A complimentary GPS Origins™ DNA test kit was provided to facilitate this review; all opinions are my own.
I think it’s human nature to want to know where you came from, but surprisingly, my family knows very little about our ancestors. I’ve unsuccessfully tried to trace back our ancestry, but I reach a dead end at just one generation away because of a lack of information.
As a child, our ethnicity only came up once when I was asked to write a report on my ancestors and where we immigrated from. I had no idea; it wasn’t something that we ever discussed. I don’t think my parents were sure either, but they threw out a few options saying we were likely Scotch, Irish, Welsh, and German. Looking into our surname a few years ago, I discovered we were probably English.
After spending hours searching for my ancestry, I got a chance to take a little shortcut in my process by having my DNA tested.
Finding Out My Family’s History
GPS Origins™ offered me the opportunity to have my DNA tested to help determine my family’s history. With the easy-to-order GPS Origins™ DNA test, I was able to collect my DNA sample at home and return it by mail for processing.
GPS Origins™ancestry DNA test takes you deeper into your family history, targeting your DNA’s origin well beyond other ancestry tests. Using the most comprehensive set of gene pools, 500 reference populations and a powerful algorithm developed at the University of Sheffield by leading genealogy experts, GPS Origins™ has the ability to focus your ancestry search to cities, towns or villages.
It requires about 6-weeks to deliver your results after it arrives at GPS Origins’ accredited testing facility. Your cheek swab is analyzed, and the results are emailed to you.
Understanding My Results
So what did my test show? My three largest gene pools are Fennoscandia, Southern France, and Western Siberia. I had no idea!
My Ancestor’s DNA Migration Routes
My results found that part of my ancestors came from Russia before 836 AD and at some point after 836 AD they moved to Finland. My other ancestors came from Russia before 370 AD, and at some time before 370 AD, they moved on to Iceland where sometime after 370 AD they migrated to Ireland. The two paths represent a maternal (mother’s) and paternal (father’s) migration pattern.
What Am I?
After having my test done, I’m more confused than ever. It’s clear I’m mostly of Eastern European descent, but my DNA also revealed I am 9.5% Southeastern India, 2.7% Northern India, 2% Northwester Africa, 0.4% Western South America, and 0.2% Nile Valley Peoples (Western Ethiopia and South Sudan).
What Now?
With the results I received, I’ll be taking my ancestor search in new directions I wouldn’t have thought to look. Before this, I had anecdotal information on where my ancestors came from, and it turns out, it may not be true. I can’t wait to dig in and start trying to fill in my family tree!
Ready to Find Out Your Ancestry?
I can’t begin to understand the science behind their testing and why they believe theirs is more comprehensive, so please check out their DNA test comparison chart. In it, they compare their testing to that of three of their competitors. They provide detailed information on what each company tests as well as current pricing.
If you’ve already had our DNA test done by another provider and you have access to the raw data, you can upload it to GPS Origins™ and have it analyzed at a discounted rate. The new information you’ll get additional insights from this additional testing.
Both the GPS Origins Test & Report and Report only are currently discounted 20% when you sue the code DEAL at checkout (please note, this offer may end at any time).
Ready to find out where you’re from? Visit the GPS Origins website to get started.
I have never tried one of these ancestry kits before but have often been curious! I know of French, German, Italian, Puerto Rican and my mom speaks 7 languages fluently!
I want to know my DNA background so bad. Its interesting to know your background you never know were you are really from!
I didn’t know they have this. This is so cool! Now I wonder if I should get this, I am really curious.
That’s so cool. My dad is really into genealogy so he’s delved into our family’s past, and this would be a great accompaniment to that. I’m sure I’d be surprised too.
I need to share this with my Dad. He has been looking at our family history for a few years now. I know he would love to have his DNA tested.
This is so interesting! Would be helpful for those looking for their lost loved ones and of course for tracking your ancestors!
That would be so cool to do. I have often wondered what my ancestry really was. I have been told I have some Scottish and Irish heritage, but I would like to know more than that. I would like to know my whole ancestry. This would help me to figure it out.
I have thought about doing one of these DNA tests. I have no idea of my lineage
This is so neat! It’s really nice that they actually map everything out for you. I’m curious to see where my genes are from.
I think it’s so cool that these tests can trace your ancestry that far back! I’d love to see what mine would say. I don’t think my parents were ever sure of our ancestry either, just a bunch of guessing.
Wow, it seems like the DNA test is a great way to find out more about your ancestry. I wonder what I would find out!
This is so cool. I have not heard the GPS Origins DNA. I did a DNA test last year and was quite impressed with it.
I think this is an amazing idea. We all think we know where we came from, but do we really? I mean, we only have word of mouth to go on, and at some point, things get lost in the telling.
I am so unsure of my true heritage, my parents and grandparents did not like to talk about the old country only that it was Russia or Poland. I need a service like this to get the real truth.
That is the coolest! I really should get one of these to try. We always think – THINK – we know our heritage, but we’re not always correct.
Two of my friends just recently did this and they have been trying to get me to and then we all discuss our findings. I need to check it off my to do list and do it.
I think this is such a cool idea. I have been wanting to do one of these for a while now.