_us_R2_global-e1697057601847-768x366.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 868px) 100vw, 868px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">23andMe Italian genetic ancestry around the world</figcaption></figure>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-italian-genetic-ancestry-at-23andme">Italian Genetic Ancestry at 23andMe</h6>



23andMe’s 59 new Italian Genetic Groups reflect the regional differences within the country, with a rich tapestry of dialects, food and culture. Many 23andMe customers who tested on the <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/218392668-Upgrading-to-23andMe-s-Newest-Chip-Version">latest genotyping chip</a> and have Italian ancestry can explore where their DNA traces to in Italy. Over 95% of customers with more than 50% Italian ancestry will receive a match to one or more of these Genetic Groups, and over 63% of customers with more than 5% of Italian ancestry will receive a match.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="638" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Screenshot-2023-10-09-at-9.36.48-AM-1024x638.png" alt="A map of Italy and the regions included in 23andMe's most recent update." class="wp-image-32238" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Screenshot-2023-10-09-at-9.36.48-AM-1024x638.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Screenshot-2023-10-09-at-9.36.48-AM-300x187.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Screenshot-2023-10-09-at-9.36.48-AM-768x479.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Screenshot-2023-10-09-at-9.36.48-AM-880x548.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Screenshot-2023-10-09-at-9.36.48-AM-1180x735.png 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A map showing the locations of the 59 new Italian Genetic Groups</figcaption></figure>



Below are the lists of Genetic Groups 23andMe has added as part of this update (most common matches are in bold)



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-northern-italy">Northern Italy</h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Central Ligurian Apennines and Western Emilia-Romagna</li>



<li>Marche and the Central Adriatic Coast</li>



<li>Western Arno Basin and Magra Valley</li>



<li>Adige River Basin</li>



<li>Central Arno Basin</li>



<li>Western Gulf of Genoa and the Monregalese</li>



<li>Western Po Valley</li>



<li>Central Lombardian Prealps</li>



<li>Central Po Valley</li>



<li>Northern Po Valley</li>



<li>Northwestern Po Valley</li>



<li>Southeastern Po Valley</li>



<li>Dolomites Region</li>



<li>Friuli-Venezia Giulia</li>



<li>Garda Mountains</li>



<li>Modena and Reggio Emilia</li>



<li>Northeastern Venetian Plain</li>



<li>Northwestern Venetian Plain</li>



<li>Southern Venetian Plain</li>



<li>The Valtellina</li>



<li>Western Great Pre-Alpine Lakes</li>



<li>Corsica and Southern France</li>
</ul>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-southern-italy">Southern Italy</h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>La Sila</li>



<li>Latin Valley</li>



<li>Molise</li>



<li>Sangro River Valley</li>



<li>Eastern Bari</li>



<li>Lucanian Apennines</li>



<li>Salento Peninsula</li>



<li>Southern Gulf of Naples</li>



<li>Northern Gulf of Naples</li>



<li>Isthmus of Catanzaro</li>



<li>Irpinia Region</li>



<li>Campanian Valley</li>



<li>Southern Calabrian Apennines</li>



<li>Calabrian Serre</li>



<li>Foggia</li>



<li>Vibo Valentia Peninsula and Gioia Tauro Valley</li>



<li>Volturno Valley and the Matese</li>



<li>Pescara and Vomano Valleys</li>



<li>L’Aquila</li>



<li>Western Bari</li>
</ul>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sicily">Sicily</h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Gulfs of Palermo and Castellammare</li>



<li>Gulf of Termini Imerese</li>



<li>Malta and South Central Sicily</li>



<li>Central Sicily</li>



<li>Eastern Messina</li>



<li>Platani Basin</li>



<li>Southern Trapani</li>



<li>Northern Trapani</li>



<li>Western Messina and the Aeolian Islands</li>



<li>Mount Etna and the Simeto Basin</li>



<li>Eleuterio Basin</li>



<li>Ragusa Hyblaean Plateau</li>



<li>Syracuse Hyblaean Plateau</li>



<li>Sciacca Verdura Basin</li>
</ul>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sardinia">Sardinia</h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Northeastern Sardinian Highlands</li>



<li>Campidano Plain and Gennargentu Mountains</li>



<li>Coghinas, Mannu, and Temo Basins&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



More on the update



About 4 percent of customers who’ve tested on the <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/218392668-Upgrading-to-23andMe-s-Newest-Chip-Version">latest genotyping chip</a> receive a match to one or more Genetic Groups in Southern Italy, 2.4 percent&nbsp; receive a match to one or more groups in Sicily, 1.4 percent to one or more groups in northern Italy, and less than 1% to groups in Sardinia.



Many customers with Italian ancestry may already have a Country Match to Italy, as well as subregion insights.&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-top-5-italian-administrative-subregions-among-23andme-customers-nbsp">The top 5 Italian administrative subregions among 23andMe customers&nbsp;</h6>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Sicily &#8211; 4 million customers share DNA with people who report recent ancestry from Sicily</li>



<li>Campania &#8211; 3 million customers share DNA with people who report recent ancestry from Campania</li>



<li>Calabria &#8211; 2.5 million customers share DNA with people who report recent ancestry from Calabria</li>



<li>Apulia &#8211; 1.9 million customers share DNA with people who report recent ancestry from Apulia&nbsp;</li>



<li>Abruzzo &#8211; 1.7 million customers share DNA with people who report recent ancestry from&nbsp; Abruzzo</li>
</ol>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancestry-composition-update">Ancestry Composition update</h6>



23andMe&#8217;s Ancestry Composition report is a living analysis that improves as we add new reference data. Underlying our Ancestry reports are powerful algorithms and analytical tools developed by 23andMe population geneticists and engineers to offer our customers more insights into their ancestral origins.



