What DNA ancestry tests can — and can’t — tell you

I took a DNA ancestry test. It didn’t tell me where my ancestors came from…

At-home DNA ancestry tests have become hugely popular in recent years. More than 26 million have taken one of these tests. If their marketing is to be believed, they can help you learn where your DNA comes from, and even where your ancestors lived.

But the information that can be inferred from your DNA is actually much more limited than testing companies are letting on. And that has lead consumers to misinterpret their results — which is having negative consequences.

Further reading:

The limits of ancestry DNA tests, explained

Was I part British, part Dutch, a little bit Jewish? The oddness of DNA tests.

White nationalists are flocking to genetic ancestry tests — with surprising results

Direct-to-consumer racial admixture tests and beliefs about essential racial differences

The human genome diversity panel browser

[.]

My DNA test results just came out and I'm proud to say that I'm from the surface of the Earth.

[ALRIGHTYTHEN.]

I found out 50% of my dna came from my mother. They couldn’t pin down the other 50%, but I’ve got a pretty good idea.

[conancat]

I just took a DNA test, turns out I'm 100% tired

[isaacl]

Are you trying to tell me woah wicky isn’t black 😤

[Manifestcars]

My DNA test came I’m 13.4% lamborgini and 86.6% honda civic

[Dralyn]

So those test kits won't tell me if I'm related to royalty from the 1600's? Well then screw that

[polarbearhero]

I did the test to see if I was adopted, something I have suspected all my life. Found out my dad was not my dad. AncestryDNA also listed a half sister and a slew of half nieces and nephews. These tests can give you very accurate info. It just depends what you want from them.

[v.watson]

Don't kill my hopes of deluding myself that I'm viking

[NeedForMadnessSVK]

Hey! It might be meaningless and imprecise, but at least they cost a lot and they sell your genetic data later!

[CorinaStadler]

As someone who's an adoptee of a closed adoption, I'll take any guesses I can get. I'd prefer solid results, but a probability of what ethnicity I am is better than nothing, at least for me.

[pantherzodiacgods]

My test came back 0.0003% amphibian, and now everyone is confused.

[berdooli]

My grandpa took a DNA test through National Geographic and he was bragging about how his ancestors were traced all the way back to East Africa, not realizing that ALL humans are from East Africa

[Hersatz]

Think about it, you're giving away your genetic code to a profitable industry.
What could possibly go wrong?

[shaunm]

My mom took a DNA test. Turns out she's a 100% human.

[CeilingNinja]

Another issue not mentioned is if the reference population is fairly low, the results might not show up in that population. I know my great-grandmother was Native American (Pamunkey tribe), but my ancestry test shows me as having 1% in the Native American population - which is far lower than it should be (should be around 12%.) There just aren't enough Native Americans providing samples for the site to be able to give a good percentage.

Edit: Thank you folks for the responses. You're right that proportional DNA might have something to do with it. It's just weird that I have less than 1% Native American match but almost 3% Sub-Saharan African when we have basically no evidence of any African ancestry (slight possibility given the Pamunkey tribe stole black slaves and co-mingled with them every so often, but there's no evidence this happened.)

Edit Also: And yes, we're sure my great-grandmother is actually Native American and not a "Native American" cause she was born and raised on the Pamunkey reservation by Native American parents.

[gen]

Rumor has it that Elizabeth Holmes college roommate is running these ancestry tests...

[mauricephillips]

As somebody who was adopted I just wanted to find out if I had any family turns out I had a sister and uncle and also learned why I have schizophrenia it taught me alot more about my own history more then ethnicity but rather knowing something outta 30 years gives you peace of mind

[ShowTheOreo]

Asking a sociologist instead of a geneticist about DNA testing... Classic Vox focusing mostly on presentation rather than good journalism

[hellosunshine]

I am totally aware of the faults of these DNA tests, but I still love hearing about people’s ancestry results. I think the idea that we are ALL made up of such diverse combinations is so interesting, and it’s amazing to imagine our thousands of ancestors coming together to create one, perfectly unique YOU!

[summersurock]

I know this is kind of off topic but my friends dad found his long lost brother when their DNA matched on one of those kits. Idk pretty cool.