** This is not a sponsored post; however, this post contains a referral link for Ancestry that is rewarded with Amazon gift cards. Thank you for supporting Floradise!
I’ve always been curious about my heritage and where specifically my ancestors are from. Often when Graham and I travel we get questions about my ethnicity and I’ve accidentally been given local discounts because some people have assumed I am a member of a certain tribe or that I am from the area rather than a visitor. That was always surprising to me, but I have also always wondered exactly where I am from. Graham and I recently purchased DNA kits from Ancestry to try to find out.
Graham has yet to take his saliva sample, but I was able to finally do mine a couple of weeks ago. I paid $79 for my DNA kit and additional kits were $69. I used my sister’s referral link, which got her a $10 Amazon gift card. To take the test, the first step is to activate your kit online. Also, you can’t eat, drink, smoke or chew gum for 30 minutes before doing the test. Once you are ready, you fill the sample tube to the indicated line and then close the tube. You then twist to tighten the cap until the blue stabilizing solution drops into your sample. You shake the tube for 5 seconds and then it’s ready to place into the little collection bag and mail it back to the lab in the enclosed mailing box. (These directions are printed on a card inside your kit.)
You receive an email when the lab has received your kit and you can track where the kit is in the process. Initially the email estimated it could take six to eight weeks to receive my results, but the lab received my kit on October 20 and I had my results November 1. Not too shabby!
My results:
My ethnicity estimate indicated 49 percent Native American from Northwest Mexico and the Southern California Coast, 19 percent Iberian Peninsula, 9 percent Ireland/Scotland/Wales, and 7 percent Middle East and 3 percent Africa North. The rest were low confidence regions.
I found it interesting how many of my DNA matches were from Sonora, Mexico, and California. It seems my family members have stayed in the same general area. The ethnicity timeline for that area goes back to the 1700s. It says:
Survivors on the Spanish Frontier
Early settlers who followed the narrow corridor between the mountains and the ocean to the northern frontier tamed the farthest reaches of the Spanish Empire. They were generally cut off from the rest of Mexico, often enduring temperatures greater than 100 degrees, and surviving as silver miners and farmers. The Jesuits, a Catholic monastic order, built churches, schools, and strong communities that made religion the center of daily life. During the late 1700s, residents faced frequent raids by Native American tribes.
To really dig into your family tree you will need an Ancestry membership, which I’m considering. In the past, my sister has found documents listing relatives from when they crossed into the U.S., along with much more. I think the DNA kit is a great way to get started on learning more about your ancestry, and overall I am glad I did a DNA test.
Use my referral link to try Ancestry DNA for yourself. I receive a $10 Amazon gift card, but no other compensation.
Have you considered taking a DNA test? Have you ever used Ancestry?
Marette Flora is the founder of Floradise blog and personalized gift shop. Marette is a passionate storyteller and creator. She attended the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication.
She is passionate about creating helpful and meaningful things.