Over the last few years, we&#8217;ve updated results to allow our customers to see more detail about their connections to specific geographic regions that also correspond to cultural and linguistic regions.&nbsp;&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-find-out-more">Find out more</h6>



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



Not yet a customer? Find out more about <a href="https://www.23andme.com/compare-dna-tests/">23andMe’s Ancestry Service and other services</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="626" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/fare_una_bella_figura-1024x626.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-32237" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/fare_una_bella_figura-1024x626.jpeg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/fare_una_bella_figura-300x183.jpeg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/fare_una_bella_figura-768x470.jpeg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/fare_una_bella_figura-880x538.jpeg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/fare_una_bella_figura-1180x722.jpeg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/fare_una_bella_figura.jpeg 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-parting-thoughts">Parting thoughts</h6>



We leave you with a taste of Italy — Learn how to fare una bella figura



Ever wonder what the secret is to an elderly Italian gentleman’s impeccable outfit — like a perfectly draped scarf? Or why an Italian chef can make a few simple ingredients (fresh basil, mozzarella, and ripe tomato) taste so delicious? Fare una bella figura translates to “to make a beautiful impression,” and captures the essence of how Italians aspire to bring aesthetic beauty to everything they do and make.



Happy Italian American Heritage Day!

A heatmap of the United States showing concentrations of 23andMe customers with Italian Ancestry.

Italian Genes and American Dreams

23andMe has added finer detail for customers with roots that trace back to Spain and Portugal.



This update is part of our continuing work to improve our Ancestry reports and features. It will also allow customers with ancestry from those regions to see connections back to 43 genetic groups. These groups include 29 in Spain (including the Canary and Balearic archipelagos). In addition there are another 14 in Portugal (including the Azores and Madeira archipelagos). The update will affect about 10 percent of our customers who tested on our <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/218392668-Upgrading-to-23andMe-s-Newest-Chip-Version">latest genotyping chip</a>. 



Spain and Portugal&#8217;s long colonial history means that many individuals with roots in the Americas may also see how those trace back to the Iberian Peninsula. Spain and Portugal have distinct and rich cultures and histories, but their histories also intertwine. Part of that history includes centuries of exploration, colonization, and trade, including the slave trade.&nbsp;



Iberian Peninsula



Bordering the Atlantic and at the mouth of the Mediterranean, the history of the people of the Iberian Peninsula is marked by their ocean-going explorations and influences from North Africa. The Moors ruled the peninsula for almost 800 years, and this influence can still be seen in both Spain and Portugal. But even older influences from the Greeks, Phoenicians, and Romans, are apparent. Each of these cultures have left a distinct imprint on the culture and history of the Iberian peninsula.&nbsp;



Ancestry Composition Update



23andMe&#8217;s Ancestry Composition report is a living analysis that improves as we add new reference data. Underlying our Ancestry reports are powerful algorithms and analytical tools developed by 23andMe population geneticists and engineers to offer our customers more insights into their ancestral origins.



Over the last few years, we&#8217;ve updated results for people with <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/ancestry-reports/african-ethnolinguistic-groups/">African Ancestry</a>, <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/ancestry-reports/ancestry-composition-update-china/">Chinese ancestry,</a> <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/ancestry-reports/indigenous-genetic-ancestry/">Indigenous American ancestry</a>, and <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/ancestry-reports/caribbean-latin-american/">Latinx ancestry</a>, for instance. Customers may already see evidence of recent ancestry from the Iberian Peninsula. However, this update and these genetic groups represent improvements in accuracy. They are also more reflective of the distinct regional populations and customers&#8217; ancestry.



Regions in Spain and Portugal



In this update, the new methodology and algorithms use data from groups of people of Spanish or Portuguese ancestry with grandparents from specific regions in the Iberian Peninsula, and some of these regions overlap. Using this method we can connect customers with Portuguese or Spanish ancestry to those regional genetic groups through their shared DNA.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="926" height="422" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Spanish-Portuguese-percents.png" alt="" class="wp-image-31125" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Spanish-Portuguese-percents.png 926w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Spanish-Portuguese-percents-300x137.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Spanish-Portuguese-percents-768x350.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Spanish-Portuguese-percents-880x401.png 880w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 926px) 100vw, 926px" /></figure>



For 23andMe customers with Portuguese ancestry, the update most commonly includes matches to the regions of Porto, Minho, and Via Real, as well as Central and Southern Portugal and Madeira. The least common regions for matching are Terceira, Santa Maria and Flores, Corvo, and Graciosa in the Azores.



For customers with Spanish ancestry the most common matches will be to Western Andalusia (near Huelva, Seville, and Badajoz). Also customers with Spanish ancestry will more commonly see Southern Andalusia (near Cadiz), as well as to the Canary Islands matches. The least common regions are Galician and Basque associated regions in northern Spain. 



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-on-matching">More on Matching</h6>



Among customers on the <a href="https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/218392668-Upgrading-to-23andMe-s-Newest-Chip-Version">latest genotyping chip</a>, V5, who have more than 95 percent of their ancestry from the Iberian peninsula, around 40 percent will match with at least one Portuguese genetic group. Similarly, for customers on the latest chip with over 75 percent of their ancestry from the Iberian peninsula, approximately 40 percent will be matched to at least one Spanish genetic group.



Matching to one of these genetic groups means that you share a high genetic similarity with people in that group. Some regions overlap. But we&#8217;ve distinguished each geographically and descriptively. The names of these genetic groups also attempt to indicate the geographic regions.



