Re: Ancestry Tests
Reply #18 –
The ethnicity estimates offered by the various DNA testing companies are very much estimates and will vary according to each company's reference sample, estimation methodology and timeframe.
Ancestry's ethnicity estimate changes periodically and my latest version is England and NW Europe 55%, Germanic Europe 5%, Norway 4%, Baltics 2%, Finland 1%, Scotland 13%, Sweden and Denmark 15%, and Wales 5%.
MyHeritage's ethnicity estimates are updated infrequently and mine has remained as follows for some time; Ireland/Scotland/Wales 33.7%, Scandinavia 27%, Eastern Europe 26.9%, Iberian Peninsula 9.2%, Italy, 1.7%, and Western Asia 1.5%.
My Living DNA is a relatively new company and most of its reference sample is from the British Isles. It's estimates are based on where your ancestors were likely to have been up to 1,500 years ago, much further back than other DNA companies. My ethnicity estimate is Great Britain and Ireland 97.6% (broken down into areas within mainly England but also Ireland, Scotland and Wales), and South Germanic 2.3%.
Family Tree DNA's ethnicity result is England/Wales/Scotland 44%, Central Europe, 42%, Ireland 13%, and Finnish 1%. FTDNA also provides an estimate of your ancient European origins and mine is Metal Age Invader 16%, Farmer 46% and Hunter-Gatherer 39%.
Eurogenes is accessible via GEDmatch and its estimate is North Artlantic 44.44%, Baltic 21.73%, West Mediterranean 13.33%, West Asian 6.44%, East Mediterranean 5.05%, Red Sea 1.32%, South Asian 1.21%, Siberian 0.82%, Sub-Saharan 0.35%. Amerindian 0.22%, and Oceanic 0.10%
I could go on but folk would start to nod off!
Based on my great great grandparents' places of birth, my ethnicity is England 93.75% and Swedish 6.25% (the Irish were a generation further back). Of course, that doesn't take into account ancestral migration and the Norse contribution to the English (and Scottish, Welsh and Irish) genepools.
What does it all mean? Take it with a grain of salt