Customers may receive a likely or highly likely match to one of these genetic groups. However, this update does not provide more breakdowns for customers&#8217; Spanish and Portuguese ancestry percentages. 



Your ancestry matters for your health



Many people find value in learning about their cultural roots but understanding your ancestry can also help you better understand your health. Your health and your likelihood of developing certain conditions involves several factors. These factors include your environment, family history and lifestyle. However, your genetics also plays an important role.



In some cases, that can be specific to the unique history of our ancestral groups.&nbsp;



So, for example, V30M, a genetic variant associated with<a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/health-predispositions/hereditary-amyloidosis/"> TTR-related hereditary amyloidosis</a> is more common among people of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12832749/#:~:text=Portuguese%2Dtype%20amyloidosis%20(transthyretin%20amyloidosis%2C%20ATTR%20V30M)%20is,inherited%20in%20autosomal%20dominant%20mode.">Portuguese ancestry</a>. It&#8217;s also common in people of Northern Swedish and Japanese ancestry. The condition causes a buildup of a protein called transthyretin (TTR) in the body&#8217;s tissues and organs. That build up can damage the nerves, the heart, or other organs in the body. 



People of Iberian descent have a higher likelihood of having one of the genetic variants linked to <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/health-predispositions/alpha-1-antitrypsin-deficiency/">alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency</a>. Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency is a genetic condition that can lead to lung and liver disease



Find out more



23andMe customers who want to learn more about their Ancestry Composition can go <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/ancestry_composition_hd/">here</a>. 



Not yet a customer? 



Find out more about 23andMe’s Ancestry service and other services offered to customers here.

A map of Spain and Portugal noting the 43 new genetic groups in Iberia.

23andMe Adds More Detail for Spanish and Portuguese Ancestry

Recently discovered 17 donor siblings? Unsure when to tell your cousin about her secret sister?



No genetic testing conundrum is too big—or too complicated—for Chelsea Handler.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dear-chelsea">Dear Chelsea</h6>



The comedian and TV personality brought her signature blend of caustic, straightforward humor to the latest episode of<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spit/id1422827494"> Spit</a>, an iHeartMedia and 23andMe podcast.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-larger"><img decoding="async" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Dear_Chelsea-880x880.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-30778"/></figure>



Spit, which is hosted by Baratunde Thurston, explores how DNA gives us a new perspective on who we are and how we are all connected. The show looks at both the personal and the broader implications of genetic testing with a mix of analysis, camaraderie, and the intimacy that comes from people sharing their stories.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-family-history">Family History</h6>



Over the course of 47 minutes, Chelsea answered listener questions and doled out expletive-laden advice.&nbsp;



She reflected on her family history (she’s 50% Ashkenazi Jewish) and revealed some of the health insights she discovered after taking the 23andMe Health + Ancestry Service, including one of her Pharmacogenetic reports that predicted she was an ultrarapid drug metabolizer* and may process certain medications faster (a result she deemed “very on the nose”).&nbsp;



When caller Katie wondered if she should spill the beans about a secret sister just a week before her cousin’s wedding, Chelsea dove into the notion of responsibility, and suggested that Katie’s dad should be the one to break the news. “I would encourage your dad to have that conversation and also let him know – if he doesn’t, you will,” she said. “I like threatening people,” she joked, “I think that’s a great approach.”



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-text-color has-foreground-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-foreground-background-color has-background is-style-wide"/>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading has-small-font-size" id="h-note">NOTE</h6>



*23andMe PGS Pharmacogenetics reports: The 23andMe test uses qualitative genotyping to detect 3 variants in the CYP2C19 gene, 2 variants in the DPYD gene and 1 variant in the SLCO1B1 gene in the genomic DNA of adults from saliva for the purpose of reporting and interpreting information about the processing of certain therapeutics to inform discussions with a healthcare professional. It does not describe if a person will or will not respond to a particular therapeutic and does not describe the association between detected variants and any specific therapeutic. 



Our CYP2C19 Pharmacogenetics report provides certain information about variants associated with metabolism of some therapeutics and provides interpretive drug information regarding the potential effect of citalopram and clopidogrel therapy. Results for SLCO1B1 and DPYD and certain CYP2C19 results should be confirmed by an independent genetic test prescribed by your own healthcare provider before taking any medical action. Warning: Test information should not be used to start, stop, or change any course of treatment and does not test for all possible variants that may affect metabolism or protein function. The PGS test is not a substitute for visits to a healthcare professional. Making changes to your current regimen can lead to harmful side effects or reduced intended benefits of your medication, therefore consult with your healthcare professional before taking any medical action. For important information and limitations regarding Pharmacogenetics reports, visit 23andme.com/test-info/pharmacogenetics

Comedian Chelsea Handler Has (Almost) All the Answers

23andMe’s latest Ancestry Composition update includes three new populations in China, increasing resolution for v5 customers with ancestry from the world’s most populous country. 
With more than 30 detailed ancestry regions in China and 19 in Taiwan, 23andMe was already the best DNA test for people with Chinese ancestry, but there was room for improvement. 
“I had some specific regional matches in China and Taiwan, but my ancestry breakdown — my pie chart — just said 100 percent Chinese, which was a little disappointing since China has much more diversity than that,” said Alison Kung, 23andMe’s Director of Product Management, whose family hails from Taiwan.
Now, with 23andMe’s latest Ancestry Composition update introducing three new populations in China, Alison’s ancestry percentages have been broken down into a combination of ancestries. In her updated report, most of Alison’s Chinese ancestry has been inferred to be from Southern China, with smaller percentages from elsewhere in China.
<div id="attachment_29967" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-29967" class="size-large wp-image-29967" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/China-by-regional-Pop-Map-1024x714.png" alt="The five Ancestry Composition population regions within China." width="1024" height="714" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/China-by-regional-Pop-Map-1024x714.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/China-by-regional-Pop-Map-300x209.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/China-by-regional-Pop-Map-768x535.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/China-by-regional-Pop-Map-880x613.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/China-by-regional-Pop-Map-1180x823.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/China-by-regional-Pop-Map.png 1370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />This map indicates the five Ancestry Composition populations within China, including three new, primarily Han Chinese populations. In the upper left corner, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is hashed with both green and red to reflect the fact that individuals from this region can have genetic ancestry resembling either Central Asian populations or Northern Chinese &amp; Tibetan populations.  </div>
“I&#8217;m excited I can finally understand how my genetic makeup is broken up between the regions of China, since I was unfamiliar with my family history before they were in Taiwan,” explained Alison.
<a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/ancestry_composition/">View your updated Ancestry Composition report</a>
Note: Customers with no East Asian ancestry may also see small changes to their Ancestry Composition percentages. Common questions about this update can be found at the end of this article.
<h6>What’s new?</h6>
New populations
In previous versions of Ancestry Composition, there were three populations representing almost all of China’s diverse ancestry: “Chinese” represented the majority Han Chinese population; &#8220;Central Asian&#8221; represented the Uyghur population of western China; and “Chinese Dai” represented the larger Tai ethnolinguistic group that currently lives in parts of China, Burma, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand. Most Chinese Dai live in southern and western Yunnan Province and are genetically more similar to their Vietnamese neighbors than they are to the Han Chinese. 
With this latest update, the “Chinese” reference population was replaced by three more specific populations: <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/ancestry_composition/north_chinese/">Northern Chinese &amp; Tibetan</a>, <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/ancestry_composition/south_chinese/">Southern Chinese &amp; Taiwanese</a>, and <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/ancestry_composition/southernmost_chinese/">South Chinese</a>.

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="332" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Tree-of-Different-Chinese-Ancestry-Regions-1024x332.png" alt="" class="wp-image-29968" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Tree-of-Different-Chinese-Ancestry-Regions-1024x332.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Tree-of-Different-Chinese-Ancestry-Regions-300x97.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Tree-of-Different-Chinese-Ancestry-Regions-768x249.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Tree-of-Different-Chinese-Ancestry-Regions-880x285.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Tree-of-Different-Chinese-Ancestry-Regions-1180x383.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Tree-of-Different-Chinese-Ancestry-Regions.png 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
New stories
Our team of product scientists and content writers have curated a selection of vignettes about the genetic histories, cultures, and attractions unique to the three new populations. Find these new stories on the <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/ancestry_composition/north_chinese/">Northern Chinese &amp; Tibetan</a>, <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/ancestry_composition/south_chinese/">Southern Chinese &amp; Taiwanese</a>, and <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/ancestry_composition/southernmost_chinese/">South Chinese</a> population pages. 
 

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="474" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Cultural-Dive-Image-1024x474.png" alt="" class="wp-image-29969" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Cultural-Dive-Image-1024x474.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Cultural-Dive-Image-300x139.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Cultural-Dive-Image-768x355.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Cultural-Dive-Image-880x407.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Cultural-Dive-Image-1180x546.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Cultural-Dive-Image.png 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="511" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Bejing-Image-1024x511.png" alt="" class="wp-image-29971" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Bejing-Image-1024x511.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Bejing-Image-300x150.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Bejing-Image-768x384.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Bejing-Image-880x439.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Bejing-Image-1180x589.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Bejing-Image.png 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
<h6>The scientific details</h6>
A gradient of genetic diversity
More than 90 percent of people in China identify as Han Chinese, but nested within that Han identity are many layers of regional variation. For example, separating the northern Han from the southern Han are vaguely defined, but often deeply felt, geographical, cultural, historical, and linguistic differences. To what extent does their DNA reflect those distinctions?
China’s population history, including extensive migration, complicates the goal of identifying distinct genetic groups in China. A recent <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(18)31032-8#%20">study</a>, led by a group at BGI-Shenzhen in Guangdong, China, analyzed the population structure of self-described Han Chinese in China. The authors found a gradient of genetic similarity, but they were also able to identify three distinct genetic groups of Han Chinese, color-coded by region in the paper’s supplemental figure 3, shown below. 

 <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="522" src="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/AC-Graph-1024x522.png" alt="" class="wp-image-29970" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/AC-Graph-1024x522.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/AC-Graph-300x153.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/AC-Graph-768x392.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/AC-Graph-880x449.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/AC-Graph-1180x602.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/AC-Graph.png 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
 
These results are very similar to those identified by 23andMe’s analysis of customers who report recent ancestry from specific regions of China. While most of the individuals in our analysis may identify as Han, we did not limit the analysis to customers who identified this way. 
<a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/ancestry_composition/">View your updated Ancestry Composition report</a>
<h6>Discover more with 23andMe</h6>
With more than 2,000 geographic regions, mitochondrial and Y-chromosome haplogroups, <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/ancestry_composition_hd/?assessment_id=ancestry_composition_hd.achd_admixture_dating">Ancestry Timeline</a>, <a href="https://you.23andme.com/tools/relatives/dna/">advanced DNA comparison</a>, <a href="https://you.23andme.com/family/relatives/">DNA Relatives</a>, and a <a href="https://you.23andme.com/family/tree/">genetic Family Tree</a>, 23andMe offers more specificity, more interactivity, and more to explore. 23andMe&#8217;s Ancestry Composition improves over time as 23andMe adds new populations and regions, offering customers a chance to see more granularity in their results.
23andMe customers can go to their <a href="https://you.23andme.com/ancestry/">Ancestry Overview</a> to start exploring. 
Not yet a customer? Find out more about 23andMe’s ancestry offerings <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-ancestry/">here</a>.

<h6>Common Questions</h6>
1) How did you identify these populations? 
To begin building our reference panel, we selected research-consented 23andMe customers who indicated in their Family Origins survey that all four of their grandparents were born in the same Chinese province. 
Next, we identified groups of individuals who share higher levels of DNA with each other than they do with others in the analysis. These genetic groups became our reference groups for this feature. We compare customers&#8217; DNA to the DNA of individuals within these reference groups.
2) Can customers who tested on earlier genotyping chips see this update?
Customers who tested on older versions of the genotyping chip will need to upgrade to the latest genotyping chip to receive updated results. To find your genotyping chip version, go to your 23andMe profile <a href="https://you.23andme.com/user/">settings</a>, and scroll to the bottom of the personal information section to where it says “Genotyping chip versions.” Customers on our latest chip will see “version 5.” <a href="https://you.23andme.com/chip-upgrade/">Learn more</a> about chip upgrades. This latest Ancestry Composition update includes three new populations in China and is available to customers who tested with 23andMe using the v5 chip (i.e., those genotyped on our latest genotyping chip, called “v5”). All v5 customers’ Ancestry Composition results will be recalculated as part of this update, including customers without East Asian ancestry. Customers without East Asian ancestry should not expect to see significant changes to their ancestry percentages. 23andMe’s latest Ancestry Composition update includes three new populations in China, increasing resolution for v5 customers with ancestry from the world’s most populous country.
3) What does “Northern Chinese AND Tibetan” ancestry mean? Does this mean I have ancestry from both populations listed in the population name? 
This reference population includes individuals whose grandparents were born in Tibet, as well as individuals whose grandparents were born in one of China’s northern provinces. If you have some “Northern Chinese &amp; Tibetan” ancestry in your Ancestry Composition results, this does not necessarily mean you have ancestry from both of these regions, though it is possible. Instead, it could mean that you have ancestry from just one of these regions. You may see more detail in your results that can help shed light on your geographic ancestry — specific provinces to which we were able to trace your ancestry. 
4) My results used to say “East Asian &amp; Indigenous American,” but they no longer do. What changed? 
With this update, Indigenous American ancestry is no longer grouped with East Asian ancestry. What does this mean? Previously, people with either East Asian or Indigenous American ancestry would see those ancestries grouped together under an umbrella category called “East Asian &amp; Indigenous American.” These ancestries were grouped together in our Ancestry Composition algorithm to accommodate shared ancestry that resulted from the migrations into the Americas from Asia that began around 23,000 years ago. 
However, Indigenous American ancestry is almost always distinguishable from East Asian ancestry and, following recent algorithm improvements reducing the amount of nonspecific ancestry in customers’ results, we’ve separated Indigenous American ancestry into its own category.  While this change better reflects how these populations think about their ancestry today, customers who previously had some “Broadly East Asian &amp; Indigenous American” ancestry may now see some or all of that ancestry identified as “unassigned” by the Ancestry Composition algorithm. Customers with Broadly East Asian &amp; Indigenous American ancestry typically had less than 0.5% of this ancestry. 
<a href="https://www.23andme.com/ancestry-composition-guide/">Read more</a> about how the Ancestry Composition algorithm works.
5) If I have ancestry from an ethnic minority in China, will I also have updated results? 
You will still receive updated results, but our algorithms are not granular enough to distinguish these minority populations at this time. It’s likely that the large majority of individuals in the reference populations identify as Han Chinese, but ethnic minorities in China were not excluded in this analysis.
6) I don’t have Chinese ancestry. Will my results change with this update? 
It’s possible customers with no Chinese ancestry will see small changes to their Ancestry Composition results. All customers who tested on version 5 of the genotyping chip will be recalculated with this update, though many customers’ percentages may remain the same.

23andMe Increases Resolution of Chinese Ancestry Inference

Improved accuracy. Less uncertainty. Better science.



We like to call 23andMe’s Ancestry Composition a living analysis of your DNA that gets better and more granular over time as more people from different backgrounds become customers.



This fall, we’re upgrading to that analysis to improve accuracy and reduce the number of “unassigned” and non-specific ancestry assignments. But, some 23andMe users may see some pretty significant shifts in their results. For example, many should expect an increase in their most common ancestry proportion and a reduction in their broad ancestries. The end of this post includes a summary of some of the most common ways in which 23andMe users’ results will change.



In parallel with this 23andMe upgrade to the Ancestry Composition analysis, we&#8217;re updating our reference dataset for our recent ancestor locations feature, so you might see your recent ancestor locations and match strengths change as well.  



This is all part of our ongoing efforts to improve our customer offerings. It’s worth looking back at what we’ve done since 2008 when we first started offering customers a breakdown of their ancestry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-look-back">A look back</h2>



A lot has happened in the past 12 years. Millions of individuals have joined 23andMe, and ongoing research efforts have helped us understand more about genetic diversity worldwide. 23andMe has also made great strides in improving the underlying algorithms and reference populations we use to deliver these results. In 2008, we divided ancestry into three main categories: African, European, and East Asian. Since then, we&#8217;ve offered a series of updates where we refined those original estimates into more and more granular results. Now, customers can discover if their DNA traces to more than 2,000 regions worldwide.



When we update the algorithms or the reference populations used to predict your ancestry, your results are expected to change. That’s why we call Ancestry Composition a living analysis of your DNA. Mostly, these changes should be minor and hopefully provide you with more detail about <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-ancestry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">your ancestral origins</a>. Like almost everything we do, these changes are based on science, and we want to be transparent about our actions. That’s why each time we make an update, we share it in our &#8220;Change Log,&#8221; which can be found at the bottom of the <a href="https://you.23andme.com/reports/ancestry_composition_hd/details/">Scientific Details</a> section of your Ancestry Composition report. If you want even more detail, you can look at our <a href="https://www.23andme.com/ancestry-composition-guide/">Ancestry Composition Guide</a>, or for those with a science bent, check out our White Paper.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-about-the-most-recent-update-to-ancestry-composition-nbsp">More about the most recent update to Ancestry Composition&nbsp;</h2>



Since 2014, 23andMe has added or expanded dozens of reference populations, but the core Ancestry Composition algorithm has remained almost completely unchanged. Until now.



In 2020, our R&amp;D team developed a new approach that dramatically improves accuracy while reducing unassigned and nonspecific ancestry. This update is a significant part of our latest 23andMe upgrade.



To understand what’s changing, let’s first review the basics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-simple-step-by-step-guide-to-ancestry-composition">A simple, step-by-step guide to Ancestry Composition</h2>



Step 1: Assigning



First, in our Ancestry DNA update, we separate the customer’s genome data into small segments, similar to train boxcars. Each boxcar contains data for about 300 DNA markers, out of the total of over 650,000 markers we test on our genotyping chip. By dividing 650,000 by 300 DNA markers, we get approximately 2,000 boxcars.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="228" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Boxcar-image-300x228.png" alt="An illustration of compring DNA to reference populations" class="wp-image-28574" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Boxcar-image-300x228.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Boxcar-image.png 512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure>



For each of those 2,000 DNA boxcars, the algorithm picks the most closely matching genetic population out of the 45 we currently have in many head-to-head match-ups.



But this first step is noisy and prone to error, especially if someone has ancestry, say, from two neighboring populations. If an assignment is made to each boxcar without considering the neighboring boxcars, then the algorithm is missing useful information about ancestry segments extending across several boxcars.



That’s where the next step comes in!



Step 2: Smoothing



In our Ancestry DNA update, the next step of the algorithm is called “smoothing” because it makes the results from the first step less noisy. In this step, we use information from neighboring DNA boxcars to make a more informed decision about the most likely ancestry of individual boxcars.



Let’s say a boxcar seems to match Sudanese ancestry, but many of the surrounding boxcars match Ethiopians with high confidence (Sudan and Ethiopia are neighboring countries). The smoother uses that information to adjust the prediction for that middle boxcar and assigns Ethiopian instead.



Or, say there’s a stretch of boxcars that don’t match Ethiopian or Sudanese with high confidence. Here, the smoother can “zoom out” to a broader population called “Northern East African,” at which point it will be highly confident in that assignment.



<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="449" data-id="28575" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Sudanese-to-Ethiopian-Image.png" alt="An illustration of refining to more specific regions." class="wp-image-28575" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Sudanese-to-Ethiopian-Image.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Sudanese-to-Ethiopian-Image-300x263.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="475" data-id="28576" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Northern-East-African-Image.png" alt="An illustration going from Ethiopian to Northern East African" class="wp-image-28576" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Northern-East-African-Image.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Northern-East-African-Image-300x278.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>
</figure>



What Are DNA Markers?



DNA markers are specific sequences in the genome used to identify genetic differences between individuals or populations. These markers play a crucial role in genome data analysis by helping scientists match genetic data with reference populations accurately.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-so-what-s-special-about-this-update-to-ancestry-composition">So, what’s special about this update to Ancestry Composition?</h2>



In our Ancestry DNA update, our R&amp;D team realized that we could significantly improve the second step—smoothing—which would dramatically enhance the accuracy of people’s results.



Previously, the models used in the smoothing process were trained using the genomes of thousands of customers. (&#8220;Training&#8221; a model means setting its &#8220;dials&#8221; based on a dataset so that it can make the most accurate predictions.) These pre-trained models were then applied to each new customer&#8217;s genome. In practice, this step was prone to over-generalizing, which customers saw as results with higher levels of unassigned ancestry or non-specific ancestry, such as “Broadly Southern European.”



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="219" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Smoothing-Illustration-45-populations-300x219.png" alt="An illustration of the steps for smoothing using 45 reference populations" class="wp-image-28577" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Smoothing-Illustration-45-populations-300x219.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Smoothing-Illustration-45-populations-1024x749.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Smoothing-Illustration-45-populations-768x561.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Smoothing-Illustration-45-populations-880x643.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Smoothing-Illustration-45-populations-1180x863.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Smoothing-Illustration-45-populations.png 1547w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure>



It was analogous to estimating an individual’s salary based on statewide salary data. But what if we could estimate that individual’s salary based on data from their specific zip code? So, the R&amp;D team developed a new approach that trains a custom smoother model for each customer, avoiding the over-generalizations of the previous approach. This custom smoother model still reduces the noise across DNA boxcars and produces Ancestry Composition results that are, at the same time, more accurate and more specific.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-will-customers-results-be-affected-by-this-update">How will customers’ results be affected by this update?</h2>



While customers with ancestry from certain parts of the world will be affected more by this update than others, everyone should see some adjustments to their Ancestry Composition.



We understand that changing results can be confusing, but Ancestry Composition is a living analysis, and this update reduces uncertainty and improves accuracy for most customers.



Here are some trends in how customers’ results are changing:&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Many customers, in particular customers with ancestry from Central &amp; South America, could see a significant reduction in the amount of their unassigned ancestry.</li>



<li>Many customers could see a significant reduction in the number of their broad ancestry assignments, such as “Broadly Northwestern European.”</li>



<li>In general, we should now be better able to confidently assign more of your most common ancestry. For example, if you have primarily British &amp; Irish ancestry, you may see your British &amp; Irish percentage increase with this update.</li>



<li>Many customers will see a drop in the number of their trace ancestry assignments.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancestry-specific-changes-general-trends">Ancestry-Specific Changes (general trends)</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="697" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/What-Changes-Illustration-1024x697.png" alt="This is a matrix of some of the changes in this update" class="wp-image-28578" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/What-Changes-Illustration-1024x697.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/What-Changes-Illustration-300x204.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/What-Changes-Illustration-768x523.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/What-Changes-Illustration-880x599.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/What-Changes-Illustration.png 1090w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>







Keep in mind that these are general trends, and changes in your own results may be very different from the changes shown here.



Example customer changes:



<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="561" data-id="28580" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-1024x561.png" alt="Before and After comparison with Native American Ancestry
" class="wp-image-28580" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-1024x561.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-300x164.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-768x421.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-880x482.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-1180x647.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-271x149.png 271w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-372x204.png 372w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-574x315.png 574w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry-980x537.png 980w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Another-Before-and-After-comparison-with-Native-American-Ancestry.png 1283w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="512" height="373" data-id="28579" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/An-example-of-before-and-after-Anestry-Composition.png" alt="An example of before and after Ancestry Composition
" class="wp-image-28579" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/An-example-of-before-and-after-Anestry-Composition.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/An-example-of-before-and-after-Anestry-Composition-300x219.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure>
</figure>



Visit your <a href="http://you.23andme.com/reports/ancestry_composition">Ancestry Composition report</a> to see your updated results.



This update is only available to customers on our genotyping platform&#8217;s most recent version (Version 5). You can check which version you are on near the bottom of the “Personal Information” section of your <a href="https://you.23andme.com/user/">profile settings</a> page.

The 23andMe Ancestry Algorithm Gets an Upgrade

Much like when I hesitated over opening my health results, I, surprisingly, also felt a mix of nerves and anticipation about learning my ancestry results. 
After all, DNA has the power to bust through family myths and long-held identities of who we are. 

<h6>Opening Up My Ancestry Results</h6>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Amanda-Percentages.png" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-28118 size-full" width="283" height="512" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Amanda-Percentages.png 283w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Amanda-Percentages-166x300.png 166w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 283px) 100vw, 283px" />I was raised knowing I had deep roots in the American South and German ancestors that moved from Prussia to Buffalo, NY in the 1800s. But mostly, I was raised passionately Scottish. How Scottish? My parents took photos of my brother and me as babies in wee kilts. My brother went to a bagpipe camp and played in a bagpipe band. We helped organize the local Highland Games and we even made a pilgrimage to Scotland to view headstones and church plaques that had our last names carved into them. 
&nbsp;
Fortunately, my 23andMe Ancestry Composition results confirmed that I was indeed partly Scottish, but it also showed I had an equal percentage of English, German, and Irish ancestry. There were even small amounts from regions in Scandinavia,  Spain, and Portugal, as well as western Asia and northern Africa. 
&nbsp;
I was surprised to see that my 23andMe is even able to pinpoint the very regions in some countries that my genetic ancestors most likely lived as well as a timeline of when ancestors lived in those countries. 
&nbsp;
Indeed, the Scottish and German ancestors were the most recent immigrants to America so in some ways, it made sense that those cultural identities held the most weight in my family lore. But, having never identified with the other heritages felt like a slight to those branches of the family tree. There is a unique satisfaction in having a more complete picture.
&nbsp;
<h6>My DNA Relatives</h6>
As my DNA had revealed surprises in where my family is from, I braced myself to learn who I was related to via the site’s DNA Relatives feature. 23andMe even warns you about this before you opt-in to participate in DNA Relatives, letting you know you might learn something unexpected.
&nbsp;
My results didn’t reveal any family secrets, fortunately. They did, however, help us solve one family mystery. More on that in a minute.
&nbsp;
DNA Relatives connects you to other 23andMe customers, who have also opted-in and with whom you share DNA, looking at how much DNA you share and the length of the segments of DNA, 23andMe can predict how closely you are related. 
&nbsp;
But beyond the first few close family members, I knew on my DNA Relatives list, 23andMe matched me to literally hundreds of much more distant relatives, I don’t know at all. I recognized hardly any last names. 
&nbsp;
But I wanted to learn more about these genetic cousins, so starting with those who shared the most DNA with me, I clicked through names in the hopes that they had filled out their profiles, listing birthplaces or surnames I might recognize.
&nbsp;
In one profile, I discovered someone who had listed the last name I’d heard before. It was a name that was bounced around in family discussions as the possible last name of my great-grandmother who was adopted. Sure enough, my DNA relative listed my nana’s birthplace as a birthplace for his family members. 
&nbsp;
I messaged him through 23andMe and it turns out his great-grandfather and my great-grandmother were brother and sister. He even had photos of the two together, arm and arm in front of their childhood home as adults. We had always assumed that she had no ties to her birth family after what was likely a traumatic separation from her parents. But clearly, that wasn’t the whole story. It gave me joy learning that she and her brother had had a relationship during their adulthood. 
<h6><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Amanda-Timeline.png" alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-28117" width="600" height="220" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Amanda-Timeline.png 512w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Amanda-Timeline-300x110.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></h6>
<h6>Exploring More</h6>
Within the first week of opening my results, other DNA relatives seeking answers to mysteries in their own family trees were sending me messages. Just like me, they were looking for information to fill in the connections in their family trees. One woman, who said a certain branch of her family refused to accept her as a relative, was able to find a common ancestor with me that proved her relation to them.
&nbsp;
As a result of these discoveries, and the rush of finding answers to mysteries that may have endured for centuries, I began pulling down old family bibles that listed births, marriages, and deaths to paint a fuller picture of extended family trees. I soon fell down the rabbit hole of genealogical research – finding evidence of both slave owners and abolitionists, loyalists and patriots fighting against each other in the Revolutionary War. I know from our own family stories that we have ancestors who were members of the original 13 colonies as well as others who immigrated through Ellis Island. 
&nbsp;
Some believe DNA testing might be used as a way to further an “us vs. them” mentality. But what I found was quite the opposite. I suddenly felt related to everyone and living in a world where everyone feels like family is a good feeling. 
Amanda McCorquodale is a freelance writer. Her work has appeared in Gourmet, Miami Magazine and Mental Floss. She previously worked as an associate editor at the Huffington Post and as an Arts and Culture Editor at the Miami New Times. She lives in New York with her family. This is the third and last part of the series. You can read <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-and-you/23andme-how-to/taking-the-leap-into-my-dna-part-i/">Part I here</a>, and <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-customer-stories/taking-a-leap-into-my-dna-part-ii/">Part II here.</a>

Amanda McCorquodale

Taking a Leap Into My DNA: Part III

<figure class="wp-block-image alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="275" height="300" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Jeremiah-1-275x300.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-27997" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Jeremiah-1-275x300.jpg 275w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Jeremiah-1-768x839.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Jeremiah-1-938x1024.jpg 938w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Jeremiah-1-806x880.jpg 806w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Jeremiah-1-1081x1180.jpg 1081w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 275px) 100vw, 275px" /></figure>



“Where are you from?” 



It’s a question, Jeremiah struggled to answer most of his life. His home was in Oakland, California, but for Jeremiah simply saying “Oakland” wasn’t enough. All his life he longed to be able to say more about his African heritage.&nbsp;



“I was a tree without roots,” Jeremiah said.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-paper-records-fail">Where Paper Records Fail</h6>



Seeing his 23andMe results, gave him that extra bit of information about his African ancestry that he’d always wanted to know, said Jeremiah.



Paper records and family lore could take Jeremiah back only so far. Like most African Americans, the scourge of slavery meant he could never trace back to where in Africa his ancestors were stolen from before they were shipped off into bondage. His parents and grandparents were unsure about their ancestry beyond a few generations. An entrepreneur and motivational speaker, Jeremiah’s driving purpose is his teenage daughters, but despite how far he had come, he still felt like a stranger to himself. 



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="254" src="https://blog-api.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/map_of_africa-300x254.png" alt="" class="wp-image-26483" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/map_of_africa-300x254.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/map_of_africa.png 697w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure>



That changed four years ago when he received his 23andMe reports. He hoped DNA testing would offer him some of the answers he’d been searching for most of his life. He also wanted to give his daughters a better understanding of their ancestry. He wanted them to have the confidence that comes with truly knowing who you are.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-connections-to-africa">Connections to Africa</h6>



Opening his results for the first time, “meant everything.” Jeremiah learned that he is a descendant of the Ghanaian people, with ancestors also in Nigeria, the Congo and other areas of Africa. In that one moment, he felt connected.



“I finally felt at peace with who I am,” Jeremiah reflected. “People often walk through life wanting to have others understand and know them, but they don’t always understand and know themselves. Getting to know the stranger within each of us will better arm us to assist the strangers we encounter in life.”



Jeremiah always felt an affinity with the rich cultural heritage of Ghana, so it thrilled him to learn of his ancestral connection to the region.&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sankofa">Sankofa</h6>



To capture what his discovery has meant, Jeremiah mentions the word, “Sankofa.” In the Twi language of Ghana, it means “to go back and get.” The phrase embodies the concept that for humans to better understand what’s happening now and what is possible in the future, they need to go back and comprehend what happened before. That’s what Jeremiah is trying to do, he said.



To mark the 400th anniversary of slavery in America, the government of Ghana sponsored in 2019 something called the Year of Return. An estimated half a million people who are part of the African diaspora visited Ghana. Jeremiah is determined to make his own pilgrimage there “to go back and get.”



There is a rite of passage in Ghana where African-Americans can return and surrender their American name to receive a new African name. Jeremiah was never given a middle name, so he plans to participate. Only he won’t be surrendering his American name. Rather he will “go back and get” the name Kwame as his middle name. Kwame is the name traditionally given to men born on a Saturday, just like Jeremiah was.



“I’m looking forward to taking my daughters to Ghana so they can see for themselves where we come from,” Jeremiah said. “They’re still young so they don’t fully understand what I wrestled with for decades. We all have to figure out who we are, but I hope that knowing more about their Ghanain heritage will help them in that process.”



Not everyone will have the opportunity to travel back to where their ancestors came from, engage in the culture of their ancestors, and ensure their future generations know more than they did. For Jeremiah, his 23andMe kit wasn’t just enlightening, it was life-altering.&nbsp;



Now he knows where he comes from.



&nbsp;

Ancestry Composition — Page